Fluid Film...How to get into rockers?

I just gave the undercarriage a fluid film bath. I didn't see any way to get inside the rockers. Did I miss a plug somewhere or is drilling holes the only way to get inside?

 

Here is a good thread...


https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-fluid-film-your-3rd-gen.455241/#post-13412819




I am going to start with probably the most important part first. You need to spray in the rocker panels. There is bare metal you can see inside the holes. The rubber grommets just pop right out and go to town spraying in there. Hard to see but you can see the bare metal inside.

 

Thanks, I didn't recognize those as plugs. I was looking for the 1" holes.

 

It took me a total of about an hour and a half to spray everything down. Just like most things, I'm sure I can get this annual process down to about 30 minutes now that I know where the relevant plugs are.

 

About three hours and seven cans, using the plastic extention wand/cap for inside the frame, rockers, doors. etc. Everything. I don't think the internal surfaces that don't see spray will have to be done every time.

 

I thought of going the spray can route too but ended up buying the Kellsport pro gun and a one gallon can of fluid film from Advance Auto Parts. I already have a pancake compressor. The spray gun is not the best but it worked well enough. I used about 1 3/4 quarts of fluid film.

 

Agreed. I do internals every other year. Still seeping out of the tailgate and doors from October of 2017.

 

Does anyone know if the rubber plugs in the rockers can be replaced easily? Do you just reuse them?

 

They are reusable

 

I was warned by a FF rep to keep FF away from the door seals because that rubber isn't oil/gas resistant and will swell (found some comments on various websites that confirmed this). That would include spraying inside the doors since whatever excess will drip out the drain hole and possibly contact the door seal. His recommendation was to stick the can extension nozzle inside the door as far as possible and press the spray button while pulling the hose out rather quickly to minimize the amount of product inside the door.

This wasn't a problem for you?

 

This is why I use Krown rustproofing. I go yearly, ca$h deal, in and out in 1/2 hr. Drips for a few days, but that's what you want. You want it to run into all the crevices & cracks, as safe for the rubber.....

 

The only way to insure 100% coverage is to dip the truck into a vat of fluid film them pull a vacuum to insure it seeps into all the nooks and crannys.

 

FWIW if you have running boards those plugs will now be covered up. You can either remove the running boards or you can use a spraycan with the thin extension wand that comes with it and squirt up into the small vents in the rockers which get you into the same area. If you push the nozzle in some of the various openings you'll ultimately find the one that the nozzle fits in. There's 3-4 per side (I honestly forget) and they're accessible from the back of the rocker.

Before I had running boards I popped off those rubber caps and sprayed that whole area, but I use those crevices now to get in there instead. My annual FF day is tomorrow, I dread it, but it's SO, SO worth it. The only thing I can't do is the bedsides from the top until I pull my roll bar in preparation to put my tonneau cover back on.