What's new

Rust Inhibitor or Rust Buster

TEEBOX

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
256
Reaction score
1
Points
16
Location
Detroit, MI
For those in the salt belt and apply rust inhibitor, what are your thoughts about including rust inhibitor along with underbody flush?

I wash thinking adding this service. Selling them on the idea of a salt free diet!
 

sparkey

Active member
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
905
Reaction score
186
Points
43
Location
Ohio
I can't imagine the stuff actually working. I have heard of people injecting wax into the underbody and calling it rust inhibitor.
 

robert roman

Bob Roman
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
2,200
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
Clearwater, Florida
Rust inhibitor applied at commercial carwashes is another scam like selling spray wax that doesn’t contain any organic or synthetic wax.

Corrosion of automobiles has been virtually alleviated due to vehicle design, method of assembly and coating technology.

After surface prep and phosphate coat, vehicles get dipped in an electro-deposition solution having a 90 percent zinc and 10 percent ferroalloy composition.

After ED, the body is baked in oven at 320 F for 10 minutes to cure the film. Next is underbody coating and seam sealing with polyvinyl chloride. Then comes primer followed by top coat which consists of base coat followed by clear coat.

Some carwash rust inhibitors contain triethanolamine and silicate.

Triethanolamine is a strong base and is used an emulsifier and surfactant (soap). It is common ingredient in laundry detergent, hand sanitizers, etc.

Triethanolamine is also used a complex agent in electro-less plating and as corrosion inhibitor (anti-rust) agent in immersion ultrasonic testing.

An electro-less deposition process uses only one electrode and no external source of electric current. However, the solution needs to contain a reducing agent so that an electrode reaction occurs.

Downside of this plating process is it’s very slow and cannot create thick plates of metal so process is usually used for decorative arts.

Silicate is largest and most important class of rock-forming mineral.

So soap is used to wash underbody and leave behind a deposit of silicate which is supposed to prevent rust. LOL
 

Earl Weiss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
6,309
Reaction score
887
Points
113
Rust inhibitor applied at commercial carwashes is another scam like selling spray wax that doesn’t contain any organic or synthetic wax.

Corrosion of automobiles has been virtually alleviated due to vehicle design, method of assembly and coating technology.
Geez, I wish I had known this when I had to replace and repair rusted brake lines, trans cooler lines , oil pans and other stuff on my 2004 Wrangler and F150's at about 10 years old. I would have told the mechanic we must be hallucinating, thinking all that corrosion was rust.
 

robert roman

Bob Roman
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
2,200
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
Clearwater, Florida
Jeep has all sorts of corrosion issues. I guess that’s what you get for buying a Chrysler.

Apparently, earlier F-150’s also have considerable corrosion issues too.

Maybe you should buy Tundra. MY step son owns one and swears by it.

I once passed a 1987 Toyota Camry down through the family.

Last owner was my wife’s nephew who drove it around State College for four years. Car had 190,000 miles on it when he sold it. It was practically corrosion free.

I guess it depends on what you buy and how you take care of it.

Nevertheless, rust inhibitor applied at commercial carwash is worthless.
 

Washmee

Fullservice Tunnel
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
973
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Canton, Ohio
Jeep has all sorts of corrosion issues. I guess that’s what you get for buying a Chrysler.

Apparently, earlier F-150’s also have considerable corrosion issues too.

Maybe you should buy Tundra. MY step son owns one and swears by it.

I once passed a 1987 Toyota Camry down through the family.

Last owner was my wife’s nephew who drove it around State College for four years. Car had 190,000 miles on it when he sold it. It was practically corrosion free.

I guess it depends on what you buy and how you take care of it.

Nevertheless, rust inhibitor applied at commercial carwash is worthless.
Toyota to pay $3.4 billion in Tundra rust corrosion settlement
https://consumerist.com/2016/11/14/toyota-to-pay-3-4-billion-to-fix-trucks-with-corrosion-issues/
 

Earl Weiss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
6,309
Reaction score
887
Points
113
Jeep has all sorts of corrosion issues. I guess that’s what you get for buying a Chrysler.

Apparently, earlier F-150’s also have considerable corrosion issues too.

Maybe you should buy Tundra. MY step son owns one and swears by it.


Nevertheless, rust inhibitor applied at commercial carwash is worthless.
I forgot to add issues with corrosion on exhaust systems.

Private vehicle use rarely gets the intense use of commercial vehicles.

I think there is a reason you rarely if ever see a snow plow on a rice burner in the USA.

If you rinse the underbody once to rid it of corrosives it has a benefit if you do it twice by adding some inhibitor it will likely also remove more corrosives especially when stuff is coated in ice as it comes in except of course when you have examples which show RJR claims are not 100% correct then it's a vehicle issue and he's still correct. Sounds like the Trump school of debate has another graduate.
 

robert roman

Bob Roman
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
2,200
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
Clearwater, Florida
“The case originally focused on the Tacoma truck, but the Tundra and Sequoia models located in California, Florida, Ohio, and Louisiana is added. Under the settlement, Toyota will inspect and replace the frames for model year 2005 to 2010 Tacoma, model years 2007 to 2008 Tundra, and model years 2005 to 2008 Sequoia vehicles. The settlement estimates that each replacement will cost about $15,000.”

So, the facts are inspect first to determine if there is actually a problem and then its only models located in four states and of certain years.

So, it’s not epidemic but intermittent problem associated with certain plants that supply the four states.

Moreover, was it human error, supplier issue, process or technical problem?
 

Robert2181

Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2010
Messages
292
Reaction score
9
Points
18
Location
Midwest
GM has had a frame rust issue from 2011 to 2016 on Chevy, GMC and Cadillac truck and SUV,s.

It is across the country.
 

TEEBOX

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
256
Reaction score
1
Points
16
Location
Detroit, MI
Rust inhibitor applied at commercial carwashes is another scam like selling spray wax that doesn’t contain any organic or synthetic wax.

Corrosion of automobiles has been virtually alleviated due to vehicle design, method of assembly and coating technology.

After surface prep and phosphate coat, vehicles get dipped in an electro-deposition solution having a 90 percent zinc and 10 percent ferroalloy composition.

After ED, the body is baked in oven at 320 F for 10 minutes to cure the film. Next is underbody coating and seam sealing with polyvinyl chloride. Then comes primer followed by top coat which consists of base coat followed by clear coat.

Some carwash rust inhibitors contain triethanolamine and silicate.

Triethanolamine is a strong base and is used an emulsifier and surfactant (soap). It is common ingredient in laundry detergent, hand sanitizers, etc.

Triethanolamine is also used a complex agent in electro-less plating and as corrosion inhibitor (anti-rust) agent in immersion ultrasonic testing.

An electro-less deposition process uses only one electrode and no external source of electric current. However, the solution needs to contain a reducing agent so that an electrode reaction occurs.

Downside of this plating process is it’s very slow and cannot create thick plates of metal so process is usually used for decorative arts.

Silicate is largest and most important class of rock-forming mineral.

So soap is used to wash underbody and leave behind a deposit of silicate which is supposed to prevent rust. LOL
Bob,

Here is the chemical composition: 3. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENT CAS No. Wt%
Boric acid 10043-35-3 1-15
Triethanolamine 102-71-6 5-25
Monoethanolamine 141-43-5 1-10
 

robert roman

Bob Roman
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
2,200
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
Clearwater, Florida
Monoethanolamine is used as a feedstock in production of corrosion inhibitor, among other things.

Boric acid is used for a wide range of commercial and industrial purposes some of which are relate to the topic.

I use boric acid to keep carpenter ants from getting into the attic.

In the research, there is no consensus that spray-on rust inhibitors such as those used with underbody flush at commercial washes actually prevent corrosion.
 

Earl Weiss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
6,309
Reaction score
887
Points
113
In the research, there is no consensus that spray-on rust inhibitors such as those used with underbody flush at commercial washes actually prevent corrosion.
No consensus puts us in the same boat as the human factor in climate change debate.
 

robert roman

Bob Roman
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
2,200
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
Clearwater, Florida
No consensus puts us in the same boat as the human factor in climate change debate.
“The case originally focused on the Tacoma truck, but the Tundra and Sequoia models located in California, Florida, Ohio, and Louisiana is added.”

These four states are located in areas of country with high corrosivity environment.
 

Earl Weiss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
6,309
Reaction score
887
Points
113
These four states are located in areas of country with high corrosivity environment.
Looking at the map I don't think many Car Washes outside the areas marked are trying to capture the rust inhibitor, or even chassis bath extra service market.
 

hkim310

Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2014
Messages
263
Reaction score
1
Points
18
Location
World
We sell A LOT of car wash packages that include undercarriage rust inhibitor, especially in the winter time here in our area. Most consumers specially ASK for the wash package that includes the undercarriage service........
 

getnbusy

Active member
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
274
Reaction score
39
Points
28
Location
United States
"Nevertheless, rust inhibitor applied at commercial carwash is worthless."

BS. It's worth $1 per car increase on total car count at my wash in NC. Add a salt buster wash when it snows and see which wash everybody wants. The customer will most definitely buy it.

Now....the rust inhibitor product may be worthless, but the wash package with rust inhibitor included definitely has value.
 

Earl Weiss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
6,309
Reaction score
887
Points
113
During this discussion RJR expressed his opinion that " Corrosion of automobiles has been virtually alleviated due to vehicle design, method of assembly and coating technology." and that applying Rust Inhibitor at car washes was worthless. I pointed out issues I had with Ford and Jeep, another pointed out issues with Toyota, another pointed out other GM issues. I had forgotten about the rusted in a 2004 Ford i sold,. Some reports indicate the average age of vehicles on the road ia 11.5 years. So, while there is some merit to the opinion that cars rsust less today, perhaps because we have so many plastic parts as well, perhaps we need to take some opinions with a "Grain of salt".
 

robert roman

Bob Roman
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
2,200
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
Clearwater, Florida
“So, while there is some merit to the opinion that cars rsust less today, perhaps because we have so many plastic parts as well, perhaps we need to take some opinions with a "Grain of salt".”

My information comes from these sources: Transportation Research Board, ASM International, NACE International and Western Transportation Institute.

I guess these folks don’t know what they are talking about either.
 

Earl Weiss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
6,309
Reaction score
887
Points
113
“So, while there is some merit to the opinion that cars rsust less today, perhaps because we have so many plastic parts as well, perhaps we need to take some opinions with a "Grain of salt".”

My information comes from these sources: Transportation Research Board, ASM International, NACE International and Western Transportation Institute.

I guess these folks don’t know what they are talking about either.
In the modern age some citation to authority would typically provide a link so that authority could be viewed first hand. Further, you have voiced a couple of relevant opinions on this thread. One had to do with rust no longer being an issue, and the other having to do with the value of Rust inhibitor applied at a conveyor car wash. So, if / when you provide a link it would be nice if you indicated which opinion you claim it supports.

Otherwise it's simply akin to supporting a position by saying "I heard" or " I read it on the internet".
 
Top