Shop Notes
WINTERIZING HEAVY-DUTY PICKUPS
Eastwood offers great tips for fighting rust, road salts, corrosion and dead batteries for those working in the snow belt
(Courtesy of Eastwood Products)
During winter months in cold climates, pickups are blasted by road salt, brine & ice melt causing metal parts and body panels to rust and corrode.
Pickup owners who want to protect the body of the pickup from aggressive rust forming road salt that accumulates in the harsh northern states need Eastwood’s Road Salt Neutralizer.
The neutralizer is a blend of inorganic acids, corrosion inhibitors and penetrants that neutralize the corrosive film left behind from salt & ice melters without harming painted or finished surfaces.
Nick Capinski, Eastwood’s consumer marketing manager, suggests using this simple technique: Mix six ounces of Eastwood’s Road Salt Neutralizer with one gallon of warm water.
Next spray or sponge on the solution and five minutes later, hose it off. One gallon of concentrate makes more than 21 gallons of Neutralizer. This is an Eastwood exclusive product that no one else offers.
In preparing for the winter onslaught, many drivers touch up the undercoating on their pickups during the Fall.
Eastwood’s Heavy-Duty Anti Rust sprays-on brown wax film that sticks to bare metal or painted surfaces and won’t crack, flake, or peel. It will also self-heal scratches by flowing back over the scratched area and repair itself. It forms an air and water-tight barrier preventing and slowing rust formation.
It was created to be used inside doors and rocker panels, (the lower section of the body below the doors,) where painting will not be required. It is often referred to as ‘cavity wax’ as it is sprayed into cavities of pickups to ward off rust.
Eastwood’s Rubberized Undercoating is then used on the underside of pickups such as wheel wells, floor pans and the underside of fenders. It develops a tough, durable, flexible film that stays put and provides excellent adhesion to metal or painted surfaces.
To conclude the underbody preparation for winter, Eastwood’s Internal Frame Coating is an essential step. It is formulated to convert and encapsulate the rust inside the frame. It can also be used to protect fresh-machined surfaces and bare metal parts during storage, and works great to seal body seams that are inaccessible. This formulation incorporates zinc phosphate to further protect the metal from future corrosion.
The viscosity is stabilized to assure proper flow and penetration to the existing corrosion and will yield complete coverage when sprayed with the included “conical nozzle”.
“Eastwood’s Internal Frame Coating is easy to use. With the aerosolized product, you simply spray the inside of the frame, using a back and forth motion, to cover the entire internal frame area,” Capinski advised. This gives complete coverage and elimination of rust for years of protection. It fully cures in 24 hours.
WINTER BATTERY CARE
When going on vacation to warmer climates and storing the pickup, it is important to note that batteries in storage can lose significant capacity in just 12 to 20 days, based on the weather conditions and the battery age.
Standard trickle chargers can overcharge and permanently damage the battery.
The Eastwood Battery Tender puts an end to this worry, Capinski notes. Connect the alligator clips to the battery terminals and plug it into a wall outlet. The Eastwood Battery Charger has built-in protection, in case the clips are connected to the battery incorrectly. It will maintain a 100% charge constantly without damaging the battery. It also has a spark free safety measure.
Eastwood markets unique tools and supplies for repair, restoration, and modification of pickups, trucks, and motorcycles.
Founded in 1978, Eastwood constantly strives to develop new products to serve the home automotive hobbyist, as well as individuals and organizations focused on the restoration and preservation of automobiles and motorcycles.
Snow photo by Larry Walton/Smith-Walton.com
