Salt - Best Practices (1 Viewer)

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I'm up outside of NYC where if there is a threat of ice drizzle, they drop $500,000 of rock salt. Post-COVID, I've been driving my 78 40 a lot more. I want to drive it where sensible this winter too. Historically, I've followed and old mechanics philosophy of, 2 good rainfalls after salting with of course no more salt after the second rainfall. Does anyone just use a hose philosophy? If the roads look clean from salt, drive it and take a hose to the lower frame and body. Merry Christmas and thanks for sharing your views on salt.
 
I just bought this rinse after a recommendation from a friend.

 
On the preventative maintenance side: I use “Fluid Film” on the under carriage, inner panels, inside the frame. Couple times a year. Easy to apply. Lanoline based. You’re going to smell like sheep for a couple of days. 🙄 It dissipates. Won’t hurt you rubber brake lines etc etc.
 
Any thoughts on fluid film spray, cost, best places to have or done, effectiveness and frequency for reapplication?

Thanks vm
 
I've seen as much or worse damage on Cruisers from just water. Water mixed with gear oil is crazy bad, and, the fault is kinda on us, not the folks prepping roads for travel.

I never hose my vehicles down unless I'm trying to conceal where I've been. Just a sponge, maybe a nylon brush for the tires, some kind of scrapper for mud, and bucket of plain water. Quite a bit of salt and grit can be removed from the outside just using a dry paintbrush, which is convenient when it is below freezing. Rubbing alcohol is good for the glass (apply it to the rag, not the truck where it might get on soft stuff) during those sub-freezing conditions too.

I actually add salt to my cruiser. When working with water, baking soda (a kind of salt) is an excellent way to deal with rust. You can even add it to steel wool and it won't rust up when wet. Great for the bathroom and kitchen for shining up stuff as well without creating rust on my iron bath tub, etc.
 
Any thoughts on fluid film spray, cost, best places to have or done, effectiveness and frequency for reapplication?

Thanks vm
It's like $10 a can, easily found at Walmart or some auto parts stores. I usually hit my rig with 2 cans a couple times a year. I'm hoping to get it clean enough this week to shoot 3-4 cans for a heavy winter coat.


Make sure you cover the floor under your rig, after you spray it down It's going to leave a mark.

Pay special attention to the usual suspects. Rear sill, rear quarters. Anything with a gap or flange, main beam, frame channels, all the notorious places rust likes to grow.
 
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Those items are wonderful for protection. Fluid Film I have used and it is a great product. I just believe that any vehicle driving in those salted areas can never ever be fully shielded with any of them, fully. I live in Arizona and have seen my share of northern/east coast vehicles that have tried. It seems that water/salt stuff wicks into everywhere. Even threads. All of the finishing , even plastic, turns color and looks like is really old. Since the FJ40 has much more areas for "wicking in" , I have to believe the real protection is to just avoid driving in those conditions. I also do not believe when the FJ40 was sold, it was to be a durable driver and consideration for not rusting was the least thought of manufacturers. Companies like Ziebart became a business for just that reason. It was rustproofing with the obligatory "as long as you own it", we will replace rusted pieces.
With the FJ40 now a true collector vehicle, it would be hard to drive it knowing the mist kicking up is creeping into every thread and crevice.
 
Any thoughts on fluid film spray, cost, best places to have or done, effectiveness and frequency for reapplication?

Thanks vm

Heed my advice:

DO NOT SPRAY FLUID FILM ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR VEHICLE UNTIL YOU KNOW WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT YOU ARENT SENSITIVE TO IT.

MY experience with Fluid Film…

I’ll just get it out if the way here: for me, Fluid Film is the most vile, horrible smelling contaminate I’ve ever encountered. Yes it definitely slows down rust - but for the ultimate cost of permanently contaminating the vehicle with its vile stench. It’s godawful.

Spray it in your doors? Might as well sell the vehicle afterwards because it will stink forever — especially when the car heats up in the summer. God it’s horrible.

Some people say it’s stench doesn’t bother them - well lucky them. Others like myself can’t get near that horrible stuff…. and the stink never goes away.

If I had one regret about something on my cruiser… it was spraying that godawful horrible Fluid Film on it.

I eventually had to sell my cruiser. I could never sleep inside it again.

- THE WORLD’S MOST HORRIBLE RUST PREVENTATIVE-

By far

At least that’s my experience
 
Whatever you decide, the consequence of getting it wrong:
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Heed my advice:

DO NOT SPRAY FLUID FILM ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR VEHICLE UNTIL YOU KNOW WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT YOU ARENT SENSITIVE TO IT.

MY experience with Fluid Film…

I’ll just get it out if the way here: for me, Fluid Film is the most vile, horrible smelling contaminate I’ve ever encountered. Yes it definitely slows down rust - but for the ultimate cost of permanently contaminating the vehicle with its vile stench. It’s godawful.

Spray it in your doors? Might as well sell the vehicle afterwards because it will stink forever — especially when the car heats up in the summer. God it’s horrible.

Some people say it’s stench doesn’t bother them - well lucky them. Others like myself can’t get near that horrible stuff…. and the stink never goes away.

If I had one regret about something on my cruiser… it was spraying that godawful horrible Fluid Film on it.

I eventually had to sell my cruiser. I could never sleep inside it again.

- THE WORLD’S MOST HORRIBLE RUST PREVENTATIVE-

By far

At least that’s my experience
tx vm.
 
Heed my advice:

DO NOT SPRAY FLUID FILM ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR VEHICLE UNTIL YOU KNOW WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT YOU ARENT SENSITIVE TO IT.

MY experience with Fluid Film…

I’ll just get it out if the way here: for me, Fluid Film is the most vile, horrible smelling contaminate I’ve ever encountered. Yes it definitely slows down rust - but for the ultimate cost of permanently contaminating the vehicle with its vile stench. It’s godawful.

Spray it in your doors? Might as well sell the vehicle afterwards because it will stink forever — especially when the car heats up in the summer. God it’s horrible.

Some people say it’s stench doesn’t bother them - well lucky them. Others like myself can’t get near that horrible stuff…. and the stink never goes away.

If I had one regret about something on my cruiser… it was spraying that godawful horrible Fluid Film on it.

I eventually had to sell my cruiser. I could never sleep inside it again.

- THE WORLD’S MOST HORRIBLE RUST PREVENTATIVE-

By far

At least that’s my experience
Okay. This pretty much confirms that I'm a certified weirdo.. I kind of like the smell of Fluid Film... Not that I would bathe in it, but I have no problem when it is sprayed on the vehicle.
 
I usually hit spring and fall. I apply it outside, because it does have a peculiar scent. but, at least in my experience, it dissipates after a couple of days. It’s inexpensive and can be purchased with a wand applicator, which makes it easy to get into the frame. It won’t hurt rubber or plastic.

It won’t resurrect tin worm infestations or cure the red scourge. It’s a preemptive measure. I like it because it’s inexpensive and easy to apply. There are other products available as well.

@Jdc1 mentioned Boeshield T-9 another good product in the preventative war on rust. In my case, I’ve gotten to the point where ”The Mule” goes in the stable most of the winter because of the “salt(s) used here on WV roads. Not saying you have to park your ride, just be prepared to fight a protracted engagement. Rust never sleeps.

BLUF: I like and use fluid film for the reasons stated above.
 
Okay. This pretty much confirms that I'm a certified weirdo.. I kind of like the smell of Fluid Film... Not that I would bathe in it, but I have no problem when it is sprayed on the vehicle.

solid warning. anything good that doesn't smell like sh-t?

Well lad, Im’a highlander by God, and it’s a many a man what fancies the scent of sheep..🙄
 
Boeshield smells best, but forget the aerosol working unless it is July. I get the bottle at the bicycle store, mainly as an assembly lube. It is just paraffin wax with a solvent as a low-temp vehicle if you will, which can also be obtained from candles or canning equipment, rubbed on metal and melted in with the sun or a mild propane application. Nothing gets thru that except Arizona heat. I'm personally not afraid of using a little torch around good enamel, just not rattle-can. I have some seriously mummified rust on my body that is just chillin' under silly looking patch panels. Fluid Film is for cracks that you can't reach by other means - the seam in the mid '70s hub caps, awkward spots on the frame, etc. Yes, Fluid Film smells like an army surplus store. All kinds of parts I'd never expose to this. But, it is nice to do something in seams that are obviously rusting. Also, I don't oil my springs.
 

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