Protection from Snow?

[OffLikeASHOt]

Just got my SHO this summer, love it to pieces! What do you do to protect the body from the harshness of winter? Any response is welcome!

 

[pjtoledo]

obviously the best action is parking it in a heated garage all winter and drive a beater.

if you do get it coated, choose one of the semi-solid coatings. they creep into the seams better. Fluid Film, HDoil (?) Crown in Canada. Google rust proofing for more options.
if you are really in it for the long haul, remove the fender liners and front bumper "shocks" to spray wayyyyy back into the frame rails. the area above the rear subframe mounts has several layers of steel. the rockers have inner and outer chambers with foam rubber segmenting each chamber so you have to spray in all the holes, not just the end ones.
where the rear frame curves up over the control arms is a dirt trap, you will need to blow a lot of air thru it to clean it out.
the filler flap area is 3 layers of steel, get in the trunk and spray above it so to fluid runs down behind the filler. pull the back seat to spray the wheel well arches, let it run down into the seam.

 

[luigisho]

This a daily driver? I park mine before the first salting and wait for a good amount of time until the elements wash residual salt off the roads. These cars do not respond well to salt. You can try what you want but the weak points for rust on these things is susceptible even in better environments. If you have to then some kind of oil based goop as mentioned above. This is essentially 80's body tech metals and build quality.

 

[tommyturbo]

I still want to know why folks in the states that salt, don't demand the state find a less damaging alternative.

 

[luigisho]

I assume it's about money. In the rust belt, snow removal is a big budgeting problem. You need a huge volume to cover roads repetitively over a season. I can't think of anything that will be as effective over such large areas at a cost that wouldn't break the bank.

 

[bpd1151]

Depending on contracts, seasonal pricing, and/or market fluctuations.....

Some municipalities will opt for beet juice, or even sand. But with the latter (sand) there's the concerns of cleanup and/or runoff into the sewers.

So salt use is predominant.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[luigisho]

Sand is usually mixed in with other treatments if the snow is deep enough to warrant melting. More for traction but it will not really accelerate melting snow or ice. I've also seen cinders and other stuff back in the day in Northwest PA. They also use brine down here in VA but this far south they just close alot of stuff down until the roads get clear. Not an option farther north

 

[SHOVNST]

To the OP: where are you located?


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[Bryan]

I drive my SHO daily and even in winter I will. Though in winter I have a Xterra I use when the snow dumps and park the SHO until the roads get clear again. Brine is terrible stuff to cars once that shit gets wet. It's literly liquid rust on the road. Your best defense for you SHO is a second vehicle to use when the weather hits hard.

 

[rubydist]

Here in CO, they used sand forever until a decade ago when the feds decided that the particulate matter from the sand was adding to the air pollution and forced them to stop using it. Now we get salt like all you midwesterners do, and with the predictable results to metal things...

One of the big reasons to use salt is that it lowers the freezing temperature of the snow, and the slushy mess at lower temperatures is not nearly as slippery as straight snow/ice, so it is actually a safety thing in many northern locations.

 

[SHOVNST]

Here in CO, they used sand forever until a decade ago when the feds decided that the particulate matter from the sand was adding to the air pollution and forced them to stop using it. Now we get salt like all you midwesterners do, and with the predictable results to metal things...

I'm not doubting what you said, however that reasoning doesn't make much sense to me...


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[rubydist]

well, remember its the federal government we are discussing - it doesn't have to make any sense...

actually, there was dust from the sand that would get in the air, and it would increase the haze and particulate matter in the air, so there was some basis for it, but in my judgement not enough to force the use of salt, which has its own environmental hazards as they are now finding in the mountain streams alongside the interstate highways.

 

[SHOVNST]

Exactly my thoughts Fred. What makes me chuckle is on any given summer day here in CO (after 2 weeks of no rain/all sun) a measly 20mph wind gust throws up all kinds of dust and particulates with ease. I lived in WI for 33 years and have a hatred for salty roads. Specifically relating to its affect on automobiles. That is a major reason why I like living farther west...

To the OP: There is honestly not much you can do about your car rusting as a result of repeated winter driving. Exactly when, how serious, and where rust will occur has enough variables for this thread to go on for many pages. Certain precautions might help, but salt wins every time versus metal and unfortunately you can’t protect every square inch. Especially on the older SHOs.


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[rubydist]

Yeah, and in my experience in MN, parking in a heated garage is worse than a cold garage, because it allows all that snow to become salty water that does not evaporate off the metal, thereby rusting it faster.

The best thing is to wash it thoroughly and often, and keep wax on it everywhere.

 

[luigisho]

coating the under-body and sheet metal isn't a terrible idea. Not perfect but it should help some

 

[pjtoledo]

funny you should say that. I just had my Ranger "fluid filmed" today.
its kind of a gooey/oily/waxy/sticky liquid sprayed everywhere.


the salt creates a fine mist, that when whipped around by the wind from driving WILL INVADE absolutely positively every seam/crevice/nook/and cranny on a vehicle. washing helps, but you can't wash everywhere.

 

[pjtoledo]

I still want to know why folks in the states that salt, don't demand the state find a less damaging alternative.

ironically, there is a major salt mine under Detroit.

 

[Bryan]

Just get a winter beater. It's what I do. I mean the best defense against road salt rust is not having the car on the road when there is salt being put down. That shit is just SO corrosive. Especially when it gets wet and turns into that slurry. Get a beater and BEAT IT!

 

[GEN 3 SHO FAN]

A trick that I made many years ago on my Gen 3 SLO (now my winter beater).

https://shoforum.com/index.php?threads/canadian-solid-floor.134888/