Electronic rust prevention

[repo]

I was looking at Australian 4x4 stores just to see what weird Hilux Surf stuff they have and came across this rust prevention system. I'm guessing this kind of system must be used for something somewhere in the USA (boats probably?) but I've never heard of it for 4x4s. If Australians use it I'm assuming it must work pretty well?

How Electronic Rust Prevention Works In 3 Simple Steps

 

[nvbirdman]

They say this device puts a negative charge on the steel in your truck.

My t4r already uses a negative ground in the electrical system.

 

[T4R2014]

Its BS. I know a 2004 Suburban that had it installed in 2004. The truck is a rusted mess and ready to be hauled to the scrapyard.

 

[RAD4Runner]

B.s.

 

[Direwolf82]

I have a small amount of background with marine stuff and I have to say without the truck sitting in water all the time I don't think that's going to do a thing. With ships it's relying on the water around it to help promote the charge. Super basic explanation, please don't lambaste me over that one, electrolysis is a little tricky at best for a non engineer like me.

 

[96RedRunner]

The ICCP Systems on ships work very good below the water line for the hull and piping in contact with Sea water. Anything above the water line or fresh water piping receives no benefit from system. This system looks like sounds smells like BS.

 

[diazsjonathan8]

my thought

Modern car manufacturers often do a process called zinc electroplating on the entire chassis of the car. So long as the zinc is complete, the car will not rust. Your best bet is to regularly clean out all the drain holes so that the water can't collect, scrape off any mud that has collected so that metal does not rust away underneath the mud, and remove the leaves and dirt.

 

[CookieRoe]

Modern car manufacturers often do a process called zinc electroplating on the entire chassis of the car. So long as the zinc is complete, the car will not rust. Your best bet is to regularly clean out all the drain holes so that the water can't collect, scrape off any mud that has collected so that metal does not rust away underneath the mud, and remove the leaves and dirt.

100% agree. I'm no chemical engineer or metallurgist, but I know if folks would just take the time to pressure wash their chassis (even during) the winter, you will lessen the corrosive effect of brine/salt. Unfortunately, most people do not and will not do this, let alone keep their car's paint and interior clean. It won't stop it, but will hasten it. If you want to prevent it, one should treat their chassis with an oil treatment (there are some out there, google it) every winter season. This is what I plan on doing when I eventually purchase a new car/suv.

 

[Shiftless Joe]

Cathodic protection was very popular in water utilities (towers) in the 80's and 90's, now not so much but it is still prevalent in maritime.

 

[RunnerAK]

I work in corrosion control, and it sounds like a (poorly described) miniature impressed current cathodic protection system like that used on ships and underground/underwater steel structures. What they call the "couplers" must be sacrificial anodes. By positively charging the anodes and negatively charging the chassis, the anodes will corrode instead of the chassis. As others have pointed out though, it would only work if it was constantly wet.