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Road Salt freaking me out!

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Old Jan 24, 2007 | 02:07 PM
  #16  
COFX4's Avatar
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From: Fort Collins, CO
I feel your pain man...We have had a snowstorm every week since before christmas...it doesnt even do any good to wash the thing because as soon as I get back out on the streets, the mag-chloride turns everything white again.. Don't get me wrong, I love the snow, but over 5 feet in a little over a month is a little harsh on the truck



Originally Posted by Muddyape
So we've had a relatively mild winter so far here in New England but now every time we have a dusting the local DPW is throwing a ton of salt down (making up for lost time it seems). After just investing an additional $10,000 into my 06 Screw its making me nuts. I have every intention of keeping this F150 for a loooooooong time and i'm going to start going crazy thinking about it rusting out. I have no need to think that way now because its only got 9000 miles on it but my obsessive/compulsive disorder is kicking in and i'm like stressed out to even drive the freaking thing. I know i'm nuts but I think we all are a little bit. I need you guys to tell me to stop worrying about things I cant control and go to the self serve car wash when ever its feasible. If I was to spray it down on a regular basis (once a week or so) how resilient are these trucks to corrosion?
 
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Old Jan 24, 2007 | 04:48 PM
  #17  
Dave N's Avatar
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From: Central MA
Originally Posted by Tbird69


To be honest, a heated garage is the worst place to park a vehicle. It provides the perfect environment for the salt to act on the metal. The salt doesn't start to work until the temp gets to about -10C and above. I would wash it 2 or 3 times a week to counteract the effects of all that road salt.

As for the durability of our trucks, just look at the older models. The ones that have been maintained still look showroom new (within reason).
FWIW - I only heat the garage enough to keep the water lines from freezing (LPG is not too cheap these days ). So it's not much more than the ambient temps outside. That being said, I don't think I'm accelerating the corrosive effects of the salt anymore than what the truck sees sitting outside during any given winter day in New England. But thanks for the info, it's good to know for future reference.

Dave
 
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Old Jan 24, 2007 | 07:29 PM
  #18  
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I really don't think temperature acts as a catalyst for speeding up the effect of road salt on metals - usually it's just the metal and the continued contact with the salt and chemicals. Those additional undercoatings the dealerships apply are mainly for noise deadening as newer cars already have the factory corrosion prevention as: 1. a selling point 2. a warrantied item 3. applied during manufacture. If you apply undercoatings to an older car you may actually trap moisture and chemicals against the car and cause more damage.
 
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Old Jan 24, 2007 | 08:13 PM
  #19  
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From: central mass
I've never seen so many plow trucks try to plow all three flakes that fell here the other night. I was going to point my temp gun out there on rt67 just to see how much heat they were generating. Funny thing is when I used to live on top of the biggest hill in town they never touched it. Now that I live on the flats thats all I see is plow trucks. Go figure.
 
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Old Jan 24, 2007 | 09:09 PM
  #20  
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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Originally Posted by BlueTank
I really don't think temperature acts as a catalyst for speeding up the effect of road salt on metals - usually it's just the metal and the continued contact with the salt and chemicals. Those additional undercoatings the dealerships apply are mainly for noise deadening as newer cars already have the factory corrosion prevention as: 1. a selling point 2. a warrantied item 3. applied during manufacture. If you apply undercoatings to an older car you may actually trap moisture and chemicals against the car and cause more damage.
I wasn't trying to give you a hard time, just wanted to make a point based on experience. The first winter after I built my garage I never saw a vehicle rust so fast. One winter and the entire front end turned into lattice work. It had alot to do with being in a warmer environment.
 
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Old Jan 24, 2007 | 10:07 PM
  #21  
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it's chemistry. when a salt-water solution is put on metal, the chemical reaction that causes rust is greatly slowed when it is at below freezing temps.

being these frames are boxed, i usually use the garden hose with a nozzle and blast in all the holes in the frame both directions till i see water pouring out. all the cross tubes, over the rear wheels where the inner meets the outer panel, up to the top of the bed sides, taillight openings, rocker panels, and in the small holes in the bottom of the doors till water pours out the other hole. and in the tailgate latches till water comes out the bottom. lift the hood and get in the front fenders and firewall, etc, etc.
 
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Old Jan 24, 2007 | 11:48 PM
  #22  
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From: Northern California
This might sound stupid. But the next time you change your oil, take the old oil and spray it onto the whole underside of your truck. When the winter is over, steam clean the underside of the truck and it SHOULD look like it did or even better then when you sprayed the oil on it.

Now, I've only heard of this. I've never actually witnessed it happen, so ask around about it. All I know is that if I lived where it snowed and was worried about it, I would at least try it. I can't think of it hurting anything. There are many things to consider about the oil dripping down though. I mean, how would you know if your truck was leaking oil?
 
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Old Jan 25, 2007 | 12:01 AM
  #23  
Dave N's Avatar
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From: Central MA
Originally Posted by nothinbutaford
I've never seen so many plow trucks try to plow all three flakes that fell here the other night. I was going to point my temp gun out there on rt67 just to see how much heat they were generating. Funny thing is when I used to live on top of the biggest hill in town they never touched it. Now that I live on the flats thats all I see is plow trucks. Go figure.
Rt 67?! Hey Neighbor. I'm in Spencer. And you're right about the plow trucks scrambling to be the first to move the few flakes that fell to the ground. I guess the lack of snow has caused a lot of pent up engergy with the plow drivers

Dave
 
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Old Jan 25, 2007 | 02:24 AM
  #24  
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From: Cape Coral, Florida
Originally Posted by ThumperMX113
Hmm, I love Florida!
Yeah, but FL is a giant sand bar. I've always lived on a Florida island or very near the coast, so my trucks are exposed to salt 24/7 (yes, I know the air is not saturated with salt, but it's a natural part of the sand/soil that makes it's way onto the roads). I have some rust on my S-10, and some I've fixed. In some ways Florida is worse than up north for corrosion because it's a year 'round assault. I've tried to be more consciencous of this with my F-150. I've been spraying the frame/suspension off at least once a month at the wand wash. I completely wash the door jambs every time the truck gets washed. We live and learn...
 
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Old Jan 25, 2007 | 08:10 AM
  #25  
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From: Oxford, MA
Originally Posted by Dave N
That's what my heated garage is good for....washing down the truck weekly to keep salt accumulation to a minimum. What?! You don't have a heated garage with a built-in drain?! Sorry to hear about that - then take it to your locak Ernie's Touchless Wash or Scrub-a-Dub and get the undercarriage wash.

Dave

I'm jealous. do you have an older house? Just wondering how you got that past a house inspection. FWIW, I'm in Oxford.
 

Last edited by goldmember; Jan 25, 2007 at 08:14 AM.
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Old Jan 25, 2007 | 09:21 AM
  #26  
Dave N's Avatar
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From: Central MA
Originally Posted by goldmember
I'm jealous. do you have an older house? Just wondering how you got that past a house inspection. FWIW, I'm in Oxford.
Cool, good to know that there's another "local" on this forum. It's a detached garage (see pic) and the house is only 7 or 8 years old. Did I forget to mention that I've got a 9,000 lb capacity lift too?

Dave
 
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Old Jan 25, 2007 | 12:40 PM
  #27  
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From: Oxford, MA
Ummm...holy cow...I'm drooling over hear.

Any chance you want to help me pull my fathers electric motor on his rangers t-case. If it wasn't so cold out, i'd put it on jackstands and do it, I'm just trying to find a lift. My inlaws neighbor has one but he's away on vacation and lives up in Hudson, MA.

Beautiful expedition btw.

Muddyape, sorry for thread hijack...
 

Last edited by goldmember; Jan 25, 2007 at 01:43 PM.
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Old Jan 25, 2007 | 02:58 PM
  #28  
Dave N's Avatar
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From: Central MA
Originally Posted by goldmember
Any chance you want to help me pull my fathers electric motor on his rangers t-case. If it wasn't so cold out, i'd put it on jackstands and do it, I'm just trying to find a lift.
Sorry, even though it's heated I don't work out there until the ambient temps come up to tolerable levels. I'd shoot through one of those two large LPG bottles in no time at all just to get the garage up to workable temps (like I mentioned previously, I run the heat just enough to keep the water lines from freezing up).

Originally Posted by goldmember
Muddyape, sorry for thread hijack...
Ditto!

goldmember - shoot me a message if you want to continue the conversation via email or something.

Dave
 
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Old Jan 25, 2007 | 05:29 PM
  #29  
goldmember's Avatar
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From: Oxford, MA
Re-hijack.

Dave, you and I can't PM each other. As well you have your profile locked to accept emails from members. Shoot me one if you don't mind.

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Now back to our regularly scheduled program.
 
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Old Jan 25, 2007 | 06:02 PM
  #30  
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used motor oil is a bad idea.....the acidity levels in used oil will do more harm than good. plus, u know what kinda pressures it takes to blow motor oil.
actually new atf is what some undercoating shops use.
 
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