Rust Specks (rail Dust)

[Sir Dan]

I just finished my annual clay bar session for this summer. So with my hands and elbows now sore from all the rubbing and buffing, I'm wondering if there is a once and for all cure for those pesky rust specks that seem to keep popping up down on the rocker panels and tailgate. Or is it simply the road salt that causes it and I have to live w/ it?

 

The specks do come off but only after much rubbing and I'm thinking that as much as I like white, my next color choice will be darker so these spots don't show so much. Any info is much appreciated.

[AdamsPolishes]

There really isn't a way to COMPLETELY prevent them, but you can reduce the severity to a degree. They come from all manner of things including carbon metallic brake dust and catalytic converters from other cars on the road.

 

The best way to reduce the severity is to keep the problem areas treated with a protective wax and/or sealant... the more durable the better. Maintain that coating and the ability for the contamination to stick is much lower. To some extent there will always be some, but by keeping your protection up it'll be far less.

 

Its the price you pay for white... those of us with black have to deal with seeing every little swirl mark and imperfection, a white truck is spared that, but has to deal with rail dust and other bonded contamination. Pretty much you're screwed either way! LOL

[Sir Dan]

There really isn't a way to COMPLETELY prevent them, but you can reduce the severity to a degree. They come from all manner of things including carbon metallic brake dust and catalytic converters from other cars on the road.

 

The best way to reduce the severity is to keep the problem areas treated with a protective wax and/or sealant... the more durable the better. Maintain that coating and the ability for the contamination to stick is much lower. To some extent there will always be some, but by keeping your protection up it'll be far less.

 

Its the price you pay for white... those of us with black have to deal with seeing every little swirl mark and imperfection, a white truck is spared that, but has to deal with rail dust and other bonded contamination. Pretty much you're screwed either way! LOL

Thanks for the info. I only wax once a year with Meguires and since it is garaged most of the time, I thought that was enough, but maybe not...

[AdamsPolishes]

Which wax are you using and how many miles does your truck see a year appox?

 

Most OTC liquid waxes don't have a lifespan of more than a month or 2 out of a single application, especially if the vehicle sees any kind of driving. Also your choice of soap (pH neutral being ideal) plays a large role in how long that protection stays on the surface.

 

Even a REALLY durable synthetic sealant isn't going to give you a full year if the truck sees any kind of mileage. At a minimum, with a very tough product, I'd recommend 2x a year if not more.

[RyanbabZ71]

other bonded contamination

 

Yea thats an understatement. My wifes Silver Birch Tahoe is attracted to road tar. She drives about 75% of the same roads as me but my truck rarely gets any little black tar specs on it. Hers on the other hand gets all over. I cant figure it out. She had it all over her mirror caps the other day.

[buckmcarpenter]

I too have a white truck and I was able to get the rail dust off or at least lessened drasticly using Liquid Lustre! It is a pink wax that comes in a 20 oz bottle. I was really excited when it turned out so well!

[ChevyTech77]

Bugs and road tar.........I hate them!!

[Sir Dan]

I've heard that those love bugs can take your paint right off if you don't clean 'em off daily. Is that really true? My parents retired from No Dak to FL last year and mentioned something about them.

[sw6416]

Love bugs errrr ....... Paint off not true IMHO as long as you don't clean your truck once a year! But a pain in the A no less!

[ChevyTech77]

goddamn bugs...i spend a good amount of time in FL and the damn lovebugs kill me everytime...in the spring they are so thick u cannot see out of the windshield!

 

Oh yeah!! We get the same thing up here with all of the June bugs in the early summer and lightning bugs this time of the year. All I've found to work is a power washer to get thme off and wax the front of the truck twice as much as the rest of the truck to keep them from sticking so much. I wish that I could find a good spray cleaner that would help to get them off though. Some of these pricks you really have to scrub on to get off!

 

[blankey]

You could always try something like Iron-X along with the clay bar to make sure you're getting all of the rust. http://www.autogeek.net/carpro-iron-x-cleaner.html

[AdamsPolishes]

next spring i'm gonna get some video of the damn lovebugs...was driving from Ft lauderdale to naples on Tamiami and it looked like a giant black cloud...i was horrid

 

I've heard how bad it can be and seen pics of the aftermath... gotta say I don't envy you guys who have to deal with them thats for sure!