Rusty Rovers

[AAXD]

I'm on my 3rd Land Rover coiler in 9 years now. I sold my 93 Rangie after 4 years but it didn't have much rust then, currently a friend has it and he just has some bubbling paint in the tailgate, but is otherwise perfect. I currently have a 97 Discovery XD and I'm so disgusted with rust that I want to sell it on. Seems like I never hear about the rust issues these trucks suffer from, just how mechanically unreliable they are. I must be living in bizarro world because other than a busted diff (which was my fault, tried to drag a 5000 pound jeep up a cliff) my 97 has had literally no mechanical trouble in 5 years nd 170,000 miles. Did I just get a lemon that LR failed to rustproof or am I doing something wrong in the preservation department? I wash it at least once a month and get under it with a creeper, rainsuit and a hot water firehose we use at work to wash C130 cargo planes, also spray it with corrosion preventative regularly and I'm still finding huge pockets of corrosion in it. I've got a 69 Series IIA that has lived in Vermont for 40 years and literally has less rust than my 14 year old Discovery. Is this a normal thing in northern climates?

 

[I Leak Oil]

Yes, rust on rangies and disco I's is a common issue in areas that use salt. Rockers, floors, front and rear wheel wells and rear body cross members all get attacked. I suspect that's a big reason why these vehicles sell so little $$$ at this point. I'd be back in a D1 if I could find one close that wasn't rusty....In the mean time I'll keep doing cancer surgery on my RRC project.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Do you park the truck in a heated garage by chance?

 

[chirigringo]

I've got a '96 Disco that's starting to bubble in the usual rear door/wheel well spots but other than that it has zero rust. It's spent nearly it's entire life in Colorado - dry(er) climate and mag-chloride on the roads. I'd like to get the little bit of rust it has taken care of before it spreads. Any thoughts on how best to address those areas?
-Michael

 

[Dendy Jarrett]

Do you park the truck in a heated garage by chance?

I am curious as to why you have asked this? I am working on plans for a garage, and plan on having it heated. We don't have many salt issues in Nashville, but ... your comment (or question) struck me odd.
Thanks
Dendy

 

[tshirttom]

Heat and rust

Well known that a higher temperature will increase the rate of oxidation and rust. Thus if you did have salt on your truck it would rot faster in a heated garage.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I am curious as to why you have asked this? I am working on plans for a garage, and plan on having it heated. We don't have many salt issues in Nashville, but ... your comment (or question) struck me odd.
Thanks
Dendy

We used to use a heated garage when I lived in Montreal. Drove the cars in every night. Was nice to get into a warm car every morning and not have to shovel them off, but they rusted incredibly fast. Two reasons:

1) Warming the car melts all the salty snow and ice, turning it to liquid, so it can seep everywhere more easily.

2) Rust occurs faster in warmer temps.

I now leave my cars outside all winter, keep them frozen.

If you're building a shop for working, or storing cars for the winter, that's fine. But it's driving them in every night covered in salty snow mix that's the problem. My truck is in my heated garage right now, but I'm not driving it this winter.

 

[GregH]

I think if I was living in the rust zone I'd try to pick up a rust-free Cali or Arizona truck and experiment with a bunch of sacrificial anodes.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

They don't work, since the vehicle is not floating in a single body of water like a boat is. These have been tested in the past, and don't work.

Though... there are companies selling similar systems up here anyway.

http://www.counteractrust.com/?gclid=CJ_qy9-xvZ8CFVFM5QodaD-63g

The OEM's spend a huge amount of money on rust proofing. If all it took was one of these <$100 devices, they would.

 

[Blueboy]

Warming the car melts all the salty snow and ice, turning it to liquid, so it can seep everywhere more easily

we had a heated garage with a floor drain and water outlet when living in WesternPa where salt is used extensively.

we would use the hose to thoroughly rinse off the vehicle(s) like an indoor car wash.

keep the rust at bay very well.

just depends how far you want to go to keep your vehicle.

for me, a heated garage with a drain and running water is a must for Winter.

Jaime

 

[GregH]

They don't work, since the vehicle is not floating in a single body of water like a boat is. These have been tested in the past, and don't work.

I guess I should be glad I don't live in the rust belt.