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What do you guys do to prevent rust? MORE PICS POST #27

DK5

DK5

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The city that rhymes with fun, Saskatchewan
I know it is inevitable for those of us who live in the "Rust Belt", but what do you guys do to keep your daily driver rust free.

I've heard both when it comes to undercoating: "it traps salt and still causes rust" or "I undercoat 2wice a year and don't have any rust problems".. I've heard it is better just to religiously wash the underside of the vehicle to keep that salt out of there.

Canadian Tire sells an electronic device that emits a low charge to all the metal parts (frame, body, etc.) and is supposed to prevent rust from occuring, but I don't know about the safety/efficacy of this yet either.

Any other tips/ideas??

I might go to the local Ziebart Trimline to see what products they offer. They are supposed to have a Rust Protection service of some sort.
 
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Park it in the garage in the winter and drive a beater , other than not nothing is safe, at least in our area where they hose the roads with the liquid de-icer. Which is worse than the salt they used to use.
 
We have seen an increase in rust on trucks where the starter is. Studies have shown that the new de-icer they are using is capable of carrying a current. We have seen personally 88-98 chevy trucks where the frame has rotten out in the front right next to the starter but not the other side. Also that exhaust manifold is prone to rotting away around the studs, if they hold up.
 
zombie1969 said:
The gun is more than I paid from a local store.I paid like $25 for it.
http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/3m-schutz-applicator-gun-08997-p-11269.aspx
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Does that rust preventer stuff work well from 3M? Hell of a lot cheaper than having someone else do it and probably I'd do a better job. Time is an issue though, that is why I'm considering having it done at the shop.

Cornfield creations said:
Park it in the garage in the winter and drive a beater , other than not nothing is safe, at least in our area where they hose the roads with the liquid de-icer. Which is worse than the salt they used to use.
Click to expand...

I think they just put a mixture of salt and sand here.. still, they apply it generously to the highway that I travel on :angry1:.

I've decided I'd rather drive the blazer.. I mean, the thing is built for driving in the winter so why not use it? :dunno: and I'd rather spend the money on my K5 than buy another heap to work on.. as long as I can prevent the corrosion for a good long while, I'm happy. I can always have a little body work done down the road.

Cornfield creations said:
We have seen an increase in rust on trucks where the starter is. Studies have shown that the new de-icer they are using is capable of carrying a current. We have seen personally 88-98 chevy trucks where the frame has rotten out in the front right next to the starter but not the other side. Also that exhaust manifold is prone to rotting away around the studs, if they hold up.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by 'the de-icer is capable of carrying a current?' electrical current?

I'm also considering getting new headers or manifolds as well, but i've read that headers are more prone to rust..
 
That 3m stuff works better if you mix some trans fluid in with it.Turnes into a thick goo that never washes off.Think its a 3 parts 3m mixture that works good.
 
electric device dont do SH!T :poo:

car wash at least 1 time per week in winter and under wash is best.

or dont drive it in the winter time.

thats it.

i have lived in ny state for 32 years and worked on vehicles for 10+ now and it sucks.
 
I constantly polish my rig, I have found a mix of rocks and sagebrush works rather well. If you don't have sagebrush I am sure some small bushes would do the trick. Also a good pine tree can help the body stay free of rust.

Thats all I can say, constant polishing:haha:
 
Sweet K30, do you wash at the car wash or just use your own pressure washer? I'm wondering what would happen when washing with hot water in -40 degree weather.. it can't be good for the glass or paint. I wonder if there is a good soap that would remove salt, mud & snow better without wrecking the new paint.. :thinking:

Don't worry, I've seen it.. I lived in Nova Scotia for 6 years and there was no hope in preventing rust. Everyone undercoats their vehicles and try to get as many years as they can out of them or keep tradin them up.. Here in Saskatchewan I don't think it will be too bad as long as I maintain it well.

Here is a pic of aformentioned blazer with new paint: (better pics are still in order)
DSCF4254.jpg
 
blazinzuk said:
I constantly polish my rig, I have found a mix of rocks and sagebrush works rather well. If you don't have sagebrush I am sure some small bushes would do the trick. Also a good pine tree can help the body stay free of rust.

Thats all I can say, constant polishing:haha:
Click to expand...

more like microfibres and carnauba wax and maybe a good pine-sol cleansing to the interior once in a while buddy :D:haha:

don't worry. she still gets some offroad time once in a while
 
Yeah, there was a good article in undercar digest about a year ago talking about electrolysis near the starter on trucks. Ones primarily that drive in winter using magnesium chloride. The liquid "de-icer" causes electrolysis near electrical components if not washed off immediately. In the winter I wash the vehicles off always everyday when the stuff is down. It's nice being able to park in a garage at home.
 
Dude if that thing is as sweet as it looks, I'd be parking it. Once rust starts it seems like you keep on chasing it, no matter the preventive taken.
If you do drive it, like Brett said wash the underside, but not at a car wash, that just coats everything with a nice soapy ice coating, you need to take a warm water (hot water heater sourced) hose and spend some time getting inside the frame rails and all the collection spots under the truck.
My 85 I bought new, and had it Ziebart rustproofed (lifetime warranty) and did the yearly inspection/touch ups every fall as required for the warranty, and it still rusted the cab corners, a few spots on the box, and the front fender lower rear openings and upper lips, and a biggie you don't see right away was cab supports, and body mounts. At the time I had that truck, at work, I had access to an indoor heated truck bay that had hot water, and would wash it underneath at least once a week. So all that helped, being in MI. but it sure didn't stop it.
Oh, and Ziebarts warranty on rust through....send it to a hack shop and have em mud it up.

So my bottom line would be dont' expose it to any corrosive de-icers in the winter.
 
I have come to the conclusion there aint NOTHING you can do to prevent rust,especially on a GM truck,I think the 73-87's were made with recycled steel that had rust in the pores of the metal,and once the steel gets a salt bath or calcuim cloride exposure it litterally rots away from the inside out..I have used everything from Rust-Mort,Rustoleum,POR-15,drain oil,and undercoating among numerous other things and they only slow the progress of rust down some,not for long either,if its driven in the winter after roads are treated..

The best cure is to never let it get rusty to begin with--but few of us can afford a garage queen of a truck your afraid to USE because it might get salty or scratched,etc..I think drain oil sprayed all over the undersides is the most effective and cheapest method that works the best,but it must be applied often and carefully..I have yet to see the cab floor on a GM truck rust where the transfer casr tailshaft is,usually they floor gets sprayed with ATF or 90W gear lube and it is pristine there,while inches away at the rockers the floor looks like it was at the bottom of the ocean,full of holes and paper thin,rotted to death..seems salt draws all the oils out of the steeland then makes the rusting process proceed at an alarmingly fast rate..
I wish I had a swimming pool full of used oil,I'd park my truck in it and let it soak in..but its kind of late to start "saving" my trucks,they are already pretty much boned after being exposed to MA roads and climate far too long to worry about them now..

Keeping a truck well soaked with used oil underneat is probably the best way to slow down rusting..I know a guy who bought a brand new 1976 F-250 "High-Boy" 4x4 and the first day he got it he put it up on the lift at his work and used a paintbrush and old paint sprayer to coat the entire undersides with 90W gear oil and lithium grease..to this day it still looks brand new underneath..and he does use it year round,but of course is very anal about getting the salt off as son as possible and recoating it with more oil and grease..

I have to replace exhaust anifolds on my 6.2's soon,I have never seen them go from perfect to horrible looking crusty nuggest so fast in my life!--the once painted frame rails on my plow truck are badly corroded along the inner fenders back to the starter,and the manifold bolts look like flowers or rivets..getting them off will surely be a frigging joy..:mad:..beginning to wonder if the truck is worth fixing any more,the amount of work & parts will cost more than it'll evert be worth..:(
 
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