Electronic rust protection

[jpmoonta Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jpmoonta]

Can anybody recommend a brand of electronic rust protection.
Someone who has one fitted to there 4wd & had success or failure.
I've found brands like Coupleteck, ERPS & CAT on the net but don't know which to buy.
I think this discusion has been done to d--th over the years. But when a bloke gets a new 150, & can fit one, now is the time know.
Do they work?
Cheers.

[rhs58 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rhs58]

Re: Electronic rust protection

After a lot of research I am not conviced it works.
I lean towards the spray on stuff.
But have not taken up either option.
Everybody has an opinion though.
I am for fairly meticulous care of the vehicle after been off road.
The longest i ever owned a non rust proofed vehicle was 7 yeras and never had rust issues.

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: Electronic rust protection

After a lot of research I am not conviced it works

Me either....smoke and mirrors advertising. Whilst the science is sound the practicalities of electronically protecting something as complex as a motor vehicle make it a doubtful solution.

Anyway, there's plenty of professional/scientific opinions that a Google search will find. Watch out for the campfire opinionists though (Like me :twisted: ).

I think if you're a regular beach driver then the traditional solutions plus a good post trip clean are all you'll ever need.

Modern cars are less prone to rusting as it is, so unless your dunking the arse end in the sea every weekend launching a boat or live on Fraiser Island then sleep soundly at night knowing your Prado won't be a rusty heap in the morning.

Mick

[mojotec Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close mojotec]

Re: Electronic rust protection

I chose electronic installed as part of delivery. Lifetime guarantee, and if it ever goes bad, I at least have that. I believe it works based on the large number of vehicles exposed to saltwater on a regular basis without major rusting (i.e. Coastguard/Surf life saving clubs, etc). For peace of mind, I tend to use lanolin oil underneath that I spray myself before a trip.

I haven't been a fan of the chemical spray treatment, mainly due to the terrain I drive on from time to time (bush/rocky road) - with rocks flying up under there and scratching the surface, will expose it to rusting anyhow.

I spent a lot of time researching too, and from what I've learnt, the electronic rust proofing will simply delay the rusting process. Eventually, over the years if you don't take care of it (i.e. Wash your car thoroughly after a day on the beach), it will rust.

[a1mbm Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close a1mbm]

Re: Electronic rust protection

I have used both ERPS and CAT units with great success and i would say that i would highly recommend the CAT brand for price and ease of fitting.These were used on both recreation and work vehicles.I have seen the couplertec installed on other peoples vehicles and they seem to work ok also ,don't know how they are for price but fitting looks the same as a CAT brand.I have heard that with spray on rustproofing there are issues when using them with the water-borne middle coat on late model cars,on these types of paintwork you can use extrol (something to do with the rust proofing not drying ??),this info was from a rustproofing business,i hope this info may help you out with your decision, at the end of the day i have always used electronic rust prevention units with no problems

[jpmoonta Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jpmoonta]

Re: Electronic rust protection

Thanks for the feed back.
Electronic rust protection is not every bodies cup of tea.
I've just bought a couplertec system for my new Prado for the first time.
I hope it makes a diferance over a long time.
JP.

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Re: Electronic rust protection

I had electronic rust protection installed on my Jeep for about 4 years, and never showed a sign of any rust. So after a few stone chips and scratches the steel never turned into surface rust. I have read somewhere that the way in which is works can also inhibit the oxidization of paintwork. Our Jeep was dark blue and always had a shiny reflective duco with very little effort in polishing.

Like you JP I will be putting a Couplertec (http://www.couplertec.com.au/) Heavy Duty 4WD system (4 pad) (http://www.couplertec.com.au/4wd/suv...-product-flyer) on my new 150 Prado. I installed a 'Self Fit Kit' 2 pad system (http://www.couplertec.com.au/4wd/suv...-product-flyer) on my parents Rav 4 last year as a preventative for them, it will probably never see the beach but a small investment. I purchased it at the Brisbane 4X4 show last year at a greatly discounted price of $395 (normal RRP $625) and comes with comprehensive installation instructions. I have contacted Couplertec who confirmed they will be at the Brisbane 4X4 show on 19th Mar to 21st March at the RNA. They confirmed that the prices on their 'Self Install Kits' would be similar to the savings last year The Heavy Duty 4WD Self Install system was $495 (RRP $625). So if you are after an excellent unit used by many government's and private business at a reduced price the 4X4 show has the best prices that i have seen.

I have previous use of similar systems as well as have a large number of friends who have installed them over the last couple of years and have had similar results to my previous vehicle.

[davidsford Member Find all posts View Profile Close davidsford]

Electronic Rust Protection Install - RustStop RS-4

I had the RustStop RS-4 unit on my old vehicle and decided to transfer across to save some money. I ordered replacement anodes direct from RustStop for $35.00 including postage for 4 of them, a lot cheaper than a whole new unit and I wasn't going to try and take the anodes off the old car.

The instructions are very easy to follow, the hard part is running all the cables and trying to keep them out of the way. I decided to run the cable for the back pair through some of the frame, this was probably the most time consuming part, feeding a guide wire through to pull my wires through. The only other part that didn't feel right on a brand new car is that you have to 'scratch' 5cm of paint away under where the anodes sit to get a contact point onto bare metal. It is only a small scratch, the edge of a flat bladed screwdriver

The main control unit is wired direct to the battery and does not require an in-line fuse. It was hard to find a location that was flat and out of the way so that I could stick it down, there are a lot of curved surfaces under the bonnet.

You have to put the anodes in a spot where water run off will occur I chose in the gutters under the bonnet at the front, and to the sides of the door surround at the rear.

Install location at rear -


Main control unit -

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Re: Electronic rust protection

I had electronic rust protection installed on my Jeep for about 4 years, and never showed a sign of any rust. So after a few stone chips and scratches the steel never turned into surface rust. I have read somewhere that the way in which is works can also inhibit the oxidization of paintwork. Our Jeep was dark blue and always had a shiny reflective duco with very little effort in polishing.

Like you JP I will be putting a Couplertec (http://www.couplertec.com.au/) Heavy Duty 4WD system (4 pad) (http://www.couplertec.com.au/4wd/suv...-product-flyer) on my new 150 Prado. I installed a 'Self Fit Kit' 2 pad system (http://www.couplertec.com.au/4wd/suv...-product-flyer) on my parents Rav 4 last year as a preventative for them, it will probably never see the beach but a small investment. I purchased it at the Brisbane 4X4 show last year at a greatly discounted price of $395 (normal RRP $625) and comes with comprehensive installation instructions. I have contacted Couplertec who confirmed they will be at the Brisbane 4X4 show on 19th Mar to 21st March at the RNA. They confirmed that the prices on their 'Self Install Kits' would be similar to the savings last year The Heavy Duty 4WD Self Install system was $495 (RRP $625). So if you are after an excellent unit used by many government's and private business at a reduced price the 4X4 show has the best prices that i have seen.

I have previous use of similar systems as well as have a large number of friends who have installed them over the last couple of years and have had similar results to my previous vehicle.

Here are my photos of my Couplertec installed on passenger side under bonnet.


Here are photos of the pads one on each fronct wheel arch. The other two are on the rear wheel arches. I forgot to take photos when I had it all pulled apart.

Passenger


Drivers


Paul

[brogers Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close brogers]

"The main control unit is wired direct to the battery and does not require an in-line fuse."

If you install any electrical device that connects to the battery without a fuse, you seriously run the risk of a fire. If you install the device as a layperson, and this causes a car fire, your insurance may not cover the loss. You MUST have an in-line fuse on the battery connection.

A fuse has nothing to do wuth protecting the device, it is about protecting the wiring harness and teh car from afire if there is a fault, short circuit of other electrical failure, then the fuse may blow before the whole harness ignites and burns the car to the ground.

A friends car had a "dealer" installed (a subcontractor to the dealer actually....as we have discovered) electronic rust protection at the time of purchase. No in line fuse was used, and it caught fire whilst sitting in the driveway due to a fault in the device. They had to provide proof it was installed by a qualified technician, and now the arguements start ...it was the fault of the manufacturer of the device, it was the fault of the installer of the device, it was the dealer who arranged the installation...blah blah....fortunately he had a Fire Report from the Fire Brigade indicating that the fire occurred whilst not being driven or whilst being worked on by a layperson, also a receipt proving purchase and installation by technician, also dealer servcie records to indicate that the vehicle had been serviced as scheduled by the manufacturer....and still he has to pay the insurance excess until such time as the insurance company gets the full amount from the manufacturer...ahhhh, honestly, connecting a rust protection device to the battery without a fuse is risky, doing it yourself is even riskier (if something goes wrong)...and its doubtful if it really truely works anyway...honestly, I am now convinced that electronic rust protection is problematic.... your car can catch fire, it can interfere with the radio or your keyless entry, or if can rusts where you scratch away the paint to apply the electrodes....really, its not worth it in my opinion and neither is the warranty for the electronic rust control device which requires annual inspections by the device installer to remain valid...and if they find rust during the warranty period they just use lanoteck etc....mmmmmm, not worth the $ or the worry in my opinion. I had a Hilux as a work car on a coal mine site for 5 years with daily use in and around the mine and no rust protection, and guess what...no rust...just cleaned it well every week.

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Have had spray-on rust proofing applied to my 150, however, it was applied at home ( parked on the road, not the driveway) by an after market company, in the business for 25 years. A slight smell for a couple of days, then gone. Watched him do a thorough job.

My 80 series was also applied with after market rust proofing, after 17 years, NO RUST at all. Again a thorough job.

It needs a good application to work effectively, a bit doubtful with the quick turn around needed by a dealer to sell you a vehicle.

Yowie.