Why Do Chevy Trucks Rust So Bad in the Midwest?

Wondering Why Do Chevy Trucks Rust So Bad? It’s All About Location

We’ve all dealt with it at some point in our adult lives. Our vehicle is starting to show signs of extreme wear and tear, specifically rust. But where does it come from? And why do Chevy trucks rust so bad in the Midwest? Well, it’s a big question, but to boil it down into one simple answer: salt. Colder states salt their roads to protect from slipping on ice, and that salt does quite a number on the undercarriage of vehicles. And Chevy trucks seem to have more rust problems than some of their counterparts. Nobody is sure exactly why, but it’s thought that the certain primer they used for a long period of time has something to do with it.

How to Avoid Rust on Your Truck

At the end of the day, if you live in a colder state, it’s going to be hard to avoid rust on your truck. The salt that gets laid down on the roads for much of the year is going to have a chemical reaction with the metal on your vehicle, and it leads to rust. However, there are steps you can take to minimize rust damage. By washing your truck regularly, you’ll prevent dirt from wearing away at paint, preventing rust from finding easier ground. Paint is there to make your vehicle look nice, sure, but what you might not be aware of is that paint also helps protect your truck from rust. If you’ve been wondering why do Chevy trucks rust so bad, it may potentially be because of damage to your coat of paint that is allowing rust to get a foothold in visible places. Additionally, when you wash your truck, make sure you wash the underbody as well, as that is where a lot of rust will develop. One tip we found online to help prevent rust from spreading is to use baking soda during your wash. This will help neutralize the salt that is causing rust on your vehicle.

When you do find rust, don’t worry. The fight is not over yet. As long as the damage isn’t widespread, you can use something rough like sandpaper to rub out the rust, making sure it doesn’t continue to spread around the vehicle. If there’s one thing we know for sure about rust, it’s that once you see it you need to get rid of it before it spreads. Rust always leads to more rust. You can also buy products that will work to stop the spread of rust, though they aren’t an ultimate solution. Once you’ve gotten rid of the rust spots, if they’re on a part of your truck with paint, you’ll want to apply primer and paint over it. As we mentioned before, this paint can help protect your truck against rust in the first place, so you won’t want to just leave bare metal exposed to the elements. That will ensure that the rust will eventually make a return.

Let’s Dig into the Science of Rust

In order to really figure out why do Chevy trucks rust so bad, we have to get into the science of why rusting occurs. Rusting is a type of corrosion that occurs when iron or steel comes into contact with other elements that cause it to break down. In order for rusting to take place, there are three things that need to come into contact with one another: iron/steel, water and oxygen. Basically, when water comes into contact with oxygen and iron, the iron gets broken down into an entirely different substance: iron oxide, AKA rust. Iron and steel are pretty impossible to avoid on a truck, and it goes without saying that we need oxygen. That means that when your truck gets wet, it increases the likelihood of rusting by a lot. Now, when you add salt into the mix, the entire process becomes sped up. Because of a chemical reaction between salt and water, the corrosion occurs even quicker. What this all boils down to is that you want to avoid salt and water on your truck whenever possible.

A Possible Solution to Your Rust Problems

If you’re shopping for a vehicle, finding one that is free of rust should be one of your first priorities. If you live in the Midwest, this can be hard to accomplish. Thankfully, Ultimate Rides is here to look out for you. All of the trucks in our inventory are brought in free of rust. We do this by buying our vehicles from warmer climates like the west coast, allowing us to provide customers here in the Midwest with vehicles that aren’t rusting out. Though we can’t help you avoid rust completely once the vehicle gets here, we can make sure you aren’t dealing with a truck that’s already been dealt quite a bit of damage from the elements. With the right care and maintenance, you’ll never have to wonder why do Chevy trucks rust so bad again.

If you’ve got any questions or would like to find out more about our inventory, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. You can reach Ultimate Rides at 815-634-3900. You can also find our office at 38 W. Division St. Coal City, IL 60416.