How much salt exposure is needed for rust to begin? (1 Viewer)

[barrysmoothies]

I have a '99 100 with 200k on it, sourced from Southern California. No rust anywhere. Of course it's seriously important to me to keep the truck rust free.

Question: How much salt exposure is needed for rust to begin?

Would very very occasional exposure to salted roads (less than 5 times a year) have any impact? Or am I being paranoid? We have mountain passes where the roads are salted, so just planning ahead for what preventive measures (if any) I'll take.

 

[whitec13]

Have it fluid filmed every end of fall and keep it cleaned off, you will be fine.

 

[Sandroad]

Even a few exposures to road salt will cause rust, if the chassis is left unwashed and untreated. It’s very corrosive. Those of us who live where salt is used regularly and hate rust treat with one of many preventatives like Fluid Film and wash a lot and get under the truck each spring to spot clean.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Would very very occasional exposure to salted roads (less than 5 times a year) have any impact?

Yes. It doesn’t take much for the rust to start.

As others noted, Fluid Film the entire chassis before every winter and you won’t get any rust. That’s what I’ve done for ~15 years.

 

[Kabanstva]

Even driving it once through bad salt will get stuff to start rusting. It’s rust free now BUT a lot of the undercarriage components are pitted because it’s an old vehicle and if salt gets inside the chips/pits it will be a very quick trip to rust city for you. I speak from experience.

 

[GTV]

Rust is iron oxide and therefore only needs iron and oxygen to exist

 

[silvarshooter]

Roughly 2 teaspoons.

 

[YezusLX]

I bought a 1999 LX that has never lived anywhere but south Florida and the panhandle. It is currently parked in a beach parking lot. The only rust observed was on my bolts and fittings. All of these are now being replaced with new OEM. Gets washed once a week. No issues. Also, @silvarshooter is correct. Dos spoons.

 

[UZJ100LC]

Have it fluid filmed every end of fall and keep it cleaned off, you will be fine.

from what I understand after fluid filming you want to avoid washing in that same season because you would wash away the film. is that not correct?

 

[whitec13]

from what I understand after fluid filming you want to avoid washing in that same season because you would wash away the film. is that not correct?

I should have clarified better, keep it cleaned off after the melt off. That is when salt will still be prevalent and start sticking to everything and anything. Keep it clean under there all year and apply FF in late fall.

 

[Live to Ski]

Well, in the corossion enginering world you don't need salt to start corrosion. Dissimilar metals touching can initiate current flow/corrosion.

Similarly (pun intended) even 2 pieces of the same material can have current if separated by conducting isolator (dried mud (oops...another pun)).

That's not my story and I'm not sticking to it

 

[neoworm]

Just talking about this is causing your truck to rust.

 

[NE Snowman]

Salt sucks but the brine they lay down is more corrosive I believe. I remember a post either here or on T4R, where they used fluid film and cut up some metal and exposed them to different ‘snow’ chemicals. Amazing how fast steel turns to rust with some of them. Salt wasn’t the worst I know that.

Coat it then wash it after driving through anything. Some of the older car guys I know mix used diesel oil and a thicker base and just spray the bottom of their rides, drips but it’s cheap and works.

 

[FrankieJoe14]

You don't wash it with a power washer. You use one of those garden sprinkles that go back and forth at low pressure but soak the crap out of it.

The salt doesn't really stick to the areas that have been fluid filmed

At least that's what I do. 6 winters of fluid film and zero rust.