Salt protection

Head Lice

Head Lice

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The land of 'salmon & grizzlies' ....... BC
We all know about the effects of salt on ferrous metals ..... not a good situation.
The car wash bays are a busy place once the brine is sprayed on our roads.
Do any of you know the composition of the spray wax available at the car wash?
Would it be a slight deterrent if sprayed on a just washed undercarriage?
Anyone do this?
 
While I don't know the answer, I wonder, why not just use something proven like Fluid Film? Then you'll never need to worry about the salt.
 
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Head Lice said:
We all know about the effects of salt on ferrous metals ..... not a good situation.
The car wash bays are a busy place once the brine is sprayed on our roads.
Do any of you know the composition of the spray wax available at the car wash?
Would it be a slight deterrent if sprayed on a just washed undercarriage?
Anyone do this?
Click to expand...
I managed a quick lube / car wash facility for the years and served as a maintenance tech for a car wash systems manufacturer.
The so called spray wax you are asking about is applied from the overhead spray bars and is not intended to offer any measure of corrosion protection. It is on a seperate feed from the chassis wash bars placed on the ground that direct water upwards to clean the underside. If you are using a self serve drive in automatic car was where the vehicle is not moved by a conveyor, take the time to drive in slowly and utilize the undercarriage wash.
When I bought my 95 Ranger brand new, I spent a large amount of time researching the best corrosion product to apply to the truck. At the time, cosmoline was still readily available and I had the entire truck frame and body panels coated in it. After 22 years on salty ohio roads, it's finally starting to rust in spots. I'm not sure, but I think the modern equivalent for cosmoline would be fluid film.
 
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BretStep said:
but I think the modern equivalent for cosmoline would be fluid film.
Click to expand...

I think you're right. I run it personally, and everyone else I know who runs it as well has nothing but praise for it.

It seems it's the best modern solution for rust preventative.
 
Chris said:
While I don't know the answer, I wonder, why not just use something proven like Fluid Film? Then you'll never need to worry about the salt.
Click to expand...

Anything that does not dry hard and get brittle over time offers good protection because it doesn't crack or peel, like paint and other hard coatings can. The cosmoline I used is very tacky and still creeps after 22 years. Every year when it gets over 95 degrees out, I notice it dripping out of the drain holes in the panels and on the driveway. The military has used it since WW1 to coat steel for long term storage. You still run across it when you buy military surplus stuff like guns and replacement parts. Cosmoline is basically a parrifine wax suspended in an oil base. Can't find it everywhere like you could a few years ago. I'm guessing the EPA had a hand in that.
 
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BretStep said:
Anything that does not dry hard and get brittle over time offers good protection because it doesn't crack or peel, like paint and other hard coatings can. The cosmoline I used is very tacky and still creeps after 22 years. Every year when it gets over 95 degrees out, I notice it dripping out of the drain holes in the panels and on the driveway. The military has used it since WW1 to coat steel for long term storage. You still run across it when you buy military surplus stuff like guns and replacement parts. Cosmoline is basically a parrifine wax suspended in an oil base. Can't find it everywhere like you could a few years ago. I'm guessing the EPA had a hand in that.
Click to expand...

You're right, it's likely an EPA issue.

The Fluid Film is tacky as well. I've never used Cosmoline, but I can say that the Fluid Film is some very, very tacky stuff.
 
TJ2 can you expand on the boiled linseed oil? I am curious, is it simply boil and pour direct into the frame or is brushed on?
 
It is already boiled at a can.. see attachment.
You add mineral spirit and spray it into the steel.
It takes 3-4 weeks to fully dry cure.
BLO.jpeg MS.jpeg
 
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jeep_boss said:
Do you add just enough mineral spirits to get it through the sprayer?
Click to expand...

1: 2 is my ratio. Clean the metal first free from dirt and rust scales.
This is just to liquify (thinner) the oil so it can pass through the jet spray nozzle.

IMPORTANT: I normally apply this one to all the already rusty spots during my cleaning process and then power wash it. Let it dry naturally for a week.
145-020-Tech-RustRemoval-5LoctiteJelly-263x350.jpg
 
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