Driving in salt water, what corrective/preventative maintainance?

so, a week on NC 12 and plenty of Sound and Ocean breakthroughs means ive driven my crew cab 4x4 about 4km through salt water as high as my hubs...some higer...at least one bit up to the doors.

I did manage to get a fresh water hose on the undercarriage every time I parked it...made sure to hose out thenbrakes and frame and under the body panels..

I know I set the parking break before rinsing one time and that may have cause a spot on the drums, but I'm not too worried about it.

On the one hand I'm thinking this couldn't have been any worse than driving in the slush and road salt I do all winter.

On the other hand I'm thinking I have submerged all sorts of cables and fittings and submerged is always worse than splash...even if only momentary.

Besides rotating the tires (mostly just to enforce the inspection of the brakes and rotors) and some serious driving in the rain, any other suggestions for preventative mainanance?

I should never have read all the corosion threads as now I'm thinking I should do a frame off tear down and repaint the whole thing...

Also i think I may need the "can of worms" emoji if someone come up with it...

Matt

 

Soap, water, water-displacing oil spray. Use your favorite brands. If you haven't extended your rear axle breather, you can change your gear oil for peace of mind.

 

I just got back from the Outer Banks two weeks ago. I took my Tacoma up to Carova as well.

I thoroughly sprayed the undercarriage down at one of those self car wash bays two times. It looks fine to me, but I'm interested to see what others with more experience say.

 

Change your diff oil!


Unless you have done the breather mod

 

as fast as these trucks rust, I would never do that. Keep them In the garage.

 

I would use a do it yourself car wash. Do truck to bottom,including wheel wells,engine bay,& lay down on ground on both sides of trucks to do the underside. You'll need $20.
Let dry throughly.
Apply fluid film to underside & internally to frame.
I would also change both dif' fluids.

 

I take mine on the beach a lot and occasionally get saltwater splashed up underneath. I just drive it onto my ramps when I get home, crawl underneath with a water hose and sprayer nozzle, and spray the heck out of everything I see. You will get wet but it works fine. My Taco has been hitting the beach for going on 10 years now and I have only had to touch up a few very minor rust spots using this method.

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...-rust-after-dealer-undercoat.html#post9931880
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/363948-salt-belt.html#post9914218


for general rust proofing/treatment see:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rust-prevention-treatment-consolidation-thread.355928/