Snow, Salt and Road Deicing Chemicals

[TheCols]

This will be our first winter in the Northeast with our Airstream. We traded-in a Class C for the AS last March. We love going to the Keys for the holidays, but I read somewhere that road salt and other deicing chemicals are particularly destructive to Airstreams. While we try to avoid bad weather, invariably you’ll encounter some either leaving or coming home to the Northeast in winter. Should we forget about winter trips, was the article overstated, or are there measure you can take to protect your Airstream from winter road deicers? Thanks for any advice!

[BayouBiker]

The article assumes the owners won't take proactive measures to counter the salt and other deicers. So Get some CorrosionX and spray all the joints where road splash can intrude. Especially where dissimilar metals touch the Aluminum like the furnace screws, water inlet, frame to sheet metal connections, trim rails etc.

Then as soon as possible rinse the trailer focusing on the cracks and gaps with fresh water as soon as possible after driving through areas where salt etc. is used especially if you encounter any weather even wind. The rest area dump stations are a good source of water. So are do it yourself car washes if the bay is large enough.

[CRH]

I live where salt and brine are sprayed. I keep all my vehicles but one off the road when they are treated. That one got washed well after every exposure. It made it 20 years before the frame rusted through and had to be repair. Since then, I have discovered Fluid Film and treat my undercarriage s and more with it.

There's no way I am pulling my AS on treated roads if I can help it. Driving on a freshly sprayed road would be a nightmare.

[TheCols]

Originally Posted by BayouBiker

The article assumes the owners won't take proactive measures to counter the salt and other deicers. So Get some CorrosionX and spray all the joints where road splash can intrude. Especially where dissimilar metals touch the Aluminum like the furnace screws, water inlet, frame to sheet metal connections, trim rails etc.

Then as soon as possible rinse the trailer focusing on the cracks and gaps with fresh water as soon as possible after driving through areas where salt etc. is used especially if you encounter any weather even wind. The rest area dump stations are a good source of water. So are do it yourself car washes if the bay is large enough.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, will get the CorrosionX and definitely wash down after any travel. Thanks!!

[TheCols]

Originally Posted by CRH

I live where salt and brine are sprayed. I keep all my vehicles but one off the road when they are treated. That one got washed well after every exposure. It made it 20 years before the frame rusted through and had to be repair. Since then, I have discovered Fluid Film and treat my undercarriage s and more with it.



There's no way I am pulling my AS on treated roads if I can help it. Driving on a freshly sprayed road would be a nightmare.

Defiantly try to avoid driving on fresh snow and treated. Would be a nightmare for a number of reasons. Thanks.

[Larry1492]

I towed my airstream from Ny to the Keys last winter. No issues just gave it a good washing in Florida and again when I got home. Not sure I would tow while they are applying the products, I prefer to wait until the roads are clear.

[jcanavera]

I had a friend who was a snow bird and came back home in early March. On the way home he had to drive through an area that had snow and ice in which the roads had been treated. I saw his trailer shortly there after and the frame was riddled with rust from every spot where the paint had been thin or damaged from rocks or other debris on the road. He was appalled as to how much rust there was.

I also remember camping with my SOB down in St. Augustine where I was camped down next to the ocean beach. We had a sea grass covered berm that was built between us and the ocean beach. After about 3 days there I noticed a glistening sheen to my trailer and when I wiped it with my finger, I found that it was a dried on salt coating. Apparently with the wind and waves there was a fine air carried sea salt moisture that stuck to everything.

I ordered my current trailer in the fall with a January or February delivery date scheduled. I was concerned about how the weather would be when it was going to be towed from Jackson Center to St. Louis. I was envisioning it getting covered with road salt and chemicals. As luck had it I was up in the dealership in November close to Thanksgiving and happened to see a trailer which was a duplicate of the one I ordered. It had just been delivered for the dealer's inventory. Only difference was it had a leather sofa. I called my wife and said would you mind a leather sofa? She said that would be fine. I went into the owners office and said can I take that trailer in your lot in exchange for the ordered one? I'll pay you the difference for the leather sofa upgrade. He said fine and I ended up bringing that trailer home a couple of days later. No salty road exposure which took a load off my mind.

Jack

[bibbs]

Go to the car wash as soon as you can after exposure

[Ultraclassic]

Originally Posted by TheCols

Defiantly try to avoid driving on fresh snow and treated. Would be a nightmare for a number of reasons. Thanks.

Fresh snow is not a issue (water crystals) but rock salt and potassium chloride ( spray on salt) is a sticky issue, but I think a good though wash at the first South State going down, would suffice