Deicing compound

S

Semi-Hex

New member
So, I was tooling along in Idaho and Montana where they spray a deicing compound on the freeways. It is a somewhat oily substance that shows up pretty well on the outside of my rig. It this hard on the finish, like I need to get it cleaned now, or is it fairly benign?

Thank you for the help or redirects.
 
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Mag-chloride is used a lot throughout the western states.

I'd suggest you do a thorough wash of the vehicle, once you get back to an area where there isn't any of that being put down.

Here in CO, I try to run my 4R through a touchless wash at least 1x every other week, including an undercarriage wash. This ensures I don't allow the dang Mag-Chloride to do any harm to the clear coat / paint.
 
Semi-Hex said:
So, I was tooling along in Idaho and Montana where they spray a deicing compound on the freeways. It is a somewhat oily substance that shows up pretty well on the outside of my rig. It this hard on the finish, like I need to get it cleaned now, or is it fairly benign?

Thank you for the help or redirects.
Click to expand...

I'd go to the nearest spray wash and get that crap off your truck as soon as the opportunity presents itself...I always have gotten into the habit of sparying off the truck(and the bottom) right after a snowstorm. I know sometimes it's wasted money, but if you don't it takes a toll after awhile
 
I just took it to the detail shop for it's first bath since we got it (5 years). The more I read about the stuff, once I knew what it was, the more sense it made to get it cleaned.
I don't think they use it in California.
Under carriage, engine compartment, inside and out. I have to admit, it was starting to get kind of dirty, especially since it is black.

Thank you for the help!
 
Magnesium Chloride is an extract from salt water brine, just touch the vehicle, then touch your tongue with your finger, you'll taste it right away!

Yeah, sounds disgusting, but anyone who doesn't believe its not salt, this will prove to them instantly that it is-or at least derived from sea salt!

Wash it well, underneath, on top, engine compartment too. Wife's van is rusting quickly wherever there's rock chips! I've literally used a whole touch up pen on her van in just two years, and we keep it relatively clean.
 
flyinhawaiian01 said:
Yeah, sounds disgusting, but anyone who doesn't believe its not salt, this will prove to them instantly that it is-or at least derived from sea salt!
Click to expand...

The proof is in the name!

Seriously though, yeah, it's just a magnesium salt solution. Not sure if they add any other chemicals to it.
 
+1 on the above.

Mag Chloride should be outlawed (in fact some mountain counties here have done that) because of the stream pollution and transformers that are on wooden power poles catching on fire after being coating with that shit and shorting out.

Very controversial here. DOT loves it because its the lazy way out. My opinion is if you can't drive in snow without perfectly dry roads, you don't belong in Colorado.

Wash your vehicle ASAP after driving on that stuff. It WILL cause corrosion and rust.
 
Oh man, mag-chloride is the worst! It comes out of the dispenser wet so it sticks all over your car even if the roads are dry.

My Ranger spent 12 years in the salt air next to the ocean without a speck of rust, but after one winter in Denver the hitch and side steps were covered in it. My buddy works for CO DOT and says that they actually get subsidized more for the mag-chloride than it costs to spray it, so they look for any excuse to spray because it makes them money.
 
T5RUNNER said:
Oh man, mag-chloride is the worst! It comes out of the dispenser wet so it sticks all over your car even if the roads are dry.

My Ranger spent 12 years in the salt air next to the ocean without a speck of rust, but after one winter in Denver the hitch and side steps were covered in it. My buddy works for CO DOT and says that they actually get subsidized more for the mag-chloride than it costs to spray it, so they look for any excuse to spray because it makes them money.
Click to expand...

Yep, my kids one year old pickup has already had the chrome bumpers start to rust blister. We tried to polish it out with my D/A and compound, but the little gray pinholes in the chrome are still there and ain't going away. Result - rust will happen, just a matter of time.

He has to drive on CDOT maintained roads not by choice to get to his job and washes it as soon as he can after work.

One year old $50K truck that already has rust starting. It's b.s. what the government gets away with.
 
Oh, pay close attention to your rims too. make sure you get ALL of it off, it will start pitting the crap out of them otherwise.
 
I nearly froze myself two times so far washing the 4Runner on a cold day, probably gave the neighbors a laugh too. I don't have a drain in the shop so I have to do it outside. After reading this, I will continue to do it.
 
Question about washing this stuff off in the winter months when its freezing out.... how do you guys keep your hoses from freezing? Every winter I need to store my hoses and shut off the water from my spickets so now water freezes and breaks the pipes/hoses. Thanks.
 
That's a good comment on the wheels. My NX (and eventually the 4R) have machined steel finish on the wheels. Even with a coat of wax on the wheels, I have begun to see a residue on the wheels. Its exposed steel, which is like throwing a match on the fire. A fully painted wheel would deal better.

Believe it or not, my home township was actually BRAGGING about using brine on the roads....

The 4R will have undercoating done once it arrives. I'm now starting to wonder if I should have my wife's year old IS350 done.
 
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Well, I got the it back from the detailers and couldn't be happier. They washed the under carriage, the wheels, the outside and in. As most of you know, I don't spend a lot of time cleaning it so this was a big surprise about how they were able to get most of the scratches out and how clean it looks.

Hopefully, I won't be going up there in the winter again soon.

I'd post a pic but it's dark and it's black and you've seen black 4Runners in the dark before. :)
 
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