How do you protect chrome wheels from road salt?

92TripleBlack · 12-08-2005, 07:05 PM

Going on a ski trip and I want to know what everyone does to protect chrome rims from road salt. I wash them immediately after ocean water exposure but this can't be done while driving around for 2 weeks in the NE. Someone told me to coat them with vasciline. Though it would work, it would be a real mess. Any other ideas? Thanks

WuWorldwide36 · 12-08-2005, 07:22 PM

Put your stock rims and tires on for the winter months.

stick · 12-08-2005, 07:37 PM

if you live in 'winter months' areas on a permanent basis, show some love to your truck and.....move!!!

(yeah i know it doesn't freeze much in fla!) if that is unreasonable, buy a set of steel/alloy 18's/17's on any titan site with tires for about $500 and keep them for the 'death days' of metal and chrome.

if that is unreasonable try some of this, heard its good. of course it will only help what you cover with it so i don't know about the inner wheels and such but at least the out side will be shiiiiiiiny!

http://www.poorboysworld.com/wheel-sealant.htm

92TripleBlack · 12-08-2005, 07:51 PM

I was looking at this:
http://www.driveit.com/dp-wheel-glaze.html
And this
http://www.wheelwax.com/
but I'm still not sure. I live in FL, have great A/T tires for snow, and will only be driving in the NE for 2 weeks for a ski trip and holiday visits. I don't want to put the junky stock tires back on.

destro · 12-08-2005, 09:26 PM

Sorry for the bad news but.... You have to put the stockers back on. I lived in Mass for 30 years and did this with my last two trucks. The salt up there is brutal not only on your tires but on the entire underside of the truck. In my observations up there if you care about your chrome or aluminum wheels they need to winter over in the garage. Besides who will actually be able to tell what you have after your truck and everything else up there is coated with salt. If you have an aluminized exhaust you may pick up some rust on that up there also. The heat combined with the salt speeds up the process. Bottom line the stockers don't look bad enough to justify ruining the good wheels.

DESTRO

Galaxyblack · 12-09-2005, 05:39 AM

Hey, I live in the capital of salt. (Salt Lake City) We have a huge natural source of salt to the west of our city and they aren't shy about using it on the roads for sure. I use three coats of this wheel sealant every 3 months. No rust so far. Also seal my paint with products from these guys. Good stuff

http://www.poorboysworld.com/wheel-sealant.htm

Luckyontheducky · 12-09-2005, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galaxyblack

Hey, I live in the capital of salt. (Salt Lake City) We have a huge natural source of salt to the west of our city and they aren't shy about using it on the roads for sure. I use three coats of this wheel sealant every 3 months. No rust so far. Also seal my paint with products from these guys. Good stuff

http://www.poorboysworld.com/wheel-sealant.htm

I checked out the website, not much info there. Could you post a brief description of prep/application directions?

Thanks
L

MuskyHunter · 12-09-2005, 03:23 PM

Some people around here go the cheap route and smear vasoline onto the rims. Actually seems to work pretty well.

92TripleBlack · 12-09-2005, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by destro

Sorry for the bad news but.... You have to put the stockers back on. I lived in Mass for 30 years and did this with my last two trucks. The salt up there is brutal not only on your tires but on the entire underside of the truck. In my observations up there if you care about your chrome or aluminum wheels they need to winter over in the garage. Besides who will actually be able to tell what you have after your truck and everything else up there is coated with salt. If you have an aluminized exhaust you may pick up some rust on that up there also. The heat combined with the salt speeds up the process. Bottom line the stockers don't look bad enough to justify ruining the good wheels.

DESTRO

I'm going for only 2 weeks, not the season. If it comes down to it I'll just goober them with vasciline. I don't care how they look, I want the Terra grappler A/Ts for the snow instead of the Continental All season junk. I'd rather be safe and have my chrome ruined. The idea isn't to show off, its to live.

92TripleBlack · 12-09-2005, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuskyHunter

Some people around here go the cheap route and smear vasoline onto the rims. Actually seems to work pretty well.

I'll probably put a coat of DP Wheel Glaze on them, similar to the poor boys stuff, and then some vasciline. Then I'll power wash when I get back.

rico387 · 12-09-2005, 06:22 PM

As a Florida boy I must say Brrr. You can have your cold climate vacation or otherwise. BUT... one product that I have used for salt on my boat is Salt-Away. It works well in I/O motors, hulls, trim, etc. It may work for road salt as well. I get it at Boat US. But then, maybe the northern guys are right about getting some crappy wheels and being done with it. "When in Rome..."
Here is the MFG. link- http://www.saltawayproducts.com/

92TripleBlack · 12-09-2005, 07:41 PM

You want cold, I'll give you cold. I was a hockey goalie. Picture sanding still for hours on a windly lake when its single digits out before wind chill.
I was also on the ski team. One day skiing at Killington, it was -20 out with a -50 wind chill. We rode up the open chair to the top of killington peak. Took about 20 minutes. Now that's cold. Its the gondola now.
Last cold story, I got my NAUI Scuba certification in a rock quarrey in Pennsylvania in December. Water was 48 and air 40 degrees. We only had wet suits and bathing suits. In the water for an hour. We poured the hot coffee into the wet suits when we were done. Wonder why I didn't dive more often.

rico387 · 12-09-2005, 09:25 PM

Well...congrats on your cold chilly(ness). If you ever make it by this way stop by. I'll grill. You stand by the cooler to keep the beer cold. Meanwhile, its getting down to 70 degrees. The lovely Mrs. rico387 is calling for me to raise the thermaostat. Think I'll go put on some socks. Chill out, Y'all.
BTW...Our hockey guys in Tampa won the Stanley Cup last go 'round.

92TripleBlack · 12-10-2005, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rico387

Well...congrats on your cold chilly(ness). If you ever make it by this way stop by. I'll grill. You stand by the cooler to keep the beer cold. Meanwhile, its getting down to 70 degrees. The lovely Mrs. rico387 is calling for me to raise the thermaostat. Think I'll go put on some socks. Chill out, Y'all.
BTW...Our hockey guys in Tampa won the Stanley Cup last go 'round.

I watch them on TV all the time. They are my new adopted team, though I can't leave my Rangers. I was in Naples yesterday. It was 81 and sunny. I'm over that way often to visit my friends and go jet skiing, fishing, and shooting. Get those socks on!

MuskyHunter · 12-10-2005, 07:35 AM

Looking at the "Salt Away" it is a washing solution and doesn't seem like it would be much help when driving on salted roads. According to their information:

"Salt-Away, mixed with water, washes away the salt then leaves a protective film on surfaces until surfaces are again exposed to water or salt."

So if the surface gets wet again as with driving on wet salted roads, this means the protection washes off??