Winter road salt...
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Winter road salt...
Is there anything I can do to prevent the undercarraige of my vehicle from being rusted by the roadsalt they use in the wintertime? Is it a good idea to just rinse it at the end of the day?
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From: Maine
Problem with rinsing at night is that when the rinse water can get into all sorts of places and make for bigger problems when it freezes.
I don't really know of anything you can do to prevent the problem, but running through the car wash on the warm days (above freezing long enough for car to dry) might help. My grandmother washed her old car weekly, and even after 10 New England winters the frame/undercarriage had no rust at all. (The frequent washing took some of the clearcoat off the doors, though...)
I don't really know of anything you can do to prevent the problem, but running through the car wash on the warm days (above freezing long enough for car to dry) might help. My grandmother washed her old car weekly, and even after 10 New England winters the frame/undercarriage had no rust at all. (The frequent washing took some of the clearcoat off the doors, though...)
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From: Tampa Bay, FL USA
It's my understanding that salt only corrodes when it comes into contact with water; if it's frozen, it can't do any real damage. As john112deere said, wash it when it's warm enough to dry. Otherwise, leave it to spring, which is when you want to get underneath and rinse & dry everything in sight.
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From: Huntington Indiana
Washing in freezing weather causes the salt to creep into more places and will also freeze your doors, windows, and door locks. This is why the car washes are not busy in cold weather but bring a book when the weather warms to 32.
More Turbo
Joined: May 2002
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From: Wetumpka, Alabama
Originally Posted by 1956MarkII
It's my understanding that salt only corrodes when it comes into contact with water; if it's frozen, it can't do any real damage. As john112deere said, wash it when it's warm enough to dry. Otherwise, leave it to spring, which is when you want to get underneath and rinse & dry everything in sight.
Growing up in the Rust Belt, I feel "qualified" to answer this question.
Chances are great (wherever you live) that the frozen Salt/Snow/Slush WILL thaw out BEFORE winter is over. Therefore, leaving melted--> dried Salt crud all throughout your vehicles undercarriage.
I'm with the though process of FREQUENT trips to the car wash to get the build up SALT crud OUT!
Consider getting your vehicle Undercoated by a shop such as Ziebart. Thought NOT perfect by any means, but WILL DELAY the corrosive process.
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Originally Posted by Katmandu
I'm with the though process of FREQUENT trips to the car wash to get the build up SALT crud OUT!
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From: Maine
Originally Posted by jimandmandy
What is this thing with road salt? Out West we do not use it, sand maybe, but thats all. Do you not use chains or studded tires?
Jim
Jim
So, the state puts down a LOT of salt to keep them on the road.Almost no one in MA uses snow tires, never mind studded ones (they are legal, though) and the only vehicles I have ever seen with chains on them were mail trucks.
I'd be in favor of using less/no salt. It's expensive and bad for the environment, as well as rusting out our cars and ruining our shoes. But, not too many people see it my way. (I actually sort of like driving in the snow, though, so that might be part of it.)
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I live in the west too... kind of. I am in probably the last state that uses salt. Here in Oklahoma we use a salt/sand mix. I can imagine, one state over, that New Mexico does not use salt. I got cheated into rust by one single state line.
I really like driving in the snow too, that's why I can't imagine putting anything down. I wish Oklahoma would just say "learn how to drive in the snow!"
I really like driving in the snow too, that's why I can't imagine putting anything down. I wish Oklahoma would just say "learn how to drive in the snow!"
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From: north west new jersey
new jersey uses to darn much salt. like right now we have 2 colors on the ground 1 is white and 12 inches deep. the other is gray white and covers every thing being driven, i hate gray white on my cars and truck.
thank fully i live in a private lake area and we use the old stand by. sand and grits. at least that washes off easier.
thank fully i live in a private lake area and we use the old stand by. sand and grits. at least that washes off easier.
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From: Marengo, Iowa
Here in the upper midwest, they have gone to using a liquid that is corn based, and is less corrosive, and better for the environment. Further north, in south Dakota, sand was the main thing used, it can get too cold for salt. Sioux Falls was the only place that used salt, but they have some svere hills there. The rest of us just had to deal with it, and the sun the next day would melt the ice from the dark color of the sand.
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From: Tampa Bay, FL USA
Originally Posted by nsaikia
How good is this undercoating by Zeibart? I thought about it, but hasn't priced it yet.