Winter road salt.

What do all you guys think? Out here in British Columbia, Canada, they salt the roads with a liquid salt after a heavy snowstorm. Rinsing off the salt after every drive is futile, because the truck is covered in salt the very next time you drive again.

What is the general wisdom here? Is it seriously harmful to leave the salt on the paint for a few days before washing the truck? I got a corrosion under-coating when I bought the truck in 2022. I am hoping that coating is keeping the underside safe from rust and corrosion. Usually, I give the paint a wash and quick detailing about once a month.

Thoughts?

 

I give a few extra washes during the winter but it isn't really much to worry about unless you never wash it.

Around here the car washes aren't open when it's below zero and there's no sense in washing it when it's snowing.
Depends on when there's a good available time to wash it, I guess.

 

What type of corrossion undercoating did you get?

I suggest Rustcheck or Krown (or whatever is popular in your area, there are many good companies) that spray rust protection under and inside the frame rails / inside doors / etc. This has to be done every year to keep it protected. If you do this, your truck will last a very, very long time. If you use a one time rust product and spray it off with a hose, your truck will rust out much sooner. Ask me from experience...

 

Liquid brine is absolutely horrific when it comes to rust. The damage it can cause, especially if temps rise above 30 can start very quickly. Anything that is unpainted, unsealed, uncoated, or untreated that is steel will rust so fast it'll make you shake your head. Longing for the days where they ''just'' dumped rock salt is a horrible thought.

If you have to drive you have to drive but the second temps climb above freezing, get that crap off your vehicle, corrosion becomes far more aggressive the more temps climb.

I do this...............I may be old and lazy but I loath salt that's not on my steak.

 

Time (past time?) to get under it for a careful inspection.

It seems that frame/undercarriage protection is an annual process in areas like yours.

 

Woolwax / Fluid film or Krown is great, its like oil petrol that coats and creeps in every corner of the truck. Over time it will gather and stick all the trash and dust from roads and forms coating that breathes and protects.






I had it done in summer, because I wanted it to attach all the trash and debris and not wash off during rainy fall and it did work, its almost like thick layer now that i touch, kinda freezes in cold.



You can also keep washing it everyday like others have said, but in freezing temps i dont think that's safe

 

another vote for Krown here - I've done it every year for the last 8 years and there's no rust under my truck here in MN

 

my go to as well, cept i turn the sprayer in the opposite direction

i also blow the water out my hose with the air compressor, so as knot to trash my hoes !!

 

I was told by a truck driver who ran into Canada that the brine is mixed with something that is a rust inhibitor. Anyone north of the border have an opinion on this????? I don't have a clue.

 

definitely research what type of undercoating the dealer did, hopefully not a rubberized. A petrol based should be done yearly. Aside from yearly applications and washing frequently, there's not much else you can do. Like everything in life, there are Pros and Cons to everything, and one has accept vehicles rotting away in an area that pretreats roads often and/or aggressively.

 

I've lived in Canada from a time when sand was used, then salt, then rock salt, now brine. I don't find it's necessary to get anal about washing all the time. I give a wash when I notice heavy brine color on doors and quarters. Wait until it's at least 5C/40F. I go to a place with self serve hand wash and do a thorough wash and rinse including underneath and wheel well and suspension areas. Has always worked for me. Oh ya, rust inhibitor in brine? Doubt it as those that put it on the road surely don't want to spend extra to help you out ha ha.

 

I live in the same area. Sick of the salt.

Went to my local gas station touchless last night about 8:30pm. It was all backed up with a 35-40 minute wait!

So I decided to try my local pay and spray instead. It was -3, at 9:00 pm, open air wash bay. Used the wand to pressure wash the worst of the salt film off the exterior and underneath of the truck. Then used the foam brush ****GASP**** to wash the truck body to get the remaining salt and road grime off. Wasn't too bad as I like to keep this crap off as much as possible. Don't leave it too long in between tho IMO.

Left there and upon my first stop. the rear brakes ceased up momentarily. As I went to accelerate, truck hesitated like the e-brake was still applied. The rear brakes made a noise once they broke free, truck moved freely after that. Made sure to continue to drive around until brakes were heated up.

Some things I do in these conditions.

- I take my truck to the gas station touchless as often as required in these salty conditions. Opt for the extra charge of an undercarriage rinse if possible.
- I will also do the pay and spray as necessary. Usually just the pressure washer without the foaming brush for 5$. Make sure to hit the undercarriage as well.
- Every early fall I do a full detail with a clay bar and finish with a cheap affordable Turtle Wax spray ceramic coat. Surprisingly works quite well all winter.
- Late last summer, I did a complete application of CRC rust inhibitor by hand. Crawled around on my gravel driveway and hand prepped to get the worst of the road grime and dirt off the frame. Then applied 7 cans of the CRC rust inhibitor.
- I have a underground parking spot that is open air. The temp always remains above freezing so I can still put the truck away wet in extreme cold after a car wash.

At work and just went out and had a look at the truck. Looks awesome. Especially compared to all the other salt covered vehicles out there.

Anyhow, at a minimum I'd just gently pressure wash the truck off every 3-4 days including the undercarriage to keep the salt off.

 

I worked at a New Holland dealer that sold some bi directional farm tractors to a private company that maintained route 2 through New Brunswick. Brine was used on the roads here and these tractors had many more issues with exposed electrical switches , relays etc. They had snow blowers on them to remove snow banks from all guard rails so they drove through a lot of brine. Also local truck drivers were not fans of brine for similar reasons. Also my 2015 tacoma has had Krown applied every year.

 

I'd be more worried about the undercarriage then the paint. id be giving it a fluid film or something similar treatment before winter.

 

I never trash my hoes, they tend to squeal on me if I do.

I move it around every 5 or 10 minutes, it does a pretty good job.

 

Since no one has mentioned it. Painted steel does not rust. There’s no serious issue with leaving salt on it. There has to be damage to the paint that allows moisture to get to the steel before rust will form.

 

Rock chips are a thing.

Also, you can see frames start rusting off the showroom floor. you put too much faith in toyota.

 

Just do your best keeping it clean, but it will rust. You can slow rust down with undercoatings but besides that there's nothing you can do. I live in Michigan and if you like your vehicle and want to keep it nice you just plain don't drive it in the salt.



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Winter Wash | Tacoma World

Cold Weather Washing Tips/Tricks | Tacoma World

Winter Washing | Tacoma World

 

Just once????????

Just the frame, or the whole truck?

See below....