Winter observations

[TahoeGren]

Would something like this help?

Salts Gone

Salts Gone is 100% Non-Hazardous, Eco-Friendly and easy to use. Prevent salt and brine from costing you thousands in damage and depreciation. This unique chemical removes salt and brine and leaves behind a protective barrier to stop the new salt from attacking the surface.

saltsgone.com

I didn’t know about Salts Gone. Will have to give it a try. I’ve been using AMMO’s Boost Anti Salt.

 

[anand]

Would something like this help?

Salts Gone

Salts Gone is 100% Non-Hazardous, Eco-Friendly and easy to use. Prevent salt and brine from costing you thousands in damage and depreciation. This unique chemical removes salt and brine and leaves behind a protective barrier to stop the new salt from attacking the surface.

saltsgone.com

Ordered a gallon of it and a pair of 2 gallon sprayers today (one for the saltsgone and one for water).... I may even get froggy and order some P&S Absolute rinseless wash. Ok, that may be too far for me

 

[CrazyOldMan]

I didn’t know about Salts Gone. Will have to give it a try. I’ve been using AMMO’s Boost Anti Salt.

I hadn’t either - @grnamin has all the cool ideas

 

[TahoeGren]

Where I live, in northern Vermont, ownership of an automobile feels disproportionately expensive to the rest of the world... you definitely NEED snow tires. 17" Nokians are affordable, but for every inch in diameter, they seem to double. My wife's 20" Audi Q5s were shockingly expensive.

Then, add the cost of constant salt-related repairs. As I've recently said on a forum elsewhere, the worst example so far was my 2015 Chevy Silverado 1500. I bought the truck the last day of the month of November, thinking I was all smart with the lease rates. By the 1st of February - with about 2,000 miles on the odometer - the front end started to shake. I took it in to find that both front calipers had seized and warped the rotors. Rotors were covered under warranty; caliper rebuilds were not. $450.00. Similarly, both kids have Foresters and both have had complete brake jobs (one got new brake lines, too) after just 2 and 3 years of ownership. The more expensive of the two was $3,200.00.

Then, add to the cost the corrosion that makes many vehicles like the Silverado a 'disposable item.' According to a buddy who owns a repair shop, my era of Silverado (2015/2016) that have lived in Vermont since new are now uninspectable. That's a $45,000.00 truck that's virtually worthless in just 7-8 years.

Add the cost of storage for those of us with cars we want to keep (for me, classic Land Rovers and an old Saab). They go into storage by mid-October and don't come out until mid-to-late April. That means I get to enjoy them for less than 1/2 of the year.

Then... add mud season. This is the local school bus. It has a 14" lift and 4WD. Swallowed whole. I just love working underneath my cars.

Let's not forget the rodents! Mice are regular visitors to all of our cars. Even though we don't eat and leave bags of snacks, they are attracted to the warmth. And they like to chew wiring harnesses. +$$$ for the number of tows and damage. This is one of the reasons why I love the proper handbrake of a Grenadier... you don't have to have your Audi Q5 dragged out of the garage by a tow truck to have the electronic emergency brake switch actuator harness replaced. I wonder what's so tasty about wiring??

I'm jealous of those that enjoy their vehicles year-round. My Grenadier has 323 miles and one week of use under my belt before putting it away because I want to enjoy it for a while - and at least see how others fare after a winter season or two. If the overall corrosion resistance looks anything like the windscreen surround hardware (all of the black bolt heads were rusty on the dealer lot last February), I have doubts.View attachment 7878645

That’s horrible. I knew the north east use a lot of salt but didn’t realize the impact is that severe.

California still uses salt in my area but less of it. They mix with sand and I’ve read that in some areas they may use brine which would stick and is worse for cars.

My LR4 has quite a lot more visible rust underneath on the frames and suspension parts. Nothing severe enough to be of concern but it sure isn’t pretty. For the Grenadier, I applied a coat of Woolwax. I’ll see in a couple seasons how well it works.

 

[vtgrenadier]

@TahoeGren - I forgot to mention brine... it ensures adherence to automotive components more than it seems to favor asphalt. I'm not convinced it helps in our cold temps, but again, I'm no chemist. Anecdotally, they put it down early yesterday and in short order, Vermont State Police reported 25 accidents on a fairly short stretch of I-89... perhaps it's applied to provide us with the 'aura of effort' to combat something that is naturally occurring and simultaneously inconvenient to commuters. I am, of course, speaking of ice.

 

[landmannnn]

I wonder if we will see the results of this

Utility Vehicle Undergoes Extreme Testing

An INEOS Grenadier 4X4 test vehicle has been put to work underground at the K+S potash plant in Zielitz

www.environmentalengineering.org.uk

 

[G-Man]

I wonder if we will see the results of this

Utility Vehicle Undergoes Extreme Testing

An INEOS Grenadier 4X4 test vehicle has been put to work underground at the K+S potash plant in Zielitz

www.environmentalengineering.org.uk

I doubt it. PA stunt at worst, accelerated corrosion resistance testing at best.

Nothing is going to last too long in a salt mine unless it's made of high quality stainless alloy, no matter how much waxoyl you throw at it!

 

[CrazyOldMan]

One more thing to add on dedicated snow tires. Had my winter wheels and tires put on earlier this week. If you like a “big tire look” I don’t think you’ll be in luck for dedicated snow tires. 265/70/17 (stock size) was as big as I could find on Blizzak LT’s - same for the Hakko’s. Hakko’s had 275/70/18’s - but not 17’s. I’m just talking about non-studded snow tires. Not sure if anyone found anything else. I’m sure the Blizzaks will work well - it’s just a much tamer look than the steelies and K02’s, so I was hoping to go just a little bigger - but no luck.

 

[crashnburn]

I didn’t know about Salts Gone. Will have to give it a try. I’ve been using AMMO’s Boost Anti Salt.

I've been using Salts Gone for the past few years. It gets rid of the salt but don't forget to spray underneath too.
An extending sprayer helps a lot when spraying underneath.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

I've been using Salts Gone for the past few years. It gets rid of the salt but don't forget to spray underneath too.
An extending sprayer helps a lot when spraying underneath.

Already ordered it along with a sprayer - glad to find out about it!

 

[TahoeGren]

One more thing to add on dedicated snow tires. Had my winter wheels and tires put on earlier this week. If you like a “big tire look” I don’t think you’ll be in luck for dedicated snow tires. 265/70/17 (stock size) was as big as I could find on Blizzak LT’s - same for the Hakko’s. Hakko’s had 275/70/18’s - but not 17’s. I’m just talking about non-studded snow tires. Not sure if anyone found anything else. I’m sure the Blizzaks will work well - it’s just a much tamer look than the steelies and K02’s, so I was hoping to go just a little bigger - but no luck.

The Hakkapeliittta LT3 is available in 285/70R17.

I swapped to the non-studded Hakkapeliittta LT3 in 265/70R17. They do look small now that I’m used to the larger tires. I wanted extra clearance to fit the garage with a ski carrier on the roof rack. This is the first time I’ve put on dedicated snow tires. They have much improved traction compared to 3PMSF-rated AT and all-weather tires I’ve driven on before.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

The Hakkapeliittta LT3 is available in 285/70R17.

I swapped to the non-studded Hakkapeliittta LT3 in 265/70R17. They do look small now that I’m used to the larger tires. I wanted extra clearance to fit the garage with a ski carrier on the roof rack. This is the first time I’ve put on dedicated snow tires. They have much improved traction compared to 3PMSF-rated AT and all-weather tires I’ve driven on before.

You’re right - I saw they didn’t make it in 275 so just assumed 285 wasn’t an option. Actually FINDING it in a 285, however, might be a bit tough - not sure

 

[CrazyOldMan]

Just a brief note to those who gave advice on snow tires earlier in the year. Last night got caught in a white-out in the middle of nowhere at 15 F, high winds, 20’ of visibility and the road was just liquid smoke. Blizzak’s stuck to the road like a gecko fighting for its life. Y’all were right on target - I (and my family) thank you!!! Would not have been the same with the K02’s.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

Very interesting discussion today at the gas station. Met a really cool old engineer who had never seen the Grenadier - used to restore old Land Cruisers. He had a lot of questions (think I talked him into making the 2 hour trip out to the dealer to look at the Grenadier). I mentioned the fact that the OEM side runner picked up ice - later he was asking where the EXT and INT lines ran out, and he said “what if you put a heat wire from INT1 & 2 and ran them inside the side runner to prevent ice buildup?” I haven’t heard of anyone doing this and not even sure how I would pull that off. Anyone have any ideas? @anand or @Jean Mercier ? Seems like a VERY specialized application for those lines, but for those of us in Deep Freeze areas, not a bad idea. Just not sure how I would get from the INT 1/2 exit points to the exterior, and inside the side runner.

 

[anand]

Very interesting discussion today at the gas station. Met a really cool old engineer who had never seen the Grenadier - used to restore old Land Cruisers. He had a lot of questions (think I talked him into making the 2 hour trip out to the dealer to look at the Grenadier). I mentioned the fact that the OEM side runner picked up ice - later he was asking where the EXT and INT lines ran out, and he said “what if you put a heat wire from INT1 & 2 and ran them inside the side runner to prevent ice buildup?” I haven’t heard of anyone doing this and not even sure how I would pull that off. Anyone have any ideas? @anand or @Jean Mercier ? Seems like a VERY specialized application for those lines, but for those of us in Deep Freeze areas, not a bad idea. Just not sure how I would get from the INT 1/2 exit points to the exterior, and inside the side runner.

There are some pass throughs in the firewall, forward and above (and towards the midline) from where the INT1/2 wire bundles are, but not super convenient to get to...

As far as heat strips, you could potentially add something like this strip, which uses 15W/meter... Each INT switch could run ~6 meters of that material. With that being said, it wouldn't start heating unless you had the engine on (running them with the engine off would deplete a single battery Grenadier to the point of battery damage in ~3 hours, or a dual battery in double that).

With all that being said, I'm not sure that ~100 watts of heat strip per side would actually warm the entire step up (you have a good bit of metal surface area to dissipate the generated heat)

 

[CrazyOldMan]

There are some pass throughs in the firewall, forward and above (and towards the midline) from where the INT1/2 wire bundles are, but not super convenient to get to...

As far as heat strips, you could potentially add something like this strip, which uses 15W/meter... Each INT switch could run ~6 meters of that material. With that being said, it wouldn't start heating unless you had the engine on (running them with the engine off would deplete a single battery Grenadier to the point of battery damage in ~3 hours, or a dual battery in double that).

With all that being said, I'm not sure that ~100 watts of heat strip per side would actually warm the entire step up (you have a good bit of metal surface area to dissipate the generated heat)

That sounds like a pain- I also was wondering about actual heating performance. This is VERY different from a gutter downspout - much more material to heat. Probably my best option is still looking for a runner/rock slider-step setup with more of a spiked top-side. Only about 3 weeks left before trout season opens up - waders, chem-packs, streamer rods and snow tires and ready to rock! Thank you Quebec - got my Faber snowshoes and Blizzak LT’s, so both I and the Grenadier have Queb snow traction on our feet

 

[CrazyOldMan]

Hmmmmmm. In my never-ending winter side runner saga . . . So the heat wiring not a good idea and I was back to “ok, maybe rock sliders with steps with a beefy top surface?” Child #4 pulls up next to me in the driveway today in his Taco. Maybe I need to rethink my strategy. Question is how the hell is he getting in his truck? Does he open the door and take a running leap? ‘Cause clearly he’s not using the step. Does he grab the roof and swing in? Whatever he’s doing, it’s almost certainly ill-considered and unnecessarily risky - a chip off the ol’ block.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

Perfect! I've been limping along with PETF since spring. Car wash and now the colder temps has lead to sticking buttons daily. I just followed your procedure (you really can see where it catches if you look straight on). Once good whack with board/mallet and better than new function!

I also just had the chance to follow up on the @anand door handle whack protocol - works like a charm. All of you can now shut up about exactly which lubricant causes which chemical reaction. Thump it with a rubber mallet in the surgically precise manner described by @anand. I know - I’m as shocked as anyone that he had something useful to contribute.

 

[Trialmaster]

Take your palm, or a mallet and block, or any similar tool and give the surround a whack in which ever direction it needs to go to increase the clearance; almost always this is fore or aft on the vehicle.

So I take a mallet to an £80k vehicle. ***K me, I give up.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

So I take a mallet to an £80k vehicle. ***K me, I give up.

Give in to the dark side, Luke. Feel the Dad Force consume you. Every dad in the History of Ever has said to one of their kids (in one language or another) “now what you want to do is just give it a good hard whack here.” Forget Prometheus and fire - dad thumpin’ is the single greatest technological innovation in history. Solves almost every problem ever encountered by mankind - if only those damn kids would listen.