First, let me start off by saying I have been using Fluid Film for a number of years now. As a bare metal protectant, truck undercoating, rust inhibitor, inside locks, wheel hubs and even to recondition leather.
Yeah, I spray it on almost everything.
Overall I think Fluid Film is a great product and everyone should have at least four, five…eight cans laying around. But, that’s not the point of this article. In this article, I will be going over some of the Biggest Complaints Using Fluid Film.
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Cold Weather Performance
When attempting to use Fluid Film in cold temperatures (Winter in the North East) I started to run into issues with freezing.
This was first observed when trying to dispense the product out of the spray can to do some last-minute undercoating. Bringing the can outside in the cold, It didn’t take long for it to essentially “freeze up” and stop dispensing completely.
The next issue with freezing was with a trailer ball hitch.
Since Fluid Film works so good as a rust preventive. I use it to coat the underside of my truck frame and apply a good amount to the trailer hitch assembly…ball hitch included. While it has always done an excellent job of preventing rust I did have an issue when unhooking from a snowmobile trailer and having the hitch freeze to the ball.
What is interesting however is that their website states that Fluid Film will not freeze and is used in many cold weather applications. Unfortunately from my experience, I had issues with dispensing the product, trailer hitch freezing and locks freezing in cold weather. Maybe a bad can?
The Smell
This stuff stinks…
It is hard to explain the exact smell. But once you give it a try you will know what I mean. According to their website however they state that it is non-toxic & non-hazardous but I would still recommend using some type of respirator if spraying a large amount indoors. (example, undercoating a vehicle in a garage)
“FLUID FILM is classified as non-toxic and non-hazardous and contains less than one percent VOC content, helping to eliminate the use of ozone-depleting chemicals in the atmosphere. FLUID FILM contains no solvents, phenols, heavy metals, arsenic, pcb’s, pc’s, tcdd’s or other dioxin related substances. It is manufactured using an all natural lanolin base”
Considering how well it works as an undercoating, it is worth putting on your big boy pants and dealing with it. However, keep this is mind as your vehicle will smell for at least a couple of days once applied.
The same goes when applying it as a leather conditioner as we tested in the article “Fluid Film on Leather Boots”
The Looks
Ok, this might be getting a bit too nit picky but take a look at the image above.
Best described as a mixture of phlegm & nose snot, this stuff sure ain’t pretty but boy does it stick.
The upside to this gooey mess is that it does a very good job of sticking to the surface without running off. On some areas like my gas door flap it has lasted for what seams like at least a year. The downside is the unsightly goo that clings to the surface.
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Not a big deal when used as a vehicle undercoating and tool protectant but something to be aware of.
The cost and local availability
“How much does Fluid Film cost?” Depending on where you can find it, prices can range from around $8 to over $11 per 11.65 oz can.
Not the cheapest of products. Especially when you think about how much is needed to do a good job of undercoating a vehicle.
To get the best deal, look for multi-can bundles or consider buying it by the gallon. Here are a few examples of cost per ounce breakdowns.
Average can cost $10, Quantity 11.65 oz = $0.86 per oz
Average gallon cost $44, Quantity 128 oz = $0.34 per oz
Look at that! Buy purchasing it by the gallon you can save about 60% vs the individual spray cans.
The downside is that it can be very hard to find Fluid Film spray cans locally and even harder to find a place to buy it buy the gallon. Local auto-parts stores typically have it in-stock but expect to pay on the higher side ($11+ per can).
Conclusion, Overall Thoughts…
Even with these few minor annoyances, I still love this product and think it is one of the best metal protectants available. Great for tools, around the farm and as a vehicle undercoating to help fight against rust.
**See our complete list of Top Tools and Products for 2019 here**
Hope you guys enjoyed my list of some of the Biggest Fluid Film Complaints. If there is something you think I missed please feel free to leave it in the comment section below and I would be happy to take a look.
Actually, I think that the smell is ok. :).
That’s the sweet smell of rust prevention!
I really like the smell. I am shocked people find it offensive in any way,
It smells so you know it’s “working”. Same with first aid liquids…if it didn’t sting or hurt you woundn’t think it’s doing the job (old-school psychology).
I have used fluid film sprayed by a professional with a paint sprayer and wand to get into all the nooks and tight area’s of a typical vehicle. The State of Connecticut highway dept. uses it the spray all their plow trucks and chemical application highway trucks. I believe the cost $33.45 per gal. when buying bulk by the 55 gal. drum. The cost to spray a complete vehicle including inside doors, wheels, brake lines virtually anything metal inside the engine compartment typically cost me $250 per vehicle. It is a fantastic rust preventative and DO NOT wash it off by going to the car wash and have your under carriage washed, let fluid film stay and do it’s job.
Thanks for sharing that information. I agree, it works very well by creating a barrier on the metal to protect against road salt. However, like you said it is important not to wash the Fluid Film barrier off or you will loose that protection and have to re-apply. I still prefer this approach vs any type of “permanent” undercoating as that is a complete mess and usually ends up causing more issues by trapping salt water behind the surface.
I live in the upper midwest USA where salt is used on the roads in the winter. How often would I have to apply Fluid Film to my vehicle’s undercarriage to maintain protection against rust? Would once a year in Fall be enough?
I typically apply the Fluid Film over the course of a few days in the fall and then try not to wash the undercarriage. The fluid film will act as a barrier of protection between the frame and the salt. In the spring, wash everything off and then re-apply next Fall.
I’m looking at using this product as an undercoating protectant.. Sounds like its great on road salt from snowy roads. Anyone have any experience with this stuff and sand? I live near the beach and take my truck out on the sand all the time. I’m concerned the “wetness” factor of it will make sand adhere to it.
I have never used this product with beach sand but it is common to see salt and sand used on snowy roads. Yes, the road sand & salt will “stick” to the Fluid Film but the idea is that the product will act as a barrier between the metal frame and the corrosive salt. At the end of the season you would then wash off everything and then reapply as necessary.
I have recently purchased a 2019 chevy express custom van. The previous owner put ziebart undercoating on it about 18 months ago – dang! There are some places that it’s already peeling off and there is some rust underneath. The question is if I scrape off the areas where the Ziebart is peeling and treat it with Fluid Film and do this on a yearly basis will that help?
Jeff, the Fluid Film should work on any exposed metal. The biggest concern I hear regarding the rubberized coatings is the potential for salt water spray to get behind the coating, trapping it against the metal. Fluid Film is only good for one season max but you don’t have to worry about it pealing or creating headaches when disassembling/assembling components. I use it on my tools for long term storage with good results.