How sea air effects trucks
You may agree that nothing can beat the feeling of a fresh, cool, salty air in your face and the spray prickling along your hairline, but your truck will have very different feelings on the matter. In fact, a lot of supposedly hard-wearing and durable materials like metal, plastic, and wood are incredibly vulnerable to the effects of a harsh sea breeze, particularly if that exposure is spread over many months or years, rather than a couple days here and there.
Why is Sea Air So Bad?
Air beside the sea carries billions of tiny droplets of sea water due to the constant spray. When that microfine mist settles on something, the water eventually evaporates, leaving behind the salt and other small amounts of minerals from the water. That’s why, after spending any amount of time on the shoreline, just licking your lips means you can taste salt.
Salt itself is very bad for metal. It boosts the electrical conductivity of moisture, meaning rust can form far more easily – and far quicker, too. As you know, salt also draws in moisture – and, when you’re by the sea, there’s always plenty of moisture in the air. It’s a vicious cycle, and it’s far less than ideal for truck owners, which already see their fair share of wear and tear.
Also, remember that your truck isn’t a hermetically sealed piece of metal. The internal components like the engine and brakes, the exhaust and even the air system, will all see a gradual build-up of salt and, without help, rust.
How to Protect Your Truck
There’s no single solution to the problem of sea air. If you live near the sea, you can’t do anything to stop that air from constantly coming into contact with your truck, so you’re going to need to perform regular preventative maintenance if you want to avoid those gulp-inducing mechanic bills from the shop every couple years.
For starters, focus on the parts of the truck that handle the most abuse. The truck bed is mostly metal, and it gets round-the-clock bumps, scrapes, scuffs, and scratches that make it even more vulnerable to rust getting in. Luckily, this one’s easy: a durable bed liner spray is easy to apply, and offers robust protection against moisture and rust.
Another easy one: regular cleaning. The worst thing for a truck isn’t a single day in sea air, but the cumulative effect of taking it out along the coast every day or week. Washing the bodywork regularly will stop the salt from building up to really risky levels. Waxing the paintwork will also give it a temporary protective layer, so opt for the premium treatment at the car wash.
There’s not a lot you can do to protect your brakes and suspension from that air, but you will benefit from checking them more regularly than the average vehicle owner. You can clean build-up off your brake discs yourself, but it’s better to take it to the shop if you’re not a confident at-home mechanic. Brakes aren’t something to experiment with! While it may seem like an added cost, a regular look-over by the mechanic will save you a lot of money (and unnecessary risk) in the long run.
