Rust has a way of quietly sneaking up on your truck, and it does not manifest itself until some real damage is done. Aside from destroying the appearance of your truck, it will eat into the metal parts, weaken the entire system and ultimately endanger your safety. It will also take a toll on your wallet, as rust repairing costs are quite high at auto body shops. So isn’t truck rust prevention better in every way than repair?
Rusting starts when metals react with humidity and oxygen. The areas of your truck that are most prone to rust are the body, undercarriage, interior fittings, engine, wheel wells and tire rims and the headlights. These metal components are protected by different types of layers such as paint or a zinc coating. However, without proper truck care and maintenance, truck rust cannot be kept at bay.
Truck Rust Preventive Measures
Repair paint scratches as soon as possible – Truck paint scratches, especially those that run deep exposing the metal body, will start rusting quickly if left untreated. Run your finger over the scratch, and if your nail gets stuck in it, then the scratch has penetrated the clear coat. To repair scratches of this nature, it is recommended that you take your truck to a professional service.
Proper winter truck care – During winter, it is a common practice to spread road salt on the roads to melt ice and snow faster and to prevent it from refreezing. This salt will be disastrous to your truck’s metal components, especially the underbody. Hence, make sure you wash your truck regularly during the winter, paying special attention to the exposed metal.
Wax your truck every three months – Waxing is another great method to shield your truck from the harmful effects of salt. Prepare the truck by waxing it in the fall and follow with another round during the winter months. Make sure you choose a high quality wax for the best results.
Keep the interior clean – An unclean truck interior is worse than exposed metal when it comes to rust. If there are any spills, clean them up immediately before rust sets in the interior trim parts. During winter time, clean the carpets and mats properly to remove any salt that your shoes bring in. Use steam to clean the interior as it is a very effective when it comes to cleaning the likes of spills.
Rust proof your truck – Although the manufacturer rust proofs trucks before they are sent to the dealerships, it will only delay corrosion but it is not strong enough to battle forever the natural conditions that cause rust. Hence you should consider purchasing rust proof protection, especially if your truck is constantly driven in beach areas or bad weather conditions.
Truck rust repair is not impossible, but when you have the means of preventing it close at hand, why not make use of them? If your livelihood depends on your trucks, you should do everything possible to maintain them in their best condition for as long as possible. Check our blog regularly to learn more effective and up-to-date truck care information.
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