The zinc dissolves instead of the steel, keeping the steel safe, until the zinc dissolves away. That means the steel is coated with zinc. To prevent that, car builders now use galvanized steel. Iron is the man ingredient in the steel used to build your car – and, as anyone who has ever owned a car built before the mid-1980s can tell you, steel rusts. This corrosion happens with most metals and gets sped up when water combines with carbon dioxide, the chemicals in acid rain and road salt. The oxygen steals electrons from the iron and the iron slowly disappears, producing rust. Rust is iron-oxide and it is caused by a chemical reaction between oxygen and iron when exposed to water. The word theory gets used a lot on brochures for these gadgets, but, other than comments on various Internet discussion boards, there's no research showing that a vehicle equipped with the device had less corrosion than it would have had anyway, Iny said.Ĭorrosion, oxidation and rust all mean the same thing - water, salt and pollutants are dissolving your vehicle. "I'd like to see a technical report signed by a Canadian engineer that shows the device is effective." "Your car's not usually underwater," Iny says. While device manufacturers have plenty of anecdotal evidence from satisfied customers, Iny says he's seen no studies showing electronic rust inhibitors actually protect your car on the road. Those devices only work when the metal is submerged in water.
The consumer watchdog doesn't recommend the devices, which are based on the concept of cathodic protection used on the submerged parts of bridges and boat motors. – Mario, Kelowna, B.C.Įlectronic rust protectors will eat a hole through your wallet and probably won't protect your vehicle any more than it's protected already, according to the Automobile Protection Association.ĭealers charge as much as $800 for the quickly-installed device - a small box that applies a weak electric current to the metal on your vehicle - which normally retails for as low as $150, says APA president George Iny. Besides the corrosion protection, the Undercoating will also provide some insulation from heat and cold, as well as help tamp down on road noise and vehicle vibrations.I just bought a new Tucson and wondered if it's necessary to have an electronic rust inhibitor installed? The dealership recommends the gadget, but I was wondering what your take would be. The asphalt formula will not freeze, crack, pocket or “fall off in strips” like outmoded rubberized formulas commonly used by installers and found in DIY auto stores. ValuGard Undercoatings are black, solvent, asphalt cutback formulas applied to the underbody areas and wheel wells to protect these areas from damaging effects of the de-icing brines found in today’s environment. VG-104 Solvent Undercoating / VG-160 Military Spec Undercoating Also, unlike our competition, VG-101 Rust Preventative is designed as a single application and does not require annual inspections or reapplications – saving you time and hassle every year you own your car! Continue reading to find out about Undercoating! Unlike some of our competition, ValuGard DOES NOT drill holes, instead fogged (atomized) into those areas, and is sprayed through existing holes found on the vehicles.
It is a vital part of corrosion protection with the Liquid Brines used on roads today! This product is applied with atomizing equipment to ensure comprehensive coverage over all the surfaces in a particular cavity. Rust proofing or rust inhibitor is installed in the closed cavities, crevices and channels found in many modern vehicles. Rust Proofing is a generic term used in the automotive industry to describe protection on vehicles from corrosive activity and is often considered to be the equivalent of Undercoating. VG-101 Military Spec Cavity Rust Inhibitor Rust Proofing (aka Rust Inhibitor, Rust Preventative)