Driving your Bronco in the winter in the northern States?

If you can find a place that does Ziebart get it done.

I've looked into it but I've also realized that if you just go to a carwash that sprays the undercarriage every week or two you will be fine for rust. The cars will rust if you don't wash them in winter time but still tons of 20+ year old cars I see driving with no rust.

I have researched this topic as we also live in the NE and do not garage our cars. The two best products are Woolwax and Fluid Film, made by the same company. There are videos on you tube comparing the benefits of either. If and when and if I get my Bronco, I am definitely going to undercoat with Woolwax. Either appear to work well. Recommendation are to re apply every other year. Amazon sells both and a spray kit if you want to DIY, but I would want a lift to really get under the vehicle. I am going to a shop who is experienced and reasonably priced.

Hands down Wool Wax or Fluid Film. Blaster makes a similar product which seems to last longer.

I did my F150 and plan to do the Bronco before they start brining the roads.

Check these out…

I'm in RI, so I'll definitely be driving my Bronco in the winter. I plan on getting it undercoated because of the salt use here.

I plan on doing the Fluid Film thing every fall like I did with My JK, Takes about an hour and 1 -2 cans a year, just wear mask and googles also get your self a good "creeper" makes it so much easer. There is a Ziebart about 30 miles from me but I have heard mixed reviews about them, from overspray to not spraying enough guess it all depends on the person doing the spraying.

Bronco V-8

If you can find a place that does Ziebart get it done.

I agree with Ziebart. They have been around for decades and do good work. I used a different mfg. on my wife's JK and ended going back to Ziebart.

Hkak45

I've looked into it but I've also realized that if you just go to a carwash that sprays the undercarriage every week or two you will be fine for rust. The cars will rust if you don't wash them in winter time but still tons of 20+ year old cars I see driving with no rust.

Gotta be careful of carwashes some don't filter the salt out of the water they reuse,you are spraying salt water on your car.

NiceBronco

Hands down Wool Wax or Fluid Film. Blaster makes a similar product which seems to last longer.

I did my F150 and plan to do the Bronco before they start brining the roads.

Check these out…

I live in Detroit which is the land of swiss cheese cars.

HIGHLY recommend what was said above.

There are basically two different kinds of under coating. One is an ablative coating that needs to be reapplied every season and the other is a permanent coating that doesn't really need maintenance.

The ablative variety go by the brand names NiceBronco mentioned above. These are what you want.

The semi permanent stuff is a black tar like substance that can crack and trap salt water behind the coating leading to bad rust you can't even see. It also makes working on your car a nightmare (ask me how I know)

Ziebart sells the permanent black tar - don't go there. The chain that does the ablative stuff is Krown - nice write up here

Fluid film also has a site that shows people who will spray your car - here

Get some fluid film on your Bronco, you won't regret it.

4x4e350

I just received my base Bronco, so now I need to get rid of my pickup(too many vehicles), which means I'll be driving my Bronco in the winter salt!
Has anyone undercoated your Bronco?
Done any research as to the best undercoating to use?
Just curious if anyone has had any luck with certain anti-corrosion techniques?

Yah I would do an undercoating. I've never done it because I don't live in states that use a lot of salt but if you decide too, take a lot of pictures of the underbody and spots where surface rust has already started to develop. before you spray and keep them. If you ever sell the vehicle this will save you.

Bronco V-8

Gotta be careful of carwashes some don't filter the salt out of the water they reuse,you are spraying salt water on your car.

Yes this is a valid point. I personally do the self serve with pressure washer and it's with water that is not recycled. The auto washes never do as good of a job as I can with getting all salt off but auto wash is still better than no wash that lots of folks around me do lol

In4low

I live in Detroit which is the land of swiss cheese cars.

HIGHLY recommend what was said above.

There are basically two different kinds of under coating. One is an ablative coating that needs to be reapplied every season and the other is a permanent coating that doesn't really need maintenance.

The ablative variety go by the brand names NiceBronco mentioned above. These are what you want.

The semi permanent stuff is a black tar like substance that can crack and trap salt water behind the coating leading to bad rust you can't even see. It also makes working on your car a nightmare (ask me how I know)

Ziebart sells the permanent black tar - don't go there. The chain that does the ablative stuff is Krown - nice write up here

Fluid film also has a site that shows people who will spray your car - here

Get some fluid film on your Bronco, you won't regret it.

None of the cars we Ziebarted ever had rust issues.

Thanks everyone, all excellent information, exactly what I was looking for. I live in mid-Michigan so they dump salt on the roads like McDonald's French fries!
Has anyone ever used NH undercoating they advertise on the Motortrend TV channel? It's biodegradable oil based, and supposed to work pretty good. The reason I ask is I've heard of the old timers who would spray used motor oil under their vehicles and it supposedly worked real well. Of course it wasn't very good for the environment, but this biodegradable stuff is not a problem.

Bronco V-8

None of the cars we Ziebarted ever had rust issues.

The one car I had Ziebarted has gotten rust up under the Ziebart coating, especially around sharp edges like sheet metal pinch welds. I will never use this product again.

I live in Michigan which is probably the worst place in the world for salt, and I didn't really wash it during winter months.

I've never undercoated a vehicle either, but after looking under my f150 this summer, the Bronco is DEFINITELY headed to ziebart before the snow flies....

4x4e350

Thanks everyone, all excellent information, exactly what I was looking for. I live in mid-Michigan so they dump salt on the roads like McDonald's French fries!
Has anyone ever used NH undercoating they advertise on the Motortrend TV channel? It's biodegradable oil based, and supposed to work pretty good. The reason I ask is I've heard of the old timers who would spray used motor oil under their vehicles and it supposedly worked real well. Of course it wasn't very good for the environment, but this biodegradable stuff is not a problem.

Looks very similar to Fluid Film. To be honest, since you reapply every year I don't think it matters too much what product you pick.

I like this you tube channel for comparisons - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyWHF4NoNVk

In4low

The one car I had Ziebarted has gotten rust up under the Ziebart coating, especially around sharp edges like sheet metal pinch welds. I will never use this product again.

I live in Michigan which is probably the worst place in the world for salt, and I didn't really wash it during winter months.

How old is the car? Did you ziebart it brand new, or was it a few years old first?

I've read if rust has started already, coating can actually make some spots worse, and you're better off woolwaxing then. I've watched a few vids on the woolwax, and it looks awesome, but a pita to apply.... I'm definitely doing something though.

However, I bought a Ford edge limited in 2011, never coated it, but washed it pretty religiously, and the motor just blew on it last month, zero rust. Body and interior still looked excellent!

210superair

How old is the car? Did you ziebart it brand new, or was it a few years old first?

I've read if rust has started already, coating can actually make some spots worse, and you're better off woolwaxing then. I've watched a few vids on the woolwax, and it looks awesome, but a pita to apply.... I'm definitely doing something though.

However, I bought a Ford edge limited in 2011, never coated it, but washed it pretty religiously, and the motor just blew on it last month, zero rust. Body and interior still looked excellent!

Was a zero rust car from California to start, that was definitely not the issue.

Its really not a pain to apply woolwax or fluid film, if you have an air compressor. I do it every fall in my driveway.

I would definitely recommend doing both an undercoat as well as spraying off every other week or so to really eliminate the risk of rust.