The Joy of "Salt Brine"!!!

[DETAILKING]

Love that red.

[imported_Luster]

Here in the Midwest, during the winter, we get lots of slick, hazardous road conditions, due to ice.

For years, the city of KC has been pre-treating the street and highways with a concoction called "Salt Brine". Applied in liquid form, turns chalky white when dry. Then when the snow and ice hits, it slops up on the cars and makes a mess everywhere!

Just the name "Salt Brine" makes me cringe!!!!! It just SOUNDS like corrosion!:banghead::banghead: "Special Corrosion-Accelerating Formula!"

I`ll be doing an ONR wash as soon as the temp gets above freezing. (Most likely tomorrow). Then an undercarriage blast whenever I get over to the carwash.

Warning: These pictures are graphic and are not intended for those with weak stomachs!:doh:

(This car was clean... then a 2 minute drive to the grocery story and back!)

[imported_broker99]

oh no my eyes, my eyes.

[imported_Luster]

oh no my eyes, my eyes.

Ugly isn`t it?!:iagree: And that`s from 4 minutes of driving!!!!

[TOGWT]

Road Salt

The salts (often mixed with grit / sand for tyre adhesion) commonly used are;

(a) Sodium chloride (NaCl) the most common salt used

(b) Calcium chloride (CaCl2) works at lower temperatures than sodium chloride.

Although salt is inert when subjected to freezing (15 ? 20.oF ) it?s considered the lower limit for salt to melt snow/ice but once H2O, even in the form of moist air (i.e. humidity) is added the freezing point is lowered and the saline solution(salt/water) will have an adverse effect on the vehicles paint and undercarriage. When washing the vehicle ensure that all salt is removed to avoid a saline solution remaining on the paint finish. Using a durable protection (Collinite Insulator Wax) will provide a sacrificial and renewable protection to the vehicles paint finish.

Magnesium chloride (MgCl2) is very effective even at the lowest temperatures but also contains the most aggressive corrosives (especially on glass surfaces) and (d) a sprayed brine solution, it is used to prevent snow / ice adhesion to the road surface. Needless to state that all these salts are acidic / corrosive so once you`ve removed the ice / snow it may be advisable to `neutralize ` the residue road salt with an alkaline solution, (Canada-POR15.com) especially from the undercarriage and suspension

Anti-icing liquids- according to State authorities the liquid consists of - Magnesium chloride, calcium chloride and other liquids works like anti-freeze by lowering the freezing temperature of water and preventing ice from forming a strong bond to the road?

Undercarriage

After removing dirt, road grime, and etc with a pressure washer (Karcher Model K5.93M) neutralise the effects of the acidic road salt (Canada-POR15.com) on the suspension / undercarriage (See also Road salt)

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 (Chemical Guys Bare Bones ) one application will leave no residues, noxious fumes or flammable solvents
? Or apply POR-15 Marine Clean? and then two coats of a rust inhibitor paint (POR-15 ) allow each coat to dry

Alternative products

Wurth High Build Underbody Spray produces a jet black, textured finish in wheel wells and on lower rocker panels. This spray will hide a multitude of blemishes and make old wheel wells look factory new. Provides permanent yet flexible protection against flying stones, rust, water and road salts

Wurth SKS Stone Guard matches OEM Factory applied stone protection on vehicles such as BMW, Fiat, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Renault. For use on door sills, front and rear body parts, mudguards, under bodies, rocker panels, etc. Wurth SKS Stone Guard is a water based product and offers easy clean-up. Wurth SKS is paintable and can be top coated with solvent based urethane or water-borne top coats (available in Black or Grey)

An extract from one of a series of unbiased ?Detailing Technical Papers? ? TOGWT ? Ltd Copyright 2002-2009, all rights reserved

[bmw5541]

Yuch Bill, thaat is some nasty looking stuff

[imported_gewb]

Yup, looks like my car and my wife`s car here in Denver. Hate to see the salts crystalize on the garage floor as it dries - after a few winters of this the cement has started to spaul.

Regards,
GEWB

[imported_Luster]

Yup, looks like my car and my wife`s car here in Denver. Hate to see the salts crystalize on the garage floor as it dries - after a few winters of this the cement has started to spaul.

Regards,
GEWB

Yeah, I try to get it off the garage floor and driveway as soon as possible (not to mention the car and undercarriage!!!):biggrin:

[imported_Roadrunner]

I feel your pain... that stuff`s nasty!

They put it on the roads here in Nashville when the weatherperson says, oh... something like a 20% chance of snow.
Upon hearing this horrid weather report... all the Natives RUN at breakneck speed to the Kroger, buy every gallon of milk and loaf of bread they can find/afford. Run home and bolt the door because they`re scared stiff of the white stuff falling from the sky. Obviously this is some Yankee plot to end the world or something.:devil:

Then, as usual... it rains (a very small amount) instead of snowing, the white corrosive stuff they put on the road mixes with the water and becames an even worse nightmare.
This is all followed by a mass attack on the quarter car washes in town to scrub it off their cars with those brooms that double as cement scrapers. Let the swirls, MACRO-marring and gouging begin!

That last part makes me happy!:Frosty:

[imported_Jokeman]

Ahh thats not bad. You should see my rig after a weekend of snowmobiling up in the mountains.

[Junebug]

You might be a redneck if you use your wife`s salt brined car to lure deer.

[imported_Luster]

Ahh thats not bad. You should see my rig after a weekend of snowmobiling up in the mountains.

True... I`ve seen worse, even on my own cars. I just can`t stand leaving the "White Crusties" on my car for more than a few hours!!!