Winter drivers?

[marcsRX]

What do you guys who run in the winter do about salt. I bought mine as a daily and that's what i intend to do with it, Winter included!

Never the less, I'm sure I'll feel guilty about it. So what say ye!? How do you winterize your steal machine to avoid rusting the **** out?

[IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/Marcsr...

[PanelDeland]

I live in the south so I don't have to worry about the salt so much.I've always driven mine pretty much year round but more in the spring and fall,some in the winter,not as much in summer,until I get A/C.

[grs]

Clean the under side real good. Paint it with a brush. Then under coat it. That should slow the rust down, but it won't stop it. Paint the inside of the doors too. I live in Joliet, IL. I hate the winters.

[Stocker]

A buddy of mine slides an oscillating lawn sprinkler underneath his rigs after salt exposure. Repositions it a few times and rinses things off pretty well.

[rsavage]

I have lived in the Northeast all my life. If you want to keep your truck nice, the simple answer is you can't drive it in the winter. You can do things like have it ziebarted, but salt will still find its way into every nook and cranny. If you consider your truck an investment, then perhaps you can find a winter beater car to use.

[Cole Trickle]

Winter...Salt?

The weather is always good here and there is still no way I could drive my 69 daily...lol (70 mile round trip commute)

[oldblue1968chevy]

drive a rusty truck!! lol

drive it and dont think about it, TRY to wash it soon as you can (i dont live up north though either)

[71swb4x4]

Wash it, wash it, and wash it again. At least weekly, and after every trip down the highway. Take extra care to get underneath, where ever "stuff" can collect.

[blue 72 gmc 4x4]

I put bedliner on the whole underside of my truck and I have Imron on my frame and I wash it ALOT in the winter...although here in AZ it will snow then the next day its sunny and all the snow on the road is gone and the road is dry. But my suggestion would be to just wash it frequently in the winter and maybe drill some small holes in your rockers and put some plastic plugs in them that way you could blow them out once and a while...thats what I did to mine.

[HeavyD]

I have driven dozens of them through bad winters over the years, and all you can do is just wash it alot..that means everywhere you can reach - no quickie 3 minute "Zorro pattern" spraying. It will rust, so just keep after it as best you can.

[Longhorn Man]

I would not drive that thing in Illinois in the winter PERIOD.
The Chicago are is the absolute worst part of the US when it comes to salt and brine useage. There is no way to protect it.
The brine salt water they hose the roads with is 10 times worse than the dsalt they used 10 years ago. The molecules in brine are smaller than that of normal salt, and can easily work its self under rivits... where water can't get to it. On top of that, brine will absorb water out of the air untill the humidity is below 30%.... so all through spring, summer, and fall, it will be attacking the sheet metal. Its nasty stuff, and any trucker will tell you the increase of damage noticed from the brine. On a cold winter morning, you can step outside, lick your lips, and then lick them again after a few minuits... odds are you will taste the salt. Just parking it int he driveway isn't even safe.
Its NASTY stuff.
Bottom line, get a winter beater. A cool old rust bucket long wheel base 67 - 72 with a 307 and rust holes can still be found somewhat cheap.
Keep that nice truck locked up all winter long.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

I would not drive that thing in Illinois in the winter PERIOD.
The Chicago are is the absolute worst part of the US when it comes to salt and brine useage. There is no way to protect it.
The brine salt water they hose the roads with is 10 times worse than the dsalt they used 10 years ago. The molecules in brine are smaller than that of normal salt, and can easily work its self under rivits... where water can't get to it. On top of that, brine will absorb water out of the air untill the humidity is below 30%.... so all through spring, summer, and fall, it will be attacking the sheet metal. Its nasty stuff, and any trucker will tell you the increase of damage noticed from the brine. On a cold winter morning, you can step outside, lick your lips, and then lick them again after a few minuits... odds are you will taste the salt. Just parking it int he driveway isn't even safe.
Its NASTY stuff.
Bottom line, get a winter beater. A cool old rust bucket long wheel base 67 - 72 with a 307 and rust holes can still be found somewhat cheap.
Keep that nice truck locked up all winter long.

I agree with LHM on this one. Your truck looks way to nice to drive it on salty roads. If at all possible buy a winter beater and let it get the winter abuse. JMHO.

[knsmodels]

Well, after my truck was restored I drove it through 3 PA. winters.....as everyone said wash it as often as you can.....I tried to drive it as little as possible when the salt was the heaviest after a snow (but drove as much as I could before the salt 4X4)......over all I am pleased with how the truck is holding up......the engine compartment is not what it was 20,000 miles ago but if I really wanted I could clean it back up in a weekend or so....they where made to be driven so I say drive it.....I will say that I no longer drive it in the winters now as I have a work truck and dont have to...

[Hubscrub]

No way in heck i would drive that on salted roads

[piecesparts]

Chicago+salt= no truck after a short period. This is a fact of life in your area. Buy a crappy POS for the winter and drive the truck after the weather settles down.

[68 c10 ls2]

3M makes a product called "rust fighter I" (avalible at any autobody suppy shop) its a wax coating that you spray in all your in side body panels like inside your doors, inner fender/box sides and rockers. I live in MN and do bodywork for a living and i have seen this stuff do wonders to make a panel stop/slow down rust.

[marcsRX]

Wow, lots of replies. I don't get it, when they sold these things new, people drove them for what they were. WORK TRUCKS! Yeah you see them now all rusted out, but its been 40 some odd years.


How can a truck "rust out" in such a short period of time? Say one or two winters?

I agree, its a nice truck and probably not worth screwing up, but then maybe I bought the wrong truck.

[HeavyD]

Well you are right, people did drive them from new because they were just trucks, but that was 40 years ago and now they are thought of as much more than just transportation. If this wasn't true this board would not exist. It is your truck, if you want to drive it, go for it. You will get some opinions on saving it from winter, but you have to expect those responses from a board of people slaving away trying to make their rusted out bombs look like what you have now. But it can always be fixed again, they make all the parts you need, so try and keep after it and if it falls apart later and you still like the truck, redo it. I would switch the wheels though, the moons I see up here seem to rust away in no time.