With winter comes one thing i hate salted roads

[Dustin]

Anybody have thoughts on the safe way to remove salt from your car's finish and undercarridge. i know a good coat of wax and washing often is the best line of defense against corrosion to the finish; but how do i go about cleaning and protecting the undercarridge. I usually go down to the local self serve car wash and use the pressure washer they have to spray the corrosive muck out of the fenderwells and underbody. Is this a good method to protect against rust, or is there something more i should be doing? Some type of protected perhaps? Thank you for any suggestions.

[SVT Lightning]

I would think the pressure washing method is probably your best bet but I have no experience with salt. They won't use it here in Oregon.....not environment friendly. We have to suffer with gravel! Over the last few years, the front fairing on my L has picked up a number of small rock chips. Any ideas on how to hide those will be appreciated also.

[tguil]

In Nebraska we get a double whammy -- salt and gravel of various sizes. Wash the salt and gravel crud at a pressure wash. In the spring take your time and wash it well at home with a hose. Make sure you get it all off, both the salt and gravel. I actually crawl under my trucks to be sure. (Pick a warm day.) For the rock chips. A few can be touched up. A lot requires a complete paint job on the affected panel.

Tom

[gb387]

Originally posted by tguil
In Nebraska we get a double whammy -- salt and gravel of various sizes. Wash the salt and gravel crud at a pressure wash. In the spring take your time and wash it well at home with a hose. Make sure you get it all off, both the salt and gravel. I actually crawl under my trucks to be sure. (Pick a warm day.) For the rock chips. A few can be touched up. A lot requires a complete paint job on the affected panel.

Tom

Here in Iowa its the same story. After winter has passed a DEEP cleaning of the outside of my truck it always first on the to to list.

[jetta18T]

I usually go down to the local self serve car wash and use the pressure washer they h

I like to do this as often as I can... and the one thing I found out the other day when I went there is they must have just installed a heater for the water because the water that comes out is now warm or hot. It helps a LOT on those 20 degree days even when you're out there just rinsing the wheel wells out. The hose also gets warm which is nice to hold onto when it's freezing outside.

[RamAirV1]

Unless you have a lift, the only way I know of to get the salt from the undercarriage is to pressure wash it. Some automatic car washes have an undercarriage wash which I assume is a pressure wash device. If it's been a nasty winter (and it has been this year) I will take it to a good automatic wash and have the underbody washed. I usually only do this once at the end of the winter. I don't like taking my car to an automatic wash, but there are a few good ones around. Ask around in your local area and see who has the best car washes. And do it before you polish and wax, not after.

Fortunately, I have a heated garage so I can do normal washing and detailing at home in the winter, with my complete Meguiar's detailing arsenal.

The Spray Booster Wax is coming in handy now.

RamAirV1

[Tim Lingor]

Yep, I too know snow!

I too usually go to the coin wash and use the pressure washer to spray the wheel wells, underneath the car/truck, behind the bumpers, etc... I will do this every couple of weeks. If possible around February, weather permitting, I like to try and put another coat of NXT or #20 on the paint and wheels.

I have done this winter routine for years and have had no issues or problems with the paint!

Tim

[atclew]

I suppose I should feel lucky to have a very reputable car wash near me. They have a fantastic under-carriage washing system as a part of their car-wash. I've been taking the car through there about once every 10 days or so. Aurora and Naperville use nothing but salt on the roads

[TOGWT]

Undercarriage:
After removing dirt, road grime, and etc neutralise the effects of the acidic road / sea salt on the suspension / undercarriage. Do not use plain water; "Always add the acid to the water – never add water to the acid"
Methodology
·Thoroughly spray an undiluted citrus cleaner (P2IS Total Auto Wash) and let it soak in, remove by thoroughly rinsing with water. If you have a pressure washer available, fill tank with citrus cleaner and spray undercarriage (do not use excess pressure as water may penetrate crevices and seams where it cannot drain, causing corrosion), let it soak and then remove with plain water
·Spray undercarriage with (POR-15 Marine Clean™) one application will leave no residues, noxious fumes or flammable solvents (Canada-POR15.com)
Apply two coats (allowing first coat to dry) of a rust inhibitor paint (POR-15 Rust Inhibitor, allow drying between coats.

JonM

[Dustin]

Originally posted by TOGWT
Undercarriage:
After removing dirt, road grime, and etc neutralise the effects of the acidic road / sea salt on the suspension / undercarriage. Do not use plain water; "Always add the acid to the water – never add water to the acid"
Methodology
·Thoroughly spray an undiluted citrus cleaner (P2IS Total Auto Wash) and let it soak in, remove by thoroughly rinsing with water. If you have a pressure washer available, fill tank with citrus cleaner and spray undercarriage (do not use excess pressure as water may penetrate crevices and seams where it cannot drain, causing corrosion), let it soak and then remove with plain water
·Spray undercarriage with (POR-15 Marine Clean™) one application will leave no residues, noxious fumes or flammable solvents (Canada-POR15.com)
Apply two coats (allowing first coat to dry) of a rust inhibitor paint (POR-15 Rust Inhibitor, allow drying between coats.

JonM

Do you think it would be ok to use Greased Lightning Orange Blast on the wheelwells and undercarridge to do the same think you have talked about? I don't want to creat more problems than I solve with regarders to the underbody and removing the salt.

[gb387]

I use orange blast on my wheel well and have for a couple years now with no problems. I never spray it on the paint...

Check this link out on Greased Lightnings Web Site

[toyotaowner]

I feel your pain. I even had to drive both my cars past a salt truck and that disturbing sound of salt hitting me got me really down and worried. Hopefully NXT held up.

We're going to be hit with atleast 12' of snow today to tomorrow. Can't wait.

[Dustin]

Originally posted by gb387
I use orange blast on my wheel well and have for a couple years now with no problems. I never spray it on the paint...

Check this link out on Greased Lightnings Web Site

No of course not!, i was just making sure that the orange blast didn't have any adverse effects on the underbody and fenderwells.Thank you gb387 and everybody for your insight; by the way gb your Lightning is beautiful!