Liquid Salt?

[Explorer]

Any other states where they are using it? I'm sure it's some compound other than salt, but they are pre storm spraying the roads here with it. Only thing I've heard about it is don't run thru it while it's wet. As it comes off the truck, it's said to be corrosive as the devil. Like we don't have enough problems with rust.

 

[fatboy]

Does it smell real bad, almost like vomit? We use something here on site that does and I am told it is vegetable based rancid oil. It helps to prevent the ice and snow from sticking. Can always tell when they spray it and you really don't want to walk through it since it stays on your soles for ever.

 

[croft75]

I'll ask a friend of mine they use a lot of it up here, they love it because they use half the salt as before.

 

[cracker]

The highway dept. around here uses Magnesium Chloride, a SALT. It does prevent ice build up on the roads, if applied before the snow flies. It is corrosive and a B***H to remove from vehicles. Most car wash businesses have a special Mag Chl. removal spray.

 

[knack]

I think the Minnesota DOT is using it, at least on metro freeways.

 

[KDML]

They began using it in VT a couple years back and are still experimenting with it. It is a mixture of salt and water (salt brine). As croft75 inidicated they use half the salt. I believe it works better, because it sticks to the road as opposed to having the hard salt knocked off the road from passing cars.

There is no hope for cars up here as the amount of salt they put on the roads speeds up the rusting process. I have come to live with the fact that my daily drivers will be covered in salt from November thru March and my Bronco goes into hibernation. You can try to wash them, but that just drives the salt brine into every cervice where the rust begins.

 

[bknbronco]

They been using some kind of spray here in minnesota for a few years. They put it down before the snow flyes. Heck we even have bridges with automatic sprayers that come up like underground sprinklers! We dont worry about rust here, just drive! If your truck is painted then it dont matter, it still takes 10+ years for any rust to show up on a newer vehicle. The spray and salt is only harmful to bare metal and prexisting rust spots. Like i said if your that worried about the rust then hibernate! We enjoy being able to drive anyware during a huge storm!

 

[myclsic69]

Any other states where they are using it? I'm sure it's some compound other than salt, but they are pre storm spraying the roads here with it. Only thing I've heard about it is don't run thru it while it's wet. As it comes off the truck, it's said to be corrosive as the devil. Like we don't have enough problems with rust.

Yes! They pre treat all the major Highways here in Pa, it will rot up your Bottomside in no time. also will eat the Rubber off of your Windshield Wipers. That ,and some Townships are using Sugar Beets.

 

[phred]

That stuff is pure EVIL!!!! they sprayed to roads in NC with it. I drove to my brothers during the snow storm. The brand new shocks on my 78 are rusting right through the paint. You can tell it is the brine/salt/mag cl that did it as they shock bodies are rusted only on the leading edge where the spray was coming up off the wet road.

 

[bknbronco]

The brand new shocks on my 78 are rusting right through the paint

I call BS. how would the spray get through the paint? Salt eats metal not paint. They were rusty before you ever ventured out in that storm. My shocks never rusted and i put way more winter miles on than most people put on during the summer, and they been on for 3 years at least! And as we all know, most of these longer aftermarket shocks have the cheepest paint on them to begin with! So i say it wasnt that one trip to your bros!%)

 

[phred]

the shocks were new and are only rusty on the leading edge.

 

[Explorer]

Kinda the info I'm getting. Rough on rubber parts when wet, includes wipers, rubber body mounts, brake lines etc. My EB isn't my daily driver, but it's not in hibernation either. Unless you keep one in a controlled humidy environment, it's going to rust even sitting in the garage. Paint doesn't rust, but every rock chip and crevice will. I'm mostly concerned with the rubber parts. I'll just plan to check stuff more often.

 

[Broncobowsher]

They have been using the MgCl2 for over 10 years. They were just starting it when I left KC back in '97. I have heard stories about how bad it is, but from what I can tell it is more of the liquid application process instead of the granular application that is the issue. While in colorado the glass shop I was at was showing me issues of MgCl getting into a poorly installed windshield where the paint was scratched cutting the old glass out. The liquid spray flows like water to the steel and since it is put on a dry road as a pretreat it is more concentrated solution then water/snow mixing with rock salt. If you were to mix water and NaCl rock salt to get a liquid salt and apply it like MgCl is would be even more destructive.

One of the most evil things I ever did was pour an old can of table salt (actually 10 year old fine ground popcorn salt) on the windows to clear the ice. Did a great job clearing windows, very devistating to the metal under the windows come spring. Stupid youth.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

They use it on the bridges to keep them from icing .
Phred , all of my leading edges are rusted to hell on my 2001 F 250 , I always assumed it was primarily from rock chips from all year driving around PLUS the winter salts , etc.
As far as burning through the paint , I don't know , but its possible I suppose , paint isn't impervious to everything (brake fluid is a prime example) and I'll bet the paint on typical shocks isn't the highest grade stuff out there. My Monroes got pretty rusty pretty quick also.

 

[BroncoBernie]

Salt

We use the salt brine in green bay, they apply before a snow event. Works so so anything over 1 inch of snow does't work dilutes out. They use different mixtures depending on the temp out side and by mixing in other chemicals lowers the ability of the salt to work in colder weather. They also pre-wet the salt as it comes off the truck you don't even see the liquid being applied.

 

[TN1776]

Things like that make me thankful to live in California! In the areas where we actually get snow they just toss sand out on the roads, no salt or other nasty chemicals here...

 

[DAKOTA7720]

You freeze/thaw guys have it the worst. Once we go below freezing we usually stay there until about this time of year. Parking in a heated garage will magnify the corrosion problem.
They put chloride on some of the class V roads here in Minnesota to keep the dust down during the four months we don't have snow on the ground. That stuff loves to eat chrome.

 

[Pedestrian]

I think we could solve all this corrosion BS if they just quit maintaining the roads period.
Traffic would be nice and light. My Bronco would be king. I could probably double my income dragging people, who don't know how to drive, out of snowbanks on my way to work.

 

[turbotim2]

They;ve been using it here in Maine for years. Turns my black car white. After the road dries, the car in front of you kicks up the dust it leaves behind and you can taste the salt in the air. The good side is they don't use sand anymore on the highways so you don't have that to deal with in the spring.

 

[eaglenest66]

Brine

They have been using that crap here in Iowa for damn near 10 years now! It will be a nice sunny day and you'll see the DOT spraying it all over. They are anticipating what is to come. Sometimes the weather comes, sometimes not! In this state, the interstate DOT has these tanker trucks (looks like gasoline haulers) cruising down the highways just spraying the living shit out of the roads. Hell, I have even seen them doing it to the overpasses only because of frost threats!! From what I understand, it rots the crap out of the brake lines. We had a car that it did this too 2 years ago. The one shop that I had do an exhaust to my '74 bronco last fall said he went though 2000 feet of steel brake line replacement to client cars last year. It adheres very well being in liquid form and driving down the interstate at 70 mph, it flies up and curls underneath your vehicle like a soft summer rain. From what I understand, this is to keep the snow/ice from sticking so hard to the surface. I see one problem in that somebody is going to get killed from failed brake lines and the state is going to end up with a lawsuit. Yeah, you can tell this has been a sorry issue with me ever since they decided to use it here. Oh by the way, now some of the cities are using it for their main arteries. It's a no win situation. Wonder if the EPA has ever researched the effects of it getting into the water ways?? My two cents worth!~