Life in the rust belt.

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

I know its our hobby but still sometimes I have to step back and look at the big picture.
Here in the rust belt I dont really have to worry about my engine or transmission wearing out. Your average drive train here in the rust belt will far outlast the body of the car. Salt damage will eat your car long before you lose compression in an engine.

These control arms are 3 years and 8 months old. (Ford oem control arms) Keep in mind it was undercoated twice a year with either Krown or FF so this is best case scenario, they normally look a lot worse.






You get bad potholes around here and in the winter often times you cant see them and you find out they are there by the time you hear the money thud. Maybe its your ball joint blowing out, maybe its your shock maybe its your tie rod end or your wheel bearing.

Some guy from California: well my super duper gold plated platinum ultra shock went 200k miles and 10 years.
Some guy from rust belt: my shock survived 3 potholes it is 8 months old.
Some other guy from rust belt: my shock survived 2 potholes it is 3 years old.
What brand of ball joint is the best? Who cares it will be eaten by rust or a pot hole in a couple of years.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Some guy in Arizona is probably rolling his eyes at this.
"Yeah my car isn't rusty but everything rubber and plastic on it is now fine pixie dust"

 

[addyguy]

You’re not wrong…even undercoated they rust up here, it’s crazy. Co-worker retired his 2012 Equinox in a hurry a bit ago, rear suspension on one side completely separated from the vehicle…

 

[fantastic]

But didn't you mention that you don't wash your car during the winter?

 

[nwjones18]

I hear my 07 Mazda would have vanished in a puff of red dust up there about 8 years ago... Meanwhile in GA not a spec of rust on it.

I feel for you guys. Cars last forever here in GA if you want them to.

 

[AZjeff]

Some guy in Arizona is probably rolling his eyes at this.
"Yeah my car isn't rusty but everything rubber and plastic on it is now fine pixie dust"

And the paint is sunburned off of the hood and roof. I'll take the sunburn and baked rubber over vehicle destroying rust all day every day. Grew up and lived in NW Rustylvania then moved here.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

But didn't you mention that you don't wash your car during the winter?

Correct. Car washes around here use recycled water so im just blasting more salt water at the car.
At hone spraying is a no go since I winterize/shut off my outside water faucets.

 

[pbm]

NY has some of the worst roads (pothole and maintenance wise) in the country despite being one of the highest taxed and tolled
states in the nation.
It's no wonder people are leaving in droves.

 

[crashz]

I didn't think those A arms look that bad.

Rust is a battle I fight not out of enjoyment or necessity, but because I just don't want it to win. I know it will eventually will beat me, but I won't go down without a greasy, grimy fight.

 

[JTK]

It seems like the aluminum alloys they use in automotive applications today turn to dust faster than ferrous metals do.

 

[fantastic]

Correct. Car washes around here use recycled water so im just blasting more salt water at the car.
At hone spraying is a no go since I winterize/shut off my outside water faucets.

Recycled water...
As in the water that the previous car washer used is recycled? So it's known to be full of salt?

 

[Trav]

Its a Ford. Nuff said.

 

[3GTL300k]

Recycled water...
As in the water that the previous car washer used is recycled? So it's known to be full of salt?

The car washes claim to use RO to remove the salt but those systems are expensive to install and to maintain. I would be more willing to trust a car wash that does a lot of business and maybe has multiple locations vs a small one that may appear to be struggling.

 

[fantastic]

The car washes claim to use RO to remove the salt but those systems are expensive to install and to maintain. I would be more willing to trust a car wash that does a lot of business and maybe has multiple locations vs a small one that may appear to be struggling.

Very interesting! Has me wondering if any of them do it in my neck of the woods.
It seems washing during the winter time has helped my vehicles however.

 

[D1dad]

You’re in the turbo charged rustbelt. Here in northern Ohio I’ve used my snowblower once in 2 years, I know Buffalo is a whole different animal. I did some heat shield tacking on my 2018 rogue over the weekend and was amazed at how northern Midwest it didn’t look. Plus if there’s a hint of salt I run it through the wash with chassis wash.

 

[GSCJR]

Here in the rust belt I dont really have to worry about my engine or transmission wearing out. Your average drive train here in the rust belt will far outlast the body of the car. Salt damage will eat your car long before you lose compression in an engine.

+1, or what oil and filter are best.

I drove my dad's '06 Uplander to wreckers last month. A rotten floor board and lines ready to let go any minute; the fuel lines were actually starting to sweat, it had the 3.5L V6. For the the last 15 years or so, it's had nothing but jobber tier oil filters and bulk oil based on the OLM. Any time I've serviced it, it got SuperTech 5w-20 conventional and whatever WM had on clearance from my stash for filters, mostly Purolator Classics or more recently the Bosch Premiums.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Recycled water...
As in the water that the previous car washer used is recycled? So it's known to be full of salt?

correct

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

I didn't think those A arms look that bad.

Rust is a battle I fight not out of enjoyment or necessity, but because I just don't want it to win. I know it will eventually will beat me, but I won't go down without a greasy, grimy fight.

No, they looked really good for a 4 year old rust belt control arm, that's the sad part. Boots were in good condition too but my left control arm was completely shot after a pot hole impact. Took out the front strut there too along with the impact.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

You’re in the turbo charged rustbelt. Here in northern Ohio I’ve used my snowblower once in 2 years, I know Buffalo is a whole different animal. I did some heat shield tacking on my 2018 rogue over the weekend and was amazed at how northern Midwest it didn’t look. Plus if there’s a hint of salt I run it through the wash with chassis wash.

Correct, due to location and the lakes the moisture level in the air here during fall and spring is on the same level as an exited pitbull breathing 1 inch away from your face you feel like you have to peel the air off you.

 

[Kurtatron]

Lived in Detroit for 8 years. I loathed winters up there. So I left and started life in the South. That’s how I won the war on rust… and miserable temperatures… and grey gloomy skies 5 months a year… and terrible roads…

No shame in fleeing I guess. Much happier since I left.