Rust-proofing your rig
Date: 11.07.2012
Rust is an ever-present threat to your car and camper, but there’s plenty you can do to stem its advance.
|
|
Ignore the threat posed by rust at your peril...
|
There's nothing worse than having a rusty vehicle. Not only is
rust time consuming to fix, it also weakens your rig's structural
integrity and lowers its resale value. Driving on the beach is a
sure-fire way to encourage rust, as the salty environment speeds up
corrosion - especially in nooks and crannies where sand or water
can become trapped. Of course, avoiding environments like the beach
will go a long way towards rustproofing your car and camper, but
then that also defeats the purpose for which you bought the latter
in the first place - enjoying our great Australian outdoors.
Steel corrodes when it's exposed to oxygen and water, because a
chemical reaction occurs between the three that leads to the
formation of iron oxide - the reddish brown stuff we commonly refer
to as rust.
So, the term 'rustproofing' is actually a bit of a misnomer, as the
truth is that no matter what you do, it's inevitable that your
vehicle's metal components will rust. We can only make an effort to
slow the process by limiting our vehicle's exposure to oxygen and
water.
Having said that, modern vehicles (that is, anything built after
around 1980) make use of manufacturing methods that maximise a
car's ability to resist rust with things like galvanisation,
PVC-based undercoats, and modern paint technologies. Many cars now
even come with a 10 year guarantee against rust, regardless of the
maintenance they receive, so it logically follows that, with good
maintenance, these days your car will remain rust free for much
longer.
Camper trailers are often made from materials that are rust
resistant, like aluminium or even fibreglass. But not all trailers
are and their fixtures and fittings generally aren't, along with
the drawbars and chassis - so maintenance to ensure rust prevention
is essential.
WASH HER DOWN
The single most important aspect of maintaining a car or camper
trailer rust-free is ensuring you wash it down thoroughly after
every single time it's exposed to a salty environment. Pay
particular attention to areas where sand and water may pool, such
as the underbody, and any hidden crevices particular to your
vehicle. Give the engine a rinse (after it's cooled down
sufficiently) and don't forget the roof, as this is a vulnerable
area for many cars.
After washing take the car for a spin to dislodge any sitting
water, then visually inspect and dry with a cloth any regions that
you think may still be wet. If you don't get the opportunity to
hook the trailer up for a drive then let it dry in the sun and have
a look to see if water has pooled anywhere - if it has, dry it off
with a cloth.
Of course, if there is a freshwater river crossing on the way home
from the beach, just take the detour and it will rinse your
undercarriage for you.
Even if you haven't been beach driving, clean the car thoroughly
every two weeks, and the camper trailer whenever you get home from
a trip, to get rid of any animal or plant materials that can damage
your vehicle's protective clear coat.
WATCH THE CHIPS
Any damage to your car's or camper trailer's paintwork should be
repaired as soon as possible. Stone chips and scrapes expose the
vulnerable steel panelling, which encourages the development of
rust.
We all try to avoid damaging our car and trailer, but if it does
happen ensure you get it repaired as soon as possible.
GIVE HER THE FULL TREATMENT
There are myriad different surface treatments available to protect
against rust.
These are intended to treat not only the exterior of the car, but
also the inside of the panels, behind door dressings and so forth.
Application therefore requires a certain degree of mechanical nous,
which is why the service is offered by many professional car repair
centres.
All the surface treatments available are based on the same theory -
they are an additional protective layer to protect the metal from
exposure to oxygen and water.
Fish oil is the old school classic in rust prevention, but it does
tend to leave your car with a sharp pong for a week or so (some say
months) after application. Lanolin is another alternative but it's
water soluble, so it won't last nearly as long. Things also stick
to lanolin, but it's still a very popular underbody treatment
before a spot of beach driving.
There are also wax-based treatments, such as Valvoline's Tectyl,
which last for up to five years.
The effectiveness of these treatments depends entirely upon the
quality of the application, and the only way to be sure of that is
to do it yourself. If you are uncertain about whether you would be
able to get the interior door trimmings back on then it is probably
best to leave it up to a paid technician. In this case ask around
for recommendations from any friend who had their older car
rustproofed a number of years ago - and who still hasn't
experienced any rust trouble.
These treatments do need to be maintained, but stay on top of them
and they'll only extend your rig's life.
ELECTRONIC PROTECTION
Electronic rust prevention systems (ERPS) are controversial
products in the rustproofing world. They are relatively expensive,
generally costing upwards of $500, and rely upon testimonials to
prove their effectiveness.
Some swear by them, although they do involve a leap of faith, but
there is a strong argument for their use: their cost pales into
insignificance when you consider they're offering potential
protection for a $40k+ investment like a fourbie.
Power is supplied to the ERPS unit from the car's battery and sent
via wires to a number of couplers (anywhere between one and 10)
located at various points around the vehicle. The theory is that a
negative charge is created on the vehicle's metal surface, with the
car's paint holding the charge static. The idea is that the
capacitor works to constantly replace lost electrons on the
vehicle's body, preventing rust.
Ultimately, with an unproven system like this you pay your money
and you take your chances.
Source: Camper Trailer Australia #42
