Expanding Winter detailing service for the snow belt

[William_Wallace]

I live northeast and detailing slows down from November to April.

This year I decided to offer rust prevention on frames and underside. There are two options of chemicals cosmoline or lanolin based.

I first started with cosmoline only but so many people were Interested in this service that I got special requests for lanolin/fluid film so now I carry both.

The client are fire companies, police vehicles, city and county vehicles and fleet vehicles and gate communities.

I also get self employed persons wanting there work vehicles.

The process is very easy you spray a salt wash under the vehicle let dwell then rinse. Let air dry. The product comes in spray cans. I put on my tryvac suit and respirator crawl under the vehicle and spray the ```` out of everything.

I am pretty busy and have had some issues getting enough product delivered. Average car takes under 2 hours. Large fire truck under 3 hours.

People and boards are able to justify in there minds the money to prevent rust and future issues.

I did this on a whim after watching a YouTube video and it took off.

If your in a snow area maybe consider

Good products are crc6020 or rp34 for cosmoline

Good product for lanolin are fluid film or wool wax

[William_Wallace]

It also has lead to these people to my detail services.

[Ron Ketcham]

Cosmoline is not used roday for consumer or other vehicles owned by consumers, lanolin is not effective either as it evaporates in a short time. SAE and ASTM standards and approvals for rust proofing require the use of micro wax based products that are applied with a fogging method into all inner cavaties and hem flanges.One application lasts for years with no renewals needed. Undercoating must not "pocket" for years and last for 3 or more years with no reapplication required.. For more information, TSB`s issued by Federal Recalls for corrosion, how to properly apply, etc, visit the Valugard.net website.

[William_Wallace]

@ Ron cosmoline is a micro wax in solvent. The solvent then evaporates. The fogging is done with hose attachments to spray can for inner frame rails and an opening. There are probably 20 different brands and even specific spray guns with air compressors.

same for the lanolin it’s designed to be applied in same manner

The difference is the lanolin based lines do not harden into a wax film. Some people prefer this because it has ability to creep move. Since the product does not harden It is also has a lubricant property. Such as quiets down chassis and suspension. There is a die hard following for this product line in the Northeast. It does not evaporate.

These products are not thin like a WD-40 they are thick fogging fluids. Also these products are not rubberized under coatings. These fluids are designed specifically for rust prevention with the cosmoline being the heavier grade protection. Cosmoline was designed by military for longer term storage and shipping of vehicles. The gun community also uses for rust prevention. The only way to remove cosmoline is petroleum solvent.

[Ron Ketcham]

Before retiring, was the "go to expert" for 9 of the largest vehicles manufacturers in the world for corrosion concerns and resolution. If the products did not meet or exceed the SAE and or ASTM standards, they were rejected. Notice in the TSB`s on the mentioned sites, these were required issuing by the Federal Government, not any old brand lacking industry approvals, including I-CAR.

[Accumulator]

I hesitate to touch this subject with a mile-long pole, but FWIW I differentiate (aka "split hairs" ) between "body cavity rust protection" and "undercoating"/undercarriage and floorpan work even though they certainly overlap.

The stuff I spray on exposed frame rails is one thing (and it dries pretty "dry", looking like *black paint*. I absolutely will not look at amber/beige/etc.-colored [crap] on my vehicles nor some product that will retain dirt...as it looks horrible to me.

The stuff I fog into/onto areas where rustout is a concern doesn`t have to look nice like the previous, it just has to prevent rust-out, which starts in areas that aren`t visible (so the color doesn`t matter).

And when something problematic (e. g., the seams at the bottom of doors) has already started to rust, I (cross my fingers, hope for the best, and then..) do yet *another* different approach.

Since my vehicles seem to last forever (only rust-out was the MPV, a manufacturing defect as *they all rust out in those areas if they get wet*), I`m satisfied that what I`m doing works well *for me*. But there are just innumerable variables and this is yet another YMMV subject. But starting with a good product (at least get salt-spray test results), applied properly (for rust prevention I simply can`t get good results with spraycans of stuff, not even the ValuGard product), is essential no matter what.

Oh, and BTW...

William_Wallace- Gee, that`s fast! I doubt I`ve ever even done exposed frame rails in that amount of time!

EDIT: And lest I sound like I think I know it all...I still haven`t done the underneath of the Tahoe as its surface rust has me questioning whether I should bother. When a vehicle *really* oughta have the body removed so the frame can be done properly, trying to do the frame with it all still together could make things a whole lot worse due to the "pocketing" that Ketch mentioned. Just "spraying plenty on there" isn`t gonna work long-term...

And NO, surface rust might not sleep, but it doesn`t necessarily get serious either, not as long as you keep it clean.

[William_Wallace]

Before retiring, was the "go to expert" for 9 of the largest vehicles manufacturers in the world for corrosion concerns and resolution. If the products did not meet or exceed the SAE and or ASTM standards, they were rejected. Notice in the TSB`s on the mentioned sites, these were required issuing by the Federal Government, not any old brand lacking industry approvals, including I-CAR.

Ron jeez it’s a whole profession when I google this and these brands that offer rust prevention. I can even find other shops who sprays closest to me. There are tons of shops do this I did not invent this or I simply stumbled into it and have used this to make money in the off season.

Your claiming to to be expert and discussing standards of SAE but you have never heard of this. Either google it or watch some of the tutorials on YouTube of shops or persons spraying this because I don’t think we are talking about the same topic. This is not OEM or painting and it’s not a rubberized coating. I believe your thinking this is the rubberized coating this is the same type of micro wax you described.

[William_Wallace]

At accumulator well is on my snowblower to I’m keeping an eye on it I’m only a 2 month expert alas started this year. I sprayed my own car first it took me while. The larger vehicle are easier because they are higher off ground and getting access is easier.

first time I did it On my own I did not have a suit on and learned very quickly that disposable attire is needed.

[Accumulator]

Aren`t the SAE/etc. salt-spray tests standardized? It`s been forever since I researched this stuff properly...

Oh, and FWIW, when it comes to this subject, the relevant authorities at the *major automakers* would concur that Ron Ketcham *IS INDEED* an expert While Ketch and I sometimes have differing experiences and opinions, he`s one guy whose credentials I`d sure never question.

[John U]

The only way to remove cosmoline is petroleum solvent.

Thanks for the flashback to the early 80`s when I sold Fiats. They would show up fresh "off the boat" with a coating. The wash guy would be rubbing away with a shop towel soaked in solvent. Not exactly concour prep!

[William_Wallace]

@accumulator don’t know enough about the spray tests, the purpose of this thread is not to argue regarding the pinnacle of rust prevention or the testing that goes into it.

The purpose of this thread is for those who for those like myself in the snow belt looking to expand a service or make up lost income this may help fill some of the down time.

@Ron Our discussion rust prevention is like a discussion of wax vs sealant vs coatings. If your are indeed an expert as self announced maybe the products do meet some of the testing you discussed. Two brands I use most are CRC6026 and RP-342 both of the micro wax type you described they have credentials on there website I don’t know if they are the same discussed.

Typically for a car/truck/police suv I charge $250-350
Ambulance or eviq size fleet vehicle 450+
Fire Engine $600+


I have to submit a bid and invoice/estimate with the product being used. Most of the client recontact after about two weeks after they research cosmoline.

After the product dries your can remove with metal scraper if you use enough force but it is solid wax much different than a car wax.

[Ron Ketcham]

Biggest volume of rust proofing and asphalt based undercoating since the late 80`s is Chrysler`s Master Shield warranty products, Warranty is provided by Chrysler. Millions of vehicles have them applied. Products are produced by Automotive International, marketeers of Valugard products around the world. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

[William_Wallace]

Cosmoline became an everyday name when it received a government specification as a rust preventive and began being used by the military to protect its equipment from rust and corrosion. Cosmoline could be found on military equipment in the Spanish–American War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam Wars.^[2][3] Cosmoline conforms to MIL-SPEC (MIL-C-11796C, Class 3) for Preservative and Sealing Compounds.^[4]
Chemically, cosmoline is a ````geneousmixture of oily and waxy long-chain, non-polar hydrocarbons. It is always brown in color, but can differ in viscosity and shear strength. Cosmoline melts at 113–125 °F (45–52 °C) and has a flash point of 365 °F (185 °C).

[William_Wallace]

Just a wiki sourced quick look it’s definitely a legit preventative treatment

[Ron Ketcham]

However, it is not applied to non-military vehicles, rather over 30 years ago manufacturers moved to "wax based or synthetic transit coatings", dropping the use of cosmoline for their usage. It created excessive damaging issues with the types of paint film, trim, etc used on consumer vehicles. Additionally,due to components and amounts applied, when removed at port operations contributed to enviormental issues.