Aluminum vs Steel truck bodies

[Oaktree]

I guess I hit a nerve...

The thread is about rust. I posted facts and proof that I don't need aluminum or rust proofing. Why should I pay extra for something I don't need?

Not all of us live in Arizona.

 

[Jstpssng]

The hand wash stations are going away here and they are build new automated washes where all of the water drains into a sump inside and nothing goes outside. I believe the water is filtered and reused.

The water runs off vehicles as they drive off.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Yeah I no longer wash cars at home during the winter. That’s a summer time activity. The automatic wash places typically have an underbody wash option for a few bucks more. They do use magnesium chloride here during severe icing events in addition to the cinders, so I always hit the car wash as soon as the road conditions clear up.

The hand wash stations are going away here and they are build new automated washes where all of the water drains into a sump inside and nothing goes outside. I believe the water is filtered and reused.

And therein lies the problem.

You may get rid of your salt and evil chemicals, but your vehicle gets sprayed with whatever the ones ahead in line had rinsed off of theirs.

 

[WinterDeere]

And therein lies the problem.

You may get rid of your salt and evil chemicals, but your vehicle gets sprayed with whatever the ones ahead in line had rinsed off of theirs.

I've always wondered about this. You'd assume the filtration must be tailored toward removing salts, as that's the primary reason we're washing our cars, and leaving salts in the water seems likely to cause spotting. But it would be interesting to hear from someone in the business, as to what's actually standard practice, here.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

A friend of mine works in the water filtration business, so I know that most anything can be filtered out, but...

Will a car wash spend the money to get all the chemicals out, and in the quantity of water used? I highly doubt it.

 

[WinterDeere]

You’re probably right. But for me, it’s a “something is better than nothing” approach. There’s no way I’m washing a vehicle in my driveway when it’s 10F outside. Besides the direct misery of that operation, it’d leave my driveway as a skating rink. So, the automatic car wash is a “best compromise” option, in winter.

 

[gstrom99]

Now that Ford has had about 10 years putting their F150 and Superduty in the field how are they working out for for the TBN'ers?
I was skeptical at first, thinking they would damage easily. Now I'm wondering why more manufacturers have not gone to Al.
Coming from Northern Vermont where rust is KING it seems that rust free would be very important.

Several panels on my '19 Jeep Cherokee are aluminum. Hood and rear gate at least. No problems, so far...

 

[Jstpssng]

11'degrees out right now and I've got liquid water on my side panels. People like it though because they can do 80 up the interstate the day after a storm. Or during a minor snow, like most of the cars which went by me yesterday when the limit was down to 45. I was even passed by a Walmart tractor trailer... They usually follow the laws religiously.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I need to take a magnet to my '21 1500.

As I recall the hood is aluminum, maybe the tailgate, too, and the front fenders are some sort of composite material.

Not that it matters. It was bought to be an all-weather vehicle...two and a half years later it hasn't even been driven in rain.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Besides the direct misery of that operation, it’d leave my driveway as a skating rink.

You could spread some salt on your driveway, right?