Just picked up a 2016 SuperCrew XLT with the FX4 package. What is everyone's thoughts on undercoating? Is it necessary with the aluminum?

 

There's a ton of info on the forum about this topic. Boiled down undercoating can hide and trap moisture and salt to your truck and cause issue. Fluid film is a biannual or just before winter thing and will do a good job protecting your frame. Just really oily for whoever does your fluid services. Oil and such.

 

I use the spray can rattle can on mine here in Jersey. I use 2 cans in the spring time and 5 or so in the fall.

 

Fluid film

 

I just bought a 2016 f150 xlt sport and was wondering the same thing so I picked up 4 cans of t40 known, put the truck over my dads pit, used a magnet to see what was metal and what was aluminium, determined that the chassis, front and rear bumper, gas lines and a few other parts that were metal, sprayed inside and outside of the box frame and the bumpers and all the other metal parts. Took me about an hour. I think there is a metal plate on the fire wall but I didn't spray that. I'm gonna do it once a year just before winter.

 

There's also 6 cross members to spray as well.

 

I'm not saying anything good or bad or about steel or aluminum they both have their pros and cons. With that being said, all f150's from 1997 till the present all,had aluminum hoods. Aluminum doesn't rust as we know steel does. But aluminum does corrode where as steel rust. Just like steel, if the aluminum gets scared to the surface and the protective coating is gone, it can corrode.
So with that being said, I would use fluid film or a similar product to coat the entire bottom of the truck and not even use a magnet. Spray the entire underside.
PLUS never ever use and steel, brass or stainless steel screws, rivets or bolts on any piece of aluminum anywhere!

 

I prematurely hit the send button before I included the pictures. This is not about aluminum or steel bodies. Don't start and arguments, Just posting to say to spay the entire underside for additional protection.

 

I've used Fluid Film in the past, and like it very well. However, the used 2003 F-150 that I just purchased from a dealer was recently undercoated by them ... not completely, but 50 - 75 percent of the underside has been undercoated.

I know it can't be removed, but I'm thinking about spraying the whole underside anyway to cover the areas where the undercoat didn't cover.

Any thoughts on this?

JT