Rust prevention (from those in the rust belt)

[LONGJP2]

View attachment 578381

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=under+ca...rorg-20&tag=wranglerorg-20&tag=wranglerorg-20

And/or this.

https://www.saltshift.com/en-us/products/salt-shift-chassis-flush

 

[Steel City 06]

Another big thing to keep in mind with rust is to clear your car off after every snow, even if you aren't going anywhere.

As snow melts, the water drips down and keeps a number of surfaces wet for long periods of time. If you get most of the snow off before it begins melting appreciably, your body and frame will be wet for less overall time.

Plus, even if it's below freezing, once the sun comes out it will either melt or sublimate the rest of the snow or ice off.

 

[ChadH]

Another big thing to keep in mind with rust is to clear your car off after every snow, even if you aren't going anywhere.

As snow melts, the water drips down and keeps a number of surfaces wet for long periods of time. If you get most of the snow off before it begins melting appreciably, your body and frame will be wet for less overall time.

Plus, even if it's below freezing, once the sun comes out it will either melt or sublimate the rest of the snow or ice off.

Good point. I keep the LJ under a cover until I can get a shop built. The TJ definitely takes a beating with constant snow. I'll brush it off this year more for sure.

 

['05Train]

Anybody ever use or hear of this stuff?? Seems like a viable option as well.

https://saltsgone.com/

Back when I was riding motorcycles 35,000 miles a year through all sorts of weather, I used a similar product (Salt-Away) to keep my Harleys from rotting away. The last of them is 20 years old, has been through snow, sleet, ice, and all the crap that Maryland and Virginia dump on their roads, and there isn't a speck of rust on it.

https://www.amazon.com/SA32M-Concentrate-Mixing-Removing-Cleanser/dp/B0000AXNJO/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[ChadH]

Back when I was riding motorcycles 35,000 miles a year through all sorts of weather, I used a similar product (Salt-Away) to keep my Harleys from rotting away. The last of them is 20 years old, has been through snow, sleet, ice, and all the crap that Maryland and Virginia dump on their roads, and there isn't a speck of rust on it.

https://www.amazon.com/SA32M-Concentrate-Mixing-Removing-Cleanser/dp/B0000AXNJO/?tag=wranglerorg-20

That's fantastic! ok well I will give this product a try then. Sounds like it is well worth it.
How often did you spray your bikes down though? Is it something to do daily, weekly......?

 

['05Train]

That's fantastic! ok well I will give this product a try then. Sounds like it is well worth it.
How often did you spray your bikes down though? Is it something to do daily, weekly......?

After they cooled down usually, and as needed. Maryland is ridiculous with road salt; you'd literally be riding/driving through clouds of it. I wanted to be damn sure I got as much of the crap as I could, 'cause it went everywhere.

 

[The4bangertj]

What is the best route for me to re painting and applying fluid film being so late in the season? I took too long to get my paints and fluid film and now it’s pretty cold (20-40). I have a non headed garage that I believe sits around 45ish that I could try to use to cure the paint but I’m not sure how long I have for it to cure before driving on the salt roads. I could try and paint it in a garage then let it cure for 3-4 days then apply fluid film on top but I worry that any uncured paint will stay uncured with addition of fluid film on top. I would have to drive at day 5 and am unsure of how much time after that I would have no driving it again .Would I be better off with just fluid filming it than come spring time do my sand and repaint process?

 

[Steel City 06]

What is the best route for me to re painting and applying fluid film being so late in the season? I took too long to get my paints and fluid film and now it’s pretty cold (20-40). I have a non headed garage that I believe sits around 45ish that I could try to use to cure the paint but I’m not sure how long I have for it to cure before driving on the salt roads. I could try and paint it in a garage then let it cure for 3-4 days then apply fluid film on top but I worry that any uncured paint will stay uncured with addition of fluid film on top. I would have to drive at day 5 and am unsure of how much time after that I would have no driving it again .Would I be better off with just fluid filming it than come spring time do my sand and repaint process?

Perhaps just do a non-curing oil coat for this winter, and then in the spring, scrub it off and start new.

There are a number of basic oil products that work. WD-40 actually works well for this application, though you may need to reapply it every few weeks or so.

 

[The4bangertj]

Perhaps just do a non-curing oil coat for this winter, and then in the spring, scrub it off and start new.

There are a number of basic oil products that work. WD-40 actually works well for this application, though you may need to reapply it every few weeks or so.

I thought that fluid film was a non curing and would be able to wash off comfortably spring. Sounds right though I’d hate to spend all this money on paint for it to peel off bc it didn’t cure and I covered it.

 

[Steel City 06]

I thought that fluid film was a non curing and would be able to wash off comfortably spring. Sounds right though I’d hate to spend all this money on paint for it to peel off bc it didn’t cure and I covered it.

It doesn't "cure" to a hardness but instead becomes more of a thick waxy goop over time. Quite a pain to clean off in large quantities, but it is doable.

If the surface is clean, it might be best to just go ahead and apply it, even if it doesn't thicken as fast as normal.

 

[Cooper Smith]

As some know my LJ is very clean - not hardly any rust anywhere, just a couple bits on the axles. I have already treated it with 3M cavity wax and Amsoil HD metal protect. Of course its not fully covered in protection.

I found out this morning the DOT decided to do their evil thing of spraying mag chloride and rock salt. I wish I could just send them the repair bill. Anyway, from those that deal with salt and rust frequently, how effective is a nice long water bath after driving in that crap? I figured on spraying the whole thing down when I get home, undercarriage, under body, exterior body, engine bay, axles, the whole thing to try and rinse off as much as possible.

I intend to have the LJ be in 'storage' during the winter, but there will be a few days in the winter I need to drive it. Be it for shop repairs/parts or just a weekend day drive so it's not just sitting all winter, which poses its own set of problems.

It really would be irritating to have rust develop because of this crap the state uses. But I cant realistically just put it in storage the entire winter.

Note - I really dont want to use fluid film or wool wax because I'm not intending to daily drive this in the winter like the TJ.

My rust free 1993 Silverado got driven today. Whenever the salt hasn't been dropped in a while and the rain has washed it off a few GOOD times, you can drive the Jeep. Just keep it on good roads that the salt can get washed off easily. I understand not letting it sit... I just spent $800 on Goodyears. I don't want flat spots. If you're not getting the white haze all over it and you hose it off before the temps start to rise in late Feb, you'll be okay. Just don't drive it when it's icy out or there's snow coming. That's when DOT's drop their Frame-B-Gone spray. That brine will be ready to go at eating your tinfoil can of a vehicle like it's nothing...

 

[Cooper Smith]

I thought that fluid film was a non curing and would be able to wash off comfortably spring. Sounds right though I’d hate to spend all this money on paint for it to peel off bc it didn’t cure and I covered it.

When gravel dust and dirt gets on fluid film, it turns into pretty much exactly what you get when you have an oil leak. Everything sticks to it and creates a really, really good barrier against water and corrosives. That's why fluid film works so well. Not only does the oil defend against rust, it stays together with road debris. It sucks though when it comes time to do repairs. Many shops refuse to work on undercoated cars (one could say they'd rather sell you a subframe job).

I don't bother anymore. I don't want my OBS Chevy to rust, so I don't drive it in the salt. I financed a 2020 Jetta to get me to and from work without killing off my road queen.