So, my dept just built a new salt barn to store our bulk salt in for the winter. The plan is not to load the plow trucks out of this barn but to feed the smaller satellite barns with the big 800 tonner. We all know how that will work out. My question is, is there anything I can to to my ctl, wheel loader, and skid steer, (mostly the wheel loader) before the salt comes around? Looking to keep the equipment from rusting in two within a couple winters. We don''t have a wash pit at my shop but we do at the public works shops across town. Any type of treatment or coating I can spray on to keep the salt off and out?
I don't see how rustproofing equipment is all that different from vehicles. I suppose you have fewer spot welded narrow seams to trap dirt. A mix of diesel, wax and linseed oil maybe? Why are you worried more about the wheel loader? I'd think that would be the least affected being mostly out of the slush and slime that the skids work in. Maybe some fenders to keep the salt spray off the machine? If you're roading it in slush though, it will be everywhere. There are products advertised as more effectively rinsing salt off than straight water, they were even tested by some dept's of transportation, but the tests were complete JUNK, not anywhere close to real world conditions or remotely resembling the way the product really is used. The claim is that a slightly acidic rinse water (like rainwater acidity) will remove salt better than tap water. Since rain water is also the cheapest, closest thing to pure water available then rainwater rinse makes sense to me.
Fluid Film AR
The reason I'm more worried about the wheel loader is it will be doing most of the work loading trucks and moving bulk salt in the storage. The skid loaders are only there for standby.It'doesn't get roaded except to pull out bigger stuck vehicles and close job sites.