Magazine for the auto service professional
Issue link: http://asp.epubxp.com/i/660061
4 | April 2016 F or those of us who reside in a "snow- belt" area of the country, city and county road crews have different approaches in their attempt to keep road surfaces clear and free of the slippery stuff (ice and snow). In some areas, such as West Virginia, they tend to use ash to increase the coeffcient of friction between the tires and the road. The ash deposits help, and don't damage our rides. In other areas, such as Ohio as an example, they now use a sticky "brine" solution that they commonly refer to as "salt." This stuff, a salt-based concoction, the formulation of which is sometimes a mys- tery, can be just plain nasty. It sticks to the vehi- cle like a fy sticks to fypaper. Once this junk is "glued" to the vehicle, it quickly begins to eat away at the belly, brake and fuel lines, frames, sub- frames and silently creeps into every crevice with evil intent, viciously gnawing away at exposed metal like a starving wolverine devours a dead squirrel. Granted, car makers have made huge strides in metal prep and rust prevention for bodies, but the undercarriages in certain parts of the country are taking a big hit. This caustic witches' brew wreaks havoc on both vehicle owners and technicians. The customer is forced to pay for repairs that seem far too premature given vehicle age, and technicians are forced to fght with stubborn and seized bolts, nuts and clips. Even though the issue can increase shop income due to an increased demand for repairs, it's no picnic for the over- worked technician, who in turn likely empathizes with the customers who must dig deeper into their wallets. Keep in mind that after working on rusted areas, your tools may be contami- nated with debris and corrosive slime. This is especially of concern with ratchets, torque wrenches, an electric or pneumatic power tools. Be sure to clean your tools afterwards, particularly if the belly of the vehicle was wet with road brine. Clean and oil ratchet heads and run lubricating oil through your pneumatic tools, and give all tools a proper wipe-down before storing to avoid introducing potentially corrosive dampness in your tool boxes. When dealing with rusty, crusty and wet Straight Talk Mike Mavrigian | Editor Rust never sleeps