Onsite Truck & Equipment Repair Blog

How To Protect Your Pick-Up From Rust – Guide

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Many truck owners are aware that rust can cause damage to their vehicles. Trucks are typically more dependable than automobiles, yet even a little amount of rust can quickly spread and become quite harmful to a truck. If you're like us, you'll go to any length to prevent your vehicle from rusting.

Routine cleaning and parking in the proper spot are the greatest ways to keep your vehicle from rusting. If you see rust on your vehicle, you should try to prevent it from spreading since it might ruin your truck. Avoid extended parking on grass, mud, in the snow by using a garage or vehicle cover and keep your drain plugs free.

What causes rust in trucks?

Rust is formed when oxygen and iron come into contact. What's the bad news? Almost every piece of metal on your vehicle is made of iron. The development of rust is a gradual and delicate process. Some folks may not notice their vehicle is rusting until it has developed a hole.

How to protect your pickup truck from rust? 

Maintain a clean environment

A clean vehicle, first and foremost, is rust-resistant. This means keeping your vehicle clean both inside and out. You may either hire a professional detailer or handwash your vehicle on a regular basis. 

When cleaning your vehicle yourself, you are better able to check whether any rust is forming. Furthermore, you will be responsible for ensuring that your vehicle is properly cleaned. We can recommend a variety of vehicle cleaning products to make your life a bit simpler. Vacuuming and cleaning up any messes are all that are required for the inside.

Minimize element exposure

When your vehicle is exposed to the elements, it develops rust. If you want to prevent rust, don't store your vehicle outside. This entails storing your vehicle in a covered garage or carport while not in use. This option isn't accessible to everyone, but if you have one, we strongly recommend utilizing it for your truck. If you must park outside, make sure you choose the best location for your vehicle.

Do not park on grass, dirt, or snow

There are undoubtedly some "wrong" parking spaces when it comes to finding the appropriate spot. When you don't have to, you don't want to park on grass, mud, or snow. The moisture that collects in these areas will eat away at your vehicle, producing major corrosion.

Make sure the drain plugs aren't clogged

Did you know that every pickup has a distinct location for drains? The purpose of these little drains is to keep water from accumulating. As you can expect, when water pools and sits for an extended period of time, your truck is susceptible to rusting in that area. Because of the drain plugs, this is usually not an issue. The issue arises when these plugs get blocked, preventing water from draining. These drains are most often found towards the bottom of your truck's doors.

Stay away from puddles

Have you ever seen those films when a road is completely flooded, and some "brave" motorist chooses to just drive over it? While fun, there can be a lot of damage done to their truck with this type of road condition.

Rusting is one kind of long-term harm that may be done. When the underbelly of your vehicle is exposed to water, the components that aren't covered might rust. This is when rust turns into a costly repair issue. Puddles should be avoided whenever possible.

Increase exterior washing during the winter

In the winter, salt on the road may be a death sentence for vehicles. One rule of thumb is that as soon as you put on the snow tires, also begin cleaning your pickup on a regular basis.

Salt is a very corrosive compound that can hasten the corrosion of your truck. If you leave your vehicle with road salt in the wheel wells for an extended period of time, you'll notice increased corrosion in those locations. You don't need to conduct a complete wash; simply a fast rinse and little soap on the afflicted regions would suffice.

Apply a base coat

An undercoat may really protect the underside of your vehicle. This is a rust-prevention coating that is sprayed on the exposed metal underneath your vehicle. Farmers used to simply wash out the bottom of their vehicles with excess oil. They're spray-on coatings that offer a layer of protection to your truck's exposed metal.

Final words

If you can adhere to these tips, you will be able to protect your pickup truck from rust. If you do notice a small rust patch, it’s well worth having it addressed while it’s small by a body shop. Before the damage of the corrosion becomes too costly, or worse yet, irreversible. 

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