How to Implement Corrosion Prevention for Your Commercial Truck Fleet

When it comes to protecting your commercial trucks, one area that fleet managers often overlook is corrosion prevention. Largely comprised of metallic materials, commercial trucks are extremely susceptible to corrosion cause by rain, snow, road chemicals and other wet-weather conditions. Implementing an effective corrosion prevention strategy is the only way to protect against unnecessary damage to your fleet vehicles.

What Causes Corrosion in Commercial Vehicles?

Corrosion is a chemical process through which metallic objects degrade and dissolve. When vehicles are exposed to excess moisture, they are at increased risk for incurring corrosive damage. The following explains the chemical process and why wet-weather conditions can lead to commercial vehicle corrosion:

• Carbon dioxide in the air bonds to water particles on your commercial truck, creating carbonic acid
• This acid then dissolves metal, separating water particles into hydrogen and oxygen in the process
• These separated molecules then bond with the dissolved metal to create rust

When road salt is added to the equation, this process can quickly get out of hand and lead to further damage. However, there are steps fleet managers can take to prevent corrosive damage in their commercial trucks.

Implementing Corrosion Prevention in Commercial Fleets

From commercial tires and wheels to engine and undercarriage parts, there’s a lot that can be damaged by the corrosion process. When implementing your corrosion prevention strategy, consider the following to help keep your vehicles free from damage:

• Regular Washing: It might seem strange to add more water to the equation, but washing and drying your vehicles regularly can actually help prevent corrosion by removing the contaminates from the out/underside of your vehicles. When washing and drying, be sure to use a good wax or ceramic clear coat to further protect against corrosive damage.
• Corrosion-Resistant Materials: By upgrading your vehicles, wheels, commercial tires, or other essential components, you can integrate corrosion-resistant materials into your fleet. Look for products that contain galvanized steel, aluminum, or fiberglass as these are all naturally resistant to corrosion.
• Anti-Corrosion Coatings: It may not be possible to upgrade your wheels or other vehicle parts, so opting for an anti-corrosion coating is a great solution for fleet managers on a tighter budget. Grease, paint, epoxy coatings, zinc, and ceramic are all great anti-corrosion coatings to use to prevent against corrosive damage.
• Wheel Refinishing: Another smart cost saver is to periodically refinish your rig’s wheels so that corrosion has no place to start. Whether your wheels are steel or aluminum, both can be reconditioned.

Another way fleet managers can better strategize about corrosion prevention is by partnering with a preventative maintenance provider like STTC. An experienced technician will be able to identify the signs of corrosion more easily and can provide you with the necessary next steps for keeping your vehicles safe.

Contact STTC for Your Preventative Maintenance Needs

STTC provides preventative maintenance plans to fleet managers throughout the United States. Our team is specially trained to use the most advanced industry tools and techniques, helping fleet managers catch corrosion early and deploy corrective action. Protect your commercial vehicles from unnecessary damage by contacting STTC today!