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Krown U.K. Rustproofing

StarCruiser

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As some of you may already know, I ventured off after Lincombe this year to have my 80 rustproofed.

Rewind to Stratford at the Adventure Overland Show where we bumped into two guys on their stall with an aging MGF as their show car. Edgar and Rob came across as two really sound guys. It turns out they are a start up company, based in Tipton near Dudley, but the product has been around for 30 years and seems to have a pretty good following in Canada where it originates from. And the Canadians really do know about rust, with their cold winters and salted roads they often have a winter car that just rots away rather than the good car they use in the summer.

Anyway, they had 20% off for bookings at the show so I decided to give it a go. Edgar is so enthusiastic about the product he almost has it oozing from his pores, much like the cars he treats.

Firstly Rob cleaned off the underside of the truck with it up on the ramp.
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Next, he gained access to top and bottom tailgates, inside rear quarter panels by removing the lights, doors and inner wings and using a metre long ally lance/tube with a sideways nozzle on the end, he admitted a fog of the Krown rustproofer while turning the lance this way and that and slowly withdrawing it.
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He took his time, 3hrs in total, and with various guns, lances and attachments repeated the process around every door handle, body moulding and protrusion, before coating the entire engine bay in minute detail (not an allover spray and that'll do).
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He wasn't impressed by the fibreglass sound deadening in the engine bay saying it could hold moisture but sprayed in behind it as best he could.
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Then he went on to the underside, and with the same attention to detail he sprayed into every hole in the chassis rails, cills, fuel tank guard, everything. All this time I was able to watch at close hand. Rob is an ex bodyworks guy and still sprays cars in his spare time. I got the impression he knew every inch of a vehicle's bodywork.

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I was given a demonstration by aiming the jet wash at the back axle showing how the water beads and runs straight off.

After all this was done, off the ramp came the truck to be washed off.
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The rustproofer is clear, slightly oily to the touch, mildly fragrant and apparently environmentally friendly (unsurprisingly knowing the Canadians). It turns slightly gel like, not waxy, after a few weeks and will drip from every orifice on the vehicle until this process is complete. Regular wiping is needed, but it is not a problem as long as you know it's there and needs wiping. Brakes and exhaust can be dropped upon and they warn of this, but again it's not really a problem as long as you are aware that the brakes may need to boil off the odd drop. I didn't notice any difference or problem.

So far, I'm impressed with the application. I don't think anybody could have found anywhere on the underside of the truck not covered. If the product is as good as they say, and I've no doubt it is good, then all should be good.

Cost was reasonable at around £330 or so (I got a discount on this for booking at the show). They give a 5 year warranty, mainly against perforation of panels from inside out. This is dependent on a top up at 3 years. (!)

Any item that is replaced, panels mainly, can be re treated for free by making a return visit. One caution- it does swell soft rubber such as door seals and should be wiped off these if it gets on them. It will also creep into panel gaps and seams. Their demo door has three bare metal sections. Treated, treated later and untreated. You can see the fluid creeping steadily across the door over the untreated area.
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10 days on, the dripping has lessened but it is still emerging. I'll post on here what it looks like as time goes on.
 
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Thanks for posting Rich. I have a mind to get one of mine treated.
 
I guess only time will tell Chris, but a quick Google about Krown in Canada shows a lot of people saying it's good and suggesting it as the preferred choice. They revisit on a yearly basis in Canada but then the salt attack is extreme out there and mileages are often high.
 
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Looking good Rich (not the tyres) they seem to have been thorough.

I've found there's a big difference between someone doing a job and someone enthusiastic about doing their job well.

I like the idea that the treatment creeps around !

And, at that price, it's a precautionary job worth doing for peace of mind.

I still ask why don't they come from the factory with something similar?
 
I would think the same Clive, but if you make things too well then people don't replace them and as a business that means a dwindling market which ain't good for business. I guess Toyota found that out after making the 80 series.

Edgar showed me a video of a 2004 car up on a ramp that had failed MOT and been advised not to be put back on the road. It was undersealed with something solid from the factory. The guy reached up and pulled it down in sheets complete with the whole floor pan completely rusted out. The sealer had trapped moisture rotting out the floor.
 
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I wonder what its like on an already rusty chassis ? Does it 'convert' the rust thats already there?

Interested as mine is pretty yucky underneath :(
 
I don't think 'convert' is the right word as such. I think, judging by the door, that it stops the rust at the point it is at. Quite what it would do for thick layers of heavy rust I don't know but I would expect anything loose or flaking would really need to be removed so the stuff can get to the surface to do its job. Having said that it would probably creep in over time in between any layers that were hard to reach and remove, for example.

Probably best to have a chat with them. They may have a contact in France but i don't know for sure yet as it's fairly new to Europe.
 
I would think the same Clive, but if you make things too well then people don't replace them and as a business that means a dwindling market which ain't good for business. I guess Toyota found that out after making the 80 series.

Edgar showed me a video of a 2004 car up on a ramp that had failed MOT and been advised not to be put back on the road. It was undersealed with something solid from the factory. The guy reached up and pulled it down in sheets complete with the whole floor pan completely rusted out. The sealer had trapped moisture rotting out the floor.

Yes Rich, I appreciate bot points you've raised, but IMO, the first point should relate to low-med priced volume cars that usually rack up a high mileage (reps, travellers and high mile commuters etc.) where the car would be worn out before it rusts out. Vehicles such as Land Cruisers should not (as opposed to do not) fall into this category.

On the second point, 100% agreement. IMO the thick rubbery type of under-seal traditionally used in the past is the worst form of under-seal protection ever conceived, for the reasons you have given. This has given way, over the years, to "system" protections such as wax-oyl, Zeibart and the like which was much more on the lines of what you've had done, meaning a sticky substance that doesn't dry and doesn't form an impermeable trap for water between the steel and the substance.

I've used plain engine oil in the past (clean unused oil) and that can be seen to have crept into rusted areas and has slowed down the rusting process. I don't know if it stops it, but it certainly slows it down. My chassis boxes have been liberally oiled inside, but of course unless I run an endoscope in there, there's no knowing what's going on. My thinking was even if there's soil in there (which I think is inevitable despite threading hose tubing as much as I could through various chassis access holes) its better for that soil to be oil saturated than salt-water saturated. I was amazed how much soil I shifted with a well-aimed flushing tube, until the water ran clear.

I'm lucky that during the summer months we get prolonged periods of very dry and hot atmosphere, allowing waterlogged soil/rust to dry out. By applying oil (or maybe the substance your guys used) that soil/rust will absorb the oil and stay that way through the winter.

The recent repair I've had done on the rear body quarters was treated by the body shop with something similar to that you've described. It dripped for about 3 weeks after the job was done, and its a very sticky non-drying almost clear substance. They'd got it all over my screw bottle-jack too which took a bit of shifting with petrol and oil but that at least prompted me to service the jack with a good oiling which was almost seized due to lack of use, so long overdue.

Wouldn't it be lovely to have the body off and have a proper go at the underfloor and chassis... stuff of dreams... :icon-wink:
 
Befrore I treated mine, I parked on a slope and gave the chassis rails a good clean out with a pressure washer and a drain clearing hose, much crud and loose stuff came out. I went over anything suspect like the sills etc. with a pointy body hammer and a needle scaler on low pressure, flaky bits and weaknesses soon showed themselves without deforming anything too much. I was going to use Zintec for the patching (of which there was quite a bit to do), but ended up using normal 18 gauge and spraying with a zinc coating, just leaving the edges for welding and then a bit more zinc to touch up afterwards. The Dynax I sprayed on and in everything (including myself) I could get at after repairs still seems to be fairly self healing and has not dried out, it still sticks to my hands. Fixings can still be a sod to get out though !
 
That was another thing they reckoned, that this stuff would gradually penetrate into the threads and that nuts and bolts would become easier to undo. It's early days for this but I can say my lower tailgate is smooth as silk and doesn't squeak any more. :thumbup:
 
SO.... Having gone through the winter - is there a long term review of this product / firm?

Thanks.
 
Ok, after treatment the product dripped for a few days but soon stopped (they warned about this) and was no bother though if you have a nice driveway it would be a good idea to park somewhere else until it stopped.

Through the winter there wasn't much to report really. When the weather got a bit warmer however it was noticible that the product had started to 'creep' from some of the panel holes.IMG_1355.JPG IMG_1357.JPG Not much, but noticible and being a feature of the stuff I expected this anyway. Dust starts to collect on it which again, I expected and is something I'm not overly bothered about.

The tow bar is the bit that shows best, not being under cover, and that is still well coated. IMG_1352.JPG The hole to the right was quite rusted before coating and it's certainly coated now. The rest of the underneath is well coated with a fine layer of damp looking dust,IMG_1359.JPG IMG_1361.JPG again indicative the Krown is present. It all looks dark as if damp and has a few very thin splatter marks from muddy splashes that have adhered to it. In the wheel arches, it shows quite well how the stuff is creeping from the panel edgesIMG_1364.JPGIMG_1363.JPG
And of course it's easy to see in the engine bay.
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I've had the pressure washer underneath once after a visit to Salisbury but other than that it's untouched since I had it done.
The spray can I got from them has some of the Krown on it. In fact it's the only bit I'm disappointed about as the nozzles seem to spray back all over the can somehow as well as onto what you're aiming at. :icon-rolleyes: Other than that I would say the spray cans are a no brainier and a must in case you need to touch up areas, such as any repairs or such which I have done. The Krown on the can has turned from a similar consistency to WD40 to a slippery waxy state. IMG_1365.JPG

So in short, to date it certainly appears that the Krown is doing its job. It has done everything they told me it would do, though I have yet to undo any bolts (they say it penetrates threads and makes bolts easier to undo) and I don't have any electrical issues which is good, but then I didn't to start with. It's also fair to say my truck was in pretty good condition for 98% of the underneath before treating with just a smattering of surface rust here and there.

On the company, I have had a letter from them offering me (or anyone I gave the letter to) a discount as an existing customer but apart from that I've had no contact, which is exactly as I expected, they've no need to contact me really. They've also uploaded some photos of the truck onto their website with my permission which look pretty reasonable.

So far I would say it's :thumbup: all round. :)
 
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Following the above write up ( thanks Star Cruiser) I am off to Krown tomorrow morning,a three and a half hour drive each way to have my LC120 treated.I will post a few pics if I remember to take them.
 
Following the above write up ( thanks Star Cruiser) I am off to Krown tomorrow morning,a three and a half hour drive each way to have my LC120 treated.I will post a few pics if I remember to take them.

Brilliant. Keep us updated on this, I'm very interested.
 
Following the above write up ( thanks Star Cruiser) I am off to Krown tomorrow morning,a three and a half hour drive each way to have my LC120 treated.I will post a few pics if I remember to take them.
Do remember to take photos Matt. They were quite happy for me to watch very closely and take photos. Look forward to your update on the finished job. Do mention me (my truck will probably remind them) and that you've visited them after seeing this write up.
 
Do remember to take photos Matt. They were quite happy for me to watch very closely and take photos. Look forward to your update on the finished job. Do mention me (my truck will probably remind them) and that you've visited them after seeing this write up.
I'll do the same Rich when I go up there, I wonder if he remembers giving me the discount at the AO show two years ago.
 
Thinking of getting mine done, how clean does it need to be to take it out of interest, would I need to steam clean it 1st
 
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