Where to spray fluid film with the plastic underbody covers?

[New2Mazdas]

I went underneath my CX-9 today and it appears that there are black panels covering most of the underbody. I want to treat the car with fluid film before the bad weather comes. Is there an access area to get the spray behind those plastic panels?

 

[Z31]

I noticed the sound deadening panels have access holes.

What product you going to use?

I had a local detailing shop spray mine. They use "Corrosion Free" product. Same stuff that Canadian Tire uses, without having CT staff damage your property!

I've used Krown in the past, but had bad experience locally with the hole drilling and dissolving weather stripping. CF seems like good product; tacky, sort of like chain lube. I guess it's safe for rubber/plastic also (non-petroleum base).

 

[Jack Rabbit]

I went underneath my CX-9 today and it appears that there are black panels covering most of the underbody. I want to treat the car with fluid film before the bad weather comes. Is there an access area to get the spray behind those plastic panels?

Im not worried about it.
You need to take the panels off.
The panels should do their job.

I sprayed all the areas not covered by plastic covers/liners to include the wheels wells, any undeframe not covered by plastic and especially the rocker panels to include in the crevices/holes and around the suspension spring seat areas, pinch welds, etc. Places that will rust and compromise vehicle. rocker's deteriorate fast and cause major body damage and unsafe if exhaust fumes enter the vehicle. Spring seats/suspension rusts then thats when whole car becomes unsafe. Pinch welds and rails rust and then have difficulty jacking vehicle up. These are the problem areas.
Most of what is covered by the panels is either the engine, tranny and /or main frame that is solid and doesn't rust that bad.

Also, will be checking every year. If it appears that the underbody covered by plastic is rusting badly then will remove all panels permanently and spray whole underside with FF.

Imo, either spray what you can or remove the panels permanently and spray the whole vehicle.

 

[youri]

Rust proofing shop removes the panels to spray the car. You won’t really have that great of a coverage if you leave them on.

 

[New2Mazdas]

Im not worried about it.
You need to take the panels off.
The panels should do their job.

I sprayed all the areas not covered by plastic covers/liners to include the wheels wells, any undeframe not covered by plastic and especially the rocker panels to include in the crevices/holes and around the suspension spring seat areas, pinch welds, etc. Places that will rust and compromise vehicle. rocker's deteriorate fast and cause major body damage and unsafe if exhaust fumes enter the vehicle. Spring seats/suspension rusts then thats when whole car becomes unsafe. Pinch welds and rails rust and then have difficulty jacking vehicle up. These are the problem areas.
Most of what is covered by the panels is either the engine, tranny, pumpkin and /or main frame that is solid and doesn't rust that bad.

Also, will be checking every year. If it appears that the underbody covered by plastic is rusting badly then will remove all panels permanently and spray whole underside with FF.

Imo, either spray what you can or remove the panels permanently and spray the whole vehicle.

This is all new to me. I wouldn’t want to remove the panels totally because I don’t know if it will cause any issues with warranty.
I’ll just take them off and spray. Hopefully it will be easy enough.

 

[ctbale]

I just did mine yesterday. I took off four plastic panels in the front of the car. My next job is to pull those sound deadening panels that run the entire length of the car. 10 mm with a screw gun will get them off pretty quick. On the rear I pulled the felt wheel well liners out. That was pretty easy. There's no point of rust proofing your vehicle if you can't get to the metal

 

[New2Mazdas]

I just did mine yesterday. I took off four plastic panels in the front of the car. My next job is to pull those sound deadening panels that run the entire length of the car. 10 mm with a screw gun will get them off pretty quick. On the rear I pulled the felt wheel well liners out. That was pretty easy. There's no point of rust proofing your vehicle if you can't get to the metal

Thanks. I’m just wondering if I have enough room to crawl under there or I have to get ramps. Don’t have access to a lift.

 

[ctbale]

Ramps, still a pita

 

[ctbale]

I use fluid film or surface shield. They're both lanolin based. But surface shield apparently has some petroleum jelly in it also. Pretty safe. Keep it off your belts your brakes and your exhaust. But everything else you can soak the heck out of it ain't going to hurt anything

 

[RZRider]

Seriously thinking about permanently removing the four under floor panels on my 2018 CX-5. Just wondering if anyone has done this with theirs. Living here in the land of road salt and slush for four months I don't see any advantage in keeping them on. Thoughts??

 

[N7turbo]

Seriously thinking about permanently removing the four under floor panels on my 2018 CX-5. Just wondering if anyone has done this with theirs. Living here in the land of road salt and slush for four months I don't see any advantage in keeping them on. Thoughts??

What is the advantage in taking them off? Can't you apply the fluid film then put them back?

 

[youri]

Taking them off will likely:
- increase road noise in the car
- reduce aerodynamic efficiency (worst fuel mileage)
- increase exposure of the car components to the water, slush and salt. This will most likely make it worst. The bottom of your engine bay will probably get filled with slush and salt.

I had a 2010 mazda 3 that progressively list its underpanels due to age. It was very loud on the road i could see the bottom of the engine, pulley and belt just by looking under the front bumper. I sold the car shortly after, but I bet the bottom front of my engine would have been caked in slush this winter.