Mabett cavity shield installed look

[rslilly76]

Here's how it looks installed
https://a.co/d/dUZHBpV

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[Finnster]

Can you give us your opinion on how well you think this will work to isolate the cavity from road salt?
And is this the only unprotected cavity under the Mav? I haven't crawled under mine yet!
Thanks,

 

[rslilly76]

Can you give us your opinion on how well you think this will work to isolate the cavity from road salt?
And is this the only unprotected cavity under the Mav? I haven't crawled under mine yet!
Thanks,

Well I'm in South Texas, so no road salt, but salt water air from the beach and if it's not plastic it rusts down here. It's made out of aluminum and therefore should be ok with road salt. It has about the same coverage and protection as the other side Ford covered with plastic. I'm assuming this one is metal due to the exhaust by it. Mud and stuff won't be asking up there by tire anymore. The one thing I see that will rust is all the bolts since this thing is two pieces, but they did that for it to lay flush, and it fits well. It's 7 extra bolts total, but there are OEM bolts under there exposed too. It's the only cavity I know of under the truck . I see more wiring harness connectors that are exposed but not sure if there's anything to do about them. Pretty sure those should be weather resistant from the factory.

 

[Gray Goose]

Here's how it looks installed

What was your trick for getting the structural bolts out?

 

[rslilly76]

What was your trick for getting the structural bolts out?

2' breaker bar and an 18mm socket

 

[Steeleye]

Now add fluid film undercoating and you’re good to go

 

[rslilly76]

Now add fluid film undercoating and you’re good to go

live in stx so I don't do that fluid film, but I understand why it's done up north

 

[Steeleye]

So you don’t get surface rust from the salt air?

 

[rslilly76]

So you don’t get surface rust from the salt air?

Not if it's painted, stainless, or galvanized. Now if you go to the beach a lot that's a different story cause we can drive on the beach here. It's definitely not worth the time and effort here to fluid film.

 

[TheSEARCH]

IF you do want to spray fluid film I found it easy if you remove the plastic cover inside the bed. On some Mavs that is were their is a power plug. I have XLT so just plastic cover. Spray from above .

I made my whole cover before Mabett ever made one. Mine is out of galvanized sheet metal sprayed with rust-oleum paint then fluid film. All bolts/screws stainless steel . Works well in Buffalo NY salt to cover opening Ford left for some saved $$$ reason.

 

[WJOHNM]

Mine still in the box bought it for my 22 FX4 never installed have a 25 Lariat its going on, I fixed a lot of rusted vehicles in my younger days working in shops, there's no way to properly fix rust around wheel wells except cutting it out and weld in new metal, quarter panels on Maverick are bolt on so now you can remove panel clean and undercoat back side something we couldn't do in old days, or bolt on new panel, we don't want it to get to that point. Thinking of the guy buying my truck I only keep a vehicle 3/4 years, who knows this could be my last am 74.

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