O.K., for those of you out there who have no choice but to drive in it, what steps do you take for gettin' rid of the crap underneath? Drive back 'n forth over a sprinkler? Used to work for State of Calif. and plowed a lot of the white crap and we used our share of salt here in the Sierras. That caused many problems underneath, in electrical connections mostly, corrosion, broken wires, bad connections, etc. We'd wash trucks off every shift but, still won't get it all. Since I've seen several of you post that you plow snow, was just wondering what you do. Thanks.

We still use salt in CA? I thought that was stopped for environmental considerations. I know Caltrans only uses sand. Up in Yosemite where I run the roads it is always sand. Now do not get me wrongs, sand presents its own set of problems. For the sand when I am done, I do a quick wash with hose, I have a long washer wand and I spray upwards(Looks like the border patrol mirror inspection tool)then a power wash being careful to avoid the connectors.

WE? Are you Caltrans? "We STILL use salt?" Never stopped! Only in 'sensitive areas', like the Tahoe Basin due to the runoff into the Lake. Big no-no over there. May be some other areas, not sure. Sand and in some places,volcanic cinder is used. Bishop gets it's cinder dug out from Mono Lake and has naturally about 10% salt in it.

In MD I think we are done with snow, so I hit as many big puddles as possible. Of course being careful not to let the water take you where it wants. Adventurely I will hit what I can with the power washer.

Being from Ohio, I see quite a bit of salt. I usually pull the truck in the garage, jack it up on jack stands and proceed to blast the hell out of the undercarriage with a hot pressure washer. That usually gets most of the salt off, but it is impossible to get all of it, unless you took a wash rag and detailed the undercarriage.

Dan

http://www.carwell.com/
marine corp uses this, along with the usps, fed ex , and ups.

Sorry FreewayRandy, Never meant it to be an argument. And no, I do not work for Cal Trans, I have a bunch of friends that do. I just remember seeing most areas being free of salting roads. Sand is the standard practice. I guess certain areas still use it from what you are saying.

Anyway I would think what everybody said above would work well. I think the same for sand would apply for salt. Just a good ol washing like you said over sprinklers or something. Any connectors would be a concern but most are weather-pak now and are pretty good. Although localized high pressure can breach them.

Regards

Being from Ohio, I see quite a bit of salt. I usually pull the truck in the garage, jack it up on jack stands and proceed to blast the hell out of the undercarriage with a hot pressure washer. That usually gets most of the salt off, but it is impossible to get all of it, unless you took a wash rag and detailed the undercarriage.
I'm in Texas and therefore cannot relate to any salt issues. I do wonder if blasting with cold water would be better however.

It might take a bit longer, but hot water will allow the salt to remain in solution longer and therefore if you are not towel drying the undercarriage, which is unlikely, you will have a salt residue there once it air dries. Or blast initially with hot water and clean with cold water.

I've seen this in some parts of my industry. When removing some kinds of salts cold water is preferred. I wonder if anybody has ever tried it in this particular application. Heck if know...

To me part of problem is with that sorry, waxy coating on the chassis. I hate it. It seems like a tough, corrosion resistant powder coating would be a better idea.

You can't win against road salt. Took me a while to finally admit that to myself. Best bet is to do what I do: put the nice truck away for the winter and drive a winter rat.

My solution to salt? Trade every three years.........

j/k

I try to wash my truck every week to 10 days, in an automatic car wash, pay the extra for the chassis bath. If its a vehicle I'm keeping, I also spry it annually with Rust Check or Krown rust proofing. I have a '91 Chev half ton I've been doing this to and the body and frame are rock solid, a little bit of sufface rust on parts of the frame.

Duramax Dually,
Please, MY apologies, didn't mean for that to sound the way it looked. Was going more on 'emphasis' than 'yelling'.

Still wondering if anyone has experienced any electrical problems due to salt getting into connectors, sensors, etc. I know they use better connectors these days, more water proof, but still from what I've experienced, that crap can get into anything.
By the way, I have the option, when going to town, of taking County back roads, where they don't use salt, over the State route. The way they use it, no way do I want to run in it!
Thanks all for the input. Randy

T-Rex, just to clarify my procedure, I use the hot pressure washer in the winter not only to get the salt off, but because it gets rid of all the ice build up underneath the truck also. After I use the hot pressure washer, I wash the truck with cold water and also the undercarriage.

Dan

I have quite a bit of salt on the roads up here and I was starting to see quite a bit of surface rust on the frame. I took it to Ziebart and had it undercoated for $229 and it looks new again. Sprayed the wheelwells and everything. Looks great.

I've been driving cars in salt for over 30 years and the only electrical plug problems I've had were on a '68 Chev Impala, headlight plugs, and taillight sockets. Second car I owned, around 1973 or 74. Don't think I'd worry about it.

Pressure wash in the spring............use a few cans of WD-40 and spray every part with a light mist..........except near the brakes............repeat for the first month or two after the salt disappears............wash the truck lots more times underneath and keep spraying WD-40............the wax frame coating SUCKS..........the SALT SUCKS............but I have wo get to work so I gotta drive it........

At leat the WD-40 helps a little.............not much though

:(

Just to add to this thread, I have also applied spray in bedliner to my wheels wells and have thought about doing it to the whole undercarriage, might get expensive and I'm sure it would be a pain to do.

They don't use salt as much anymore, now it is magniesium chloride up in Juneau, Ak. I use a Pesticide Attachment to the hose and run Simple green through it...I set it on the lowest setting (10%SG to 90% water) don't think it will hurt anything...no rust or nothing..never had a problem.

Around here the roads are white in the winter.....with salt. After all the snow melts and the roads dry out, there is so much salt left behind that I create a salt dust cloud as I drive down the road.

As long as the temperatures are above single digits, I run the truck through an automatic touch free car wash. The soap isn't the best for the truck, but the salt is worse. Also, I use a car wash with an underbody spray to try and get the salt rinsed off.

I have quite a bit of salt on the roads up here and I was starting to see quite a bit of surface rust on the frame. I took it to Ziebart and had it undercoated for $229 and it looks new again. Sprayed the wheelwells and everything. Looks great.I havent done mine yet, but thats exactly what im going to do...Hope i can get the truck clean enough for it to have max effect...

If you want to have real salt Put a salter in you truck like I do. :)

My 95 is just needs to have brake lines replaced last year I rusted out a trancooler line. and I never relly wory about cleaing under the truck except what I can get with power washer. I don't crawal under it. It out in ever snow and ice storm. Salting.

T-Rex, just to clarify my procedure, I use the hot pressure washer in the winter not only to get the salt off, but because it gets rid of all the ice build up underneath the truck also. After I use the hot pressure washer, I wash the truck with cold water and also the undercarriage.

DanSounds great.:cool: