Truck Wheels & De-Icer

[Hotchief]

I'm sure this has been discussed before; but do you guys do anything to protect aftermarket wheels from getting pitted from the henious chemicals they use to de-ice the roads?

I have a new truck with new wheels this year.

I figure I'll go to the spray & wash on the way home to pressure wash the underneath as well as soap up the wheels.

Any secrets?

 

[Comp 670]

The only secret that works is to have winter rims you dont care about getting pitted..

Washing as soon as you can when you get home helps alot and a good coat of wax works ok to but you would have to wax them every trip. They will all eventually get pit marks on them.

 

[NITROSKIDUDE]

Not for me try to keep them as clean as i can, let them rot and get new ones when i need new tires.

 

[skippyh2o]

DOT GUY says "It is not WSDOT policy"

The only secret that works is to have winter rims you dont care about getting pitted..

Washing as soon as you can when you get home helps alot and a good coat of wax works ok to but you would have to wax them every trip. They will all eventually get pit marks on them.

Thats what I do and even when they get pitted from washing them this is what the DOT guy said.
Email to me directly from him.

Hi Skip,

Jay forwarded your email to me for response. I'm the Maintenance and Operations Branch Manager with oversight of the Statewide Snow and Ice Program. I apologize for the delay in getting back to you but these are hectic times and we're a little short-staffed this week.

It is not WSDOT policy to provide compensation for vehicle corrosion incurred by traveling state highways. The products we use on I-90, US 97, and elsewhere are typically chloride-based products with corrosion inhibitors added. The inhibitors reduce but do not totally eliminate corrosion to vehicles. We make no secret of the fact that we use these products, and in fact we have found that they are the most effective way to keep roads drivable during winter. Your ability to cross the passes on I-90 and US 97 in the winter is due in no small part to the ice prevention qualities of these products.

We provide facts sheets and brochures that describe the products we use and recommendations for reducing exposure of vehicles to corrosion. This mainly involves frequent washing when vehicles are exposed to treated roads. The WSDOT Website www.wsdot.wa.gov also has a great deal of information about our winter program.

I hope you find this information useful. Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.

Monty Mills
Washington State Department of Transportation
Maintenance and Operations Branch Manager
PO Box 47538 Olympia, WA 98504-7358
Phone (360) 705-7803 Fax (360) 705-6823
millsm@wsdot.wa.gov

 

[rmkboxer]

I have a set of studded tires on chrome wheels so I don't have to worry about it.

 

[Fordman]

There is only one way to deal with this as I've tried many things... Cleaning them does not work 100%.... it just delays it a bit longer. You can have some wheels you don't care about or.... I had mine sprayed with Line-X. All the wheels and the truck and trailer and all of the suspension parts on the truck have it now. It works.

Teflon wheels still get scratched and black paint or powdercoat doesn't last very long... I've tried it all.

Spraying the wheel is a bit difficult but they all balanced out with a minimum amount of wheel weight added. One wheel has less than an ounce and the heaviest has just over 2 ounces. Those are 37" tires. Mounting the wheel wasn't hard and the line-X handled it.

 

[Polar Express]

I havent seen the line-x thing before, but it will problibly work well. nice idea.

i had a set of chrome rims on my last truck, the chrome was pitted within one season! I was pissed. So, chrome plated aluminum rims are not remotely immune from pitting. after talking with Schwabbies, Dismount, and any other rubber donut hocking shop, the best reply I got was powdercoating. So, I just had my future rims powdercoated. I'll put them on when I get the skins, and we'll see just how long it lasts. I suspect that frequent washing will still be the key. Maybe a pre-coat of a spray on wax type product might help as well.

 

[Hotchief]

Thanks for the information guys.
I threw a bunch of coin into this rig & want to try to keep the wheels nice.

At this point I am looking at studded 37's for the stock 17'
wheels - or easier yet - driving the wife's Z71 Suburban....

 

[shmuckaluck]

Hey guy,
I have had many problems with the corrosion from driving on the pass, my last set of wheels only lasted one season before looking like crap. and the underside of my truck and trailers are getting rust and corrosion all over. rinsing everytime you get back doesn't even work. I am trying to trade my cbr 1000, for a set of wheels and tires so I can use mine for winter only but no takers yet.

 

[Fordman]

Powdercoat works until you get a chip in the paint and then the cancer starts.... Already tried that route.

 

[jimmy900]

coat your wheels with wd-40, works great and washes off with soap and water

 

[Fordman]

That's what I spray on the shocks...

 

[Hotchief]

Good Idea on the WD

Good idea on the WD-40 fellas...
I have the Fabtech Dirt Logics as well, and was hoping to find something to protect them...

 

[winter brew]

Good God people!!! It's a TRUCK! Just get a good coat of grime on there and it will protect them all winter.

 

[Hotchief]

Good God people!!! It's a TRUCK! Just get a good coat of grime on there and it will protect them all winter.

So this falls under the same thought that my sled is too detailed in the garage to go riding...

 

[graveler]

There is only one way to deal with this as I've tried many things... Cleaning them does not work 100%.... it just delays it a bit longer. You can have some wheels you don't care about or.... I had mine sprayed with Line-X. All the wheels and the truck and trailer and all of the suspension parts on the truck have it now. It works.

Teflon wheels still get scratched and black paint or powdercoat doesn't last very long... I've tried it all.

Spraying the wheel is a bit difficult but they all balanced out with a minimum amount of wheel weight added. One wheel has less than an ounce and the heaviest has just over 2 ounces. Those are 37" tires. Mounting the wheel wasn't hard and the line-X handled it.

your truck is gay, mine on the other hand has quality standards that far exceed the average truck!!!

 

[JJFlash]

There is only one way to deal with this as I've tried many things... Cleaning them does not work 100%.... it just delays it a bit longer. You can have some wheels you don't care about or.... I had mine sprayed with Line-X. All the wheels and the truck and trailer and all of the suspension parts on the truck have it now. It works.

Teflon wheels still get scratched and black paint or powdercoat doesn't last very long... I've tried it all.

Spraying the wheel is a bit difficult but they all balanced out with a minimum amount of wheel weight added. One wheel has less than an ounce and the heaviest has just over 2 ounces. Those are 37" tires. Mounting the wheel wasn't hard and the line-X handled it.

X2 on the Line-X.....We're actually going to spray it on the 10-yard truck we use to APPLY the deicer. I hadn't even considered doing the wheels, but I am now....

 

[Superdutytd]

Hey FordMan you got any pics of your suspension coated?

 

[shmuckaluck]

Hey guys,
Just make shure to miss your brake rotors and pads when you're putting that WD-40 on there.

 

[Fordman]

I don't really have good pictures of that. Everything just looked black with no definition. I'll take better pictures soon. This is the only close up I can find....

The parts that were line-x'd were the traction bars on the back, the control arms, the shock hoops, the track bar, all the brackets.... I just have the sway bars left to do... Plus I did the N-Fab steps and the light bar....