New Silverado, will washing the truck and underside mess up any factory coating?

[Jescereal]

Just got my new truck last week but it's pretty gross already. It lightly snowed so there's some salt residue I'm sure. 

I keep reading that there's a wax coating on the underside, and you shouldn't pressure spray since it damages it. The salt sitting there scares me though.

Also I've read that washing it may remove the coating the factory puts on the paint? Would I have to rewax?

I'm planning on a ONR wash after a touchless wash for the underside.

[OnTheReel]

The wax coating isn’t that fragile, especially when soft and new. Between my 2016 and my 2019 I’ve had no issues pressure washing the frame (mainly the wheel wells), or going through the automatic wash with the high pressure “underbody flushes”. I do NOT however use any chemicals on it, and do not scrub or touch it in any way.

 

You may want to pick up a can for touch ups. If you look around under there, you’ll probably see some thin spots on the edges of the body mounts and where the “tubes” come through as well as any time after it’s been on a lift. If you keep up with it, it’ll look like new for many years. If you don’t, it’ll look like crap in a year.

 

https://www.daubertchemical.com/store/product-list/corrosion-prevention/nox-rust-x-121b

[Jescereal]

2 minutes ago, OnTheReel said:

The wax coating isn’t that fragile, especially when soft and new. Between my 2016 and my 2019 I’ve had no issues pressure washing the frame (mainly the wheel wells), or going through the automatic wash with the high pressure “underbody flushes”. I do NOT however use any chemicals on it, and do not scrub or touch it in any way.

 

You may want to pick up a can for touch ups. If you look around under there, you’ll probably see some thin spots on the edges of the body mounts and where the “tubes” come through as well as any time after it’s been on a lift. If you keep up with it, it’ll look like new for many years. If you don’t, it’ll look like crap in a year.

 

https://www.daubertchemical.com/store/product-list/corrosion-prevention/nox-rust-x-121b

Thank you. So with that can, just spray into the wheel wells, or do you do the whole underside?

[OnTheReel]

I just touch up where it needs it, usually a couple times a year. That link is for the same coating the factory uses but in an aerosol can. So anywhere you see thin spots in the factory coating, or surface rust, just give it a little spray. No point doing the whole frame since it already has it on there. It’s just a maintenance thing.

It’s also necessary to touch up after the truck goes in for service because the lift pads on the hoist will scratch or remove the coating on the lift points.

[bamorris2]

This is a good question and one that I’ve thought about too since getting my 2019 Sierra (my first GM truck). The guy on BTBRV YouTube channel makes a big deal out of GM not e-coating their frames, so I’m a bit hesitant to harm the wax coating.

Side note...anyone know why GM doesn’t e-coat? Is it just a cost thing, or are there actually advantages to wax?
 

Edited February 8, 2020 by bamorris2

[redwngr]

2 hours ago, Jescereal said:

Thank you. So with that can, just spray into the wheel wells, or do you do the whole underside?

The daubert product is touch up for the wax that is on the frame.  Frames were dipped in it a the supplier. 

It was not an 'undercoating' product on the body.