RUSTBELT RANGERS

[Aircraftmechanic96]

Who else in the rust belt can’t stand salt on their trucks? Let’s see some salty rangers!!

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[IdahoRanger]

Just washed the salt off yesterday so no picture. Magnetic really shows the salt.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

I'll see if I can get a good picture later today, when it's actually light enough out and not dark like when I drive to and from work.

 

[Mokume]

Who else in the rust belt can’t stand salt on their trucks? Let’s see some salty rangers!!

Exactly what chemical compound is it that all your local governments use on the roads in all of your jurisdictions?
I've seen videos about the aftermath of what this chemical does to vehicles and all I can say is OMG.
Seems to me that automatic car washes which specialize in undercarriage washes would be a boon in your localities.
Glad that no such salting occurs in Hawaii, but vehicles here are subjected to salt in the air, the severity of which is dependent on your proximity to the shoreline.
A family member once purchased a VW beetle off the showroom floor in the seventies. She lived near a rocky coastline
and never maintained the car, in 3 years the poor thing was reduced to a rusted hulk with rust holes in the body that you could stick your fist through. Indeed, the salt spray wreaked havoc with everything, including her home.
Just one of the things we need to deal with living in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

 

[t4thfavor]

Exactly what chemical compound is it that all your local governments use on the roads in all of your jurisdictions?
I've seen videos about the aftermath of what this chemical does to vehicles and all I can say is OMG.
Seems to me that automatic car washes which specialize in undercarriage washes would be a boon in your localities.
Glad that no such salting occurs in Hawaii, but vehicles here are subjected to salt in the air, the severity of which is dependent on your proximity to the shoreline.
A family member once purchased a VW beetle off the showroom floor in the seventies. She lived near a rocky coastline
and never maintained the car, in 3 years the poor thing was reduced to a rusted hulk with rust holes in the body that you could stick your fist through. Indeed, the salt spray wreaked havoc with everything, including her home.
Just one of the things we need to deal with living in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

F-it, my truck will be lucky to be washed once a year. I may spray the salt off if there's a particularly salty day, but ain't nobody got time for constant washing and waxing that I'd need to do in order to keep it from rustin in Michigan.

I live on a dirt road, so my Magnetic truck is often "Silt Road Brown".

 

[Aircraftmechanic96]

Exactly what chemical compound is it that all your local governments use on the roads in all of your jurisdictions?
I've seen videos about the aftermath of what this chemical does to vehicles and all I can say is OMG.
Seems to me that automatic car washes which specialize in undercarriage washes would be a boon in your localities.
Glad that no such salting occurs in Hawaii, but vehicles here are subjected to salt in the air, the severity of which is dependent on your proximity to the shoreline.
A family member once purchased a VW beetle off the showroom floor in the seventies. She lived near a rocky coastline
and never maintained the car, in 3 years the poor thing was reduced to a rusted hulk with rust holes in the body that you could stick your fist through. Indeed, the salt spray wreaked havoc with everything, including her home.
Just one of the things we need to deal with living in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

I think they use brine treatments on our roads here as well

 

[t4thfavor]

I think they use brine treatments on our roads here as well

We have "Calcium Chloride" and "Potassium Chloride" treatments on our dirt roads to keep dust down. It's caustic as F, and should not be used, yet it is..

It's hygroscopic, so it draws water from the air keeping the dirt less dusty, and the cars more rusty.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

I've seen videos about the aftermath of what this chemical does to vehicles and all I can say is OMG.
Seems to me that automatic car washes which specialize in undercarriage washes would be a boon in your localities.

F-it, my truck will be lucky to be washed once a year. I may spray the salt off if there's a particularly salty day, but ain't nobody got time for constant washing and waxing that I'd need to do in order to keep it from rustin in Michigan.

I live on a dirt road, so my Magnetic truck is often "Silt Road Brown".

There are obviously plenty of car-washes around, but during the winter they are actually usually quite empty. Sure the car wash will clean off most of the salt and sand and chemicals, but you can't do that when it's below freezing out since the minute you start driving away your whole vehicle will start to freeze. And then that wreaks havoc on the door seals, locks, brakes, etc. Plus, the salt and chemicals don't react much without water (not zero, but less reactive). And since it's below freezing, liquid water doesn't really exist. So I've always been under the impression it's better to just leave it salty and dirty all winter, but wash it good once things start warming up in the spring and the corrosive process can really kick into gear. So that's what I do.

 

[t4thfavor]

There are obviously plenty of car-washes around, but during the winter they are actually usually quite empty. Sure the car wash will clean off most of the salt and sand and chemicals, but you can't do that when it's below freezing out since the minute you start driving away your whole vehicle will start to freeze. And then that wreaks havoc on the door seals, locks, brakes, etc. Plus, the salt and chemicals don't react much without water (not zero, but less reactive). And since it's below freezing, liquid water doesn't really exist. So I've always been under the impression it's better to just leave it salty and dirty all winter, but wash it good once things start warming up in the spring and the corrosive process can really kick into gear. So that's what I do.

I have a ham antenna on the truck which can't go through the car washes. You're correct except that it only applies when it's really cold and the salt can't melt any ice. If the salt can melt anything, even a little, it's going to corrode more than if you dilute it significantly with a wash.

This all goes out the window if you park your car inside where the ambient temp is above arctic freezer temp. ( I park in the garage which rarely goes below 45F)

 

[IdahoRanger]

Here they use a magnesium chloride liquid brine prior to the storm as an anti icer. During the storm if needed when they are plowing they use sodium chloride.

https://itd.idaho.gov/road-mtce/

Yes, there are a ton of automatic car washes around and some people buy unlimited monthly wash pass.

 

[Lunchbox88]

Yep, can confirm that rust-belt salty road problems are real.

 

[Gizmokid2005]

Seems to me that automatic car washes which specialize in undercarriage washes would be a boon in your localities.

Having grown up in Michigan, I really enjoyed car washes because most had undercarriage washes in them.

As soon as I left (to Arkansas and now to California), it's nigh impossible to find anyone who does an undercarriage wash and it's really disappointing.

 

[weasel1]

Avoid car washes until spring or when they stop salting the damn roads and FFS don't use an undercarriage wash if you oil undercoated. You'll blow all the oil off and then have no protection at all. Oil is your only salvation up here.

 

[DrSafety]

No pictures as mine is clean right now. I noticed how much more the Lightning Blue Ranger shows dirt/salt compared to my Magnetic Fusion. I just purchased an unlimited car wash pass (20/month) that I will keep for the next four months.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

I have a ham antenna on the truck which can't go through the car washes. You're correct except that it only applies when it's really cold and the salt can't melt any ice. If the salt can melt anything, even a little, it's going to corrode more than if you dilute it significantly with a wash.

This all goes out the window if you park your car inside where the ambient temp is above arctic freezer temp. ( I park in the garage which rarely goes below 45F)

Yeah, I guess it works for me most of the winter since I live in Northern Minnesota where it barely ever gets warm enough for that to happen. And my garage is usually very similar to what the temp is outside (detached, not insulated, and not sealed), so parking inside doesn't help the truck stay warm, only keeps it from being covered in snow and ice. But you're right, obviously the salt lowers the freezing point of water, which is why it's used in this purpose. So for someone like you in Lower Michigan, my practice won't apply that often. Good info though!

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