Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

[haddles]

I quite often do a bit of surf beach driving and camping which results in the car being driven through salt water and then caked in sand. This can't be good for it. When I get home, I hose the car thoroughly underneath then WD40 where I can. You never get rid of all the sand.<br />I was wondering if the sand is corrosive or is it just the salt water that is? I assume that most of the salt water residue is hosed off but I can't get all the sand out of the body deadener, holes and crevices. Any hints?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

Hmmmm salt and sand.... sounds like the exact thing that happens every day here in the North East US. They spread tons of salt and sand on the roads. We just wash the vehicles off the best we can and make sure that nothing is clogged with sand. Ise a piece of plastic and water to clear the holes. <br /><br />It is the prime factor that causes the mechanics around here to use a "smoke wrench" (aka a torch set) to remove under carraige bolts.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

It would be beneficial to take a "fresh-water" drive after each outing,just to flush things out.Too bad it's not that practical.I can't even get my customers to do that with their boats.So they tell themselves a "hose job" is good enough for the boat.And yet a fresh water cruise would do so much good.<br /><br />DHP

 

[one more cast]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

The sand itself is not corrosive but it holds the salt and draws moisture and that is not good. Thats why cars driven in upstate NY winters rust out so bad.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

In the spring after the snow is gone and the salt is off the roads I wash and wax my vehicles. I often set a lawn sprinkler under my truck and let it run for a half hour or so, then move it to the back and again let it run. Before I do that I hose out any ledge under the vehcicle. On top of frame, under wheel wells, inside frame rails, top of tranny and axles. The sprinkler will then loosen all that is stuck on.

 

[KRS]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

I don't think there is any way to avoid chassis, suspension, and exhaust rust when you drive in salt water/beach on a regular basis.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

Hey DD that is a great idea with the sprinkler!

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

I forgot it it is old enough to have lockout hubs keep them locked in for a few miles of road driving after sand boggin. This will work the sand out of the U-joints and other parts. <br /><br />The most common mistake I used to fix regularly on 4x4's with lockouts are the people who lock the hubs in when stuck, then unlock right away after. The front axles need to turn to work the gear oil out to the outer axle bearing. The U-joints need to turn free and get warmed up to keep moisture and sand from settling in.<br /><br />I always recommend and I think I read it in a Ford manual sometime, lock the hubs for 10 miles a month to lube the parts. If it is electronic run it locked in for a few miles, just moderate speed and don't turn sharp on hard surfaces.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

If the car is an old junker I wouldn't worry about it. If it is a car with decent value my advice is to trade it frequently. There is nothing you can do to get rid of all the salt AND salt yields rust. One of my daughters is a surfer and has lived on/near the beach in south Florida. On one car, a Supra, one door and the back lid rusted shut. She had a van the rusted so bad that the mount for the windshield wiper motor rusted through the firewall.

 

[haddles]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

It's about 2 years old and my only transport. The diff locking is done all inside the vehicle (it's 2 wheel drive most of the time). I'll try the running it in 4wd with lockup every now an then. It's a bit like running your aircon in winter I suppose. Trading it regularly is probably my best bet although the first thing people ask is has it been on the beach then run a mile if it has. That's why I was wondering if there is a good way to remove sand so I can say 'no it hasn't'. Would bolting a couple of anodes under the chassis do anything?

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

Anodes won't help. The rust is from the salt itself sitting on the steel and eating away at it. The annodes are for a different problem.<br />Someone help me out here, are annodes for the electric current that strays from the electrical system or from the bubbles that are created from the prop? I believe it is from the bubbles that are created from the prop making little pock marks in things.

 

[fireship1]

Re: Cleaning 4x4 after beach driving.

Anodes are for galvanic corrosion issues. I.e.: when two dissimilar metals are together (aluminum and steel) in an electrolyte solution (salt water) You have literally built a battery at this point and one of those metals has to give (get eaten away) The aluminum would be first to go in this case. That's where the anode comes in. It's less noble of a metal than the aluminum so it gets eaten away instead. Can't stop the galvanic corrosion process, you can only keep it controlled. Cavitation is a whole other kind of animal. It's why you get pock marks on the blades surfaces. Damage to the blades cause low pressure spots. Then you get cavitation burn or metal erosion. OK. I'll step down off my soap box now....