Rust...or the threat of it!
Submitted: Thursday, Jan 03, 2013 at 20:40
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Robyn R4
How do you stop your van rusting away in coastal neighbourhoods?
We live about 12 houses from the ocean (as the seagull flies). Life is idyllic if you ignore the constant corrosion of your possessions!
We have a double garage and a carport that has a 6' fence between it and the salt winds, but things rust over time in the carport... Our motor for our split system air con was rusty and yuk looking after 18 months.
We'd hate to invest hard-earned cash on a van of any sort and watch it rust away...and neither of us is prepared to park our cars outside and watch them rust instead of the van...!
We could hire a storage unit in the nearby town but that isn't always practical ("just want to fine tune the way we packed the...ooops, I'll drive 15km to get the van first..")
Those of you who have vans in corrosive neighbourhoods, how do you do it?
Is a caravan cover the solution, or do they rust under there as
well?
Do you religiously hose it off on some sort of regular basis?
Or do we simply stay with a rust-proof tent (heehee)
Reply By: Eric Experience - Thursday, Jan 03, 2013 at 21:34
Thursday, Jan 03, 2013 at 21:34
Robyn.
Your best bet is Lanotec. It is a lanolin based product available from most bearing supplies. Eric
AnswerID:
501578
Reply By: Axle - Thursday, Jan 03, 2013 at 21:53
Thursday, Jan 03, 2013 at 21:53
Depending on age and construction of van, ..eg Gal chassis, ally frame cuts the rust prob dramatically, If early model with un treated chassis could be a problem, frame is either timber or alluminium,so its only untreated metal bits that will corrode quickley.
Brake area would need constant matainance, to beat corrosion,, there used to be a product called cold gal which metal fabricaters used on steel beams etc, But Yeah Preventative matainance is the way in coastal areas,with anything!,....or move....LOL.
Cheers Axle.
AnswerID:
501579
Follow Up By: Robyn R4 - Thursday, Jan 03, 2013 at 22:09
Thursday, Jan 03, 2013 at 22:09
Thanks for the words of advice, guys.
It's no LOL suggestion-it's very sensible! As soon as the market picks up again, we're heading "inland" a bit. Currently researching how far the salty winds extend! One km or two...or five?
The sea breezes come with a price (even parts in
home computer printers are known to rust from the salt air permeating the house! True!)
:)
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Reply By: Member - Toyocrusa (NSW) - Friday, Jan 04, 2013 at 06:49
Friday, Jan 04, 2013 at 06:49
Hi Robyn. We are in a similar position being about 1klm from the ocean. We bought a fibreglass van with alloy frame and galvanised chasis. I have sprayed the exposed metal parts with Inox, a wd40 type liquid. Apart from that I give the van a wash every month or so. You can't prevent rust altogether though so just have to wear some of it.
Even the alloy window frames in our house are starting to get corrosion in them after only 12 years. Cheers,Bob.
AnswerID:
501594
Follow Up By: Robyn R4 - Friday, Jan 04, 2013 at 10:20
Friday, Jan 04, 2013 at 10:20
Whew...it's sounding like we won't have to "tent it" forever (or, until we move "inland", anyway).
Our previous van was garaged at my parents' house but they downsized and no longer have a 4 car garage (darn it!)
Our wheelbarrow has rusted away in the garden shed, and our window frames are in the same league as yours but another 8 years rustier!
Maybe we'll just have to take regular trips inland to give the van a reprieve from the salty atmosphere, too...
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Reply By: Shaver - Friday, Jan 04, 2013 at 08:59
Friday, Jan 04, 2013 at 08:59
Yes I made the mistake of putting up a steel framed 4 car garage near the water & within months it was corroding the beams out. Ended up selling as constant salt air rusted out everything including TV's & Amps and the exhaust on the car if parked towards the wind.
AnswerID:
501607