Does this product exist? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Does this product exist?

Mr Dubya

Elite Wannabe Explorer
Elite Explorer
Joined
June 21, 2012
Messages
460
Reaction score
1
City, State
Boston, Massachusetts
Year, Model & Trim Level
'03 Explorer Ltd. 4.6L V8
All,

May take this thread to the broader community in the future. I'm big into preventative maintenance, almost to a neurotic degree. I've always had this idea of a product, and cannot find any breadcrumb trails on the internet to lead me onto whether it exists.

Simply enough, is there some form of putty or malleable compound that can be put on top of bolt heads, or exposed bolt threads so as to keep moisture and dirt out/off and prevent corrosion/rust? Something that could be pulled/peeled off when it comes time to service that bolt. It could either be one-use only and disposable, or something that can be re-stuck back on.

It seems like such a simple concept, which may mean there's a reason it doesn't exist. If it doesn't, what kind of common products might accomplish this? Play-Doh might dry out and become too brittle to last any useful length of time. A variety of clay may absorb too much water and defeat the original purpose. Maybe some synthetic compound that would stick and then come off alltogether, and not deteriorate?

I think this would be an interesting discussion to have. Anyone have some thoughts? If this doesn't exist, I'd like to look into developing something in the distant future. I can imagine how useful it might be for areas prone to heavy rusting.




-Dubya
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.











vaseline/A+D ointment, just like on my electrical connections if Dielectric isn't handy!
 






I've put silicone caulk over bolt heads and rust spots before. Peels off easy or put on a light coating and you can slip a socket right over it, then peel it off before putting the bolt back in. Works great.
 






I'll second the use of silicone caulk or using rubberized undercoating spray that comes in a spray can. The undercoating can be removed easily using a wire wheel attachment for a drill. It's also easy to apply. The rusty joys of living in the salty North East!
 






How about thermal considerations? I don't suppose silicon caulk would be effective on exhaust flange bolts or the like?

Has anyone run into something that would behave more like a putty of some sort? Imagine pulling out a small glop from a can and pressing/forming it around a bolt head with your fingers - and then peeling it off the same way when it comes time to service it?
 






Most of the fastener corrosion in modern vehicles is galvanic. Not exposure. That's why anti-seize is impregnated with sacrificial metals.
 






Patent the idea and sell it to the Permatex folks.
 






Most of the fastener corrosion in modern vehicles is galvanic. Not exposure. .

It depends on where you live. In the North Eastern States, that have long, (6 month) snowy winters and use "road salt" to de-ice the roadways, most of the under body corrosion is from the combination of road salt and wet roads/moisture working together to rust up our vehicles. It takes a month or so of heavy spring rains to finally wash the roads clean of the road salt residue after a winter, not to mention the ripped up asphalt grit/stones left over from all the snow plow damage that occurs to the surface of the roadways each winter. The same might be said for corrosion of anyone living near the ocean and dealing with salt water spray.
 






Most of the fastener corrosion in modern vehicles is galvanic. Not exposure. That's why anti-seize is impregnated with sacrificial metals.

I agree, however with a material capable of forming to the bolt head and sealing out any electrolyte (moisture, etc) from bridging the bolt and it's hole, wouldn't that eliminate the possibility of galvanic corrosion? It seems as though if the bolt does not contact an electrolyte then it cannot come into electrical contact with it's hole.

-Dubya
 






It depends on where you live. In the North Eastern States, that have long, (6 month) snowy winters and use "road salt" to de-ice the roadways, most of the under body corrosion is from the combination of road salt and wet roads/moisture working together to rust up our vehicles. It takes a month or so of heavy spring rains to finally wash the roads clean of the road salt residue after a winter, not to mention the ripped up asphalt grit/stones left over from all the snow plow damage that occurs to the surface of the roadways each winter. The same might be said for corrosion of anyone living near the ocean and dealing with salt water spray.

Ah yes I forget about road salt living down south.

But, same difference. Road salt, whether it be sodium chloride or some other salt, acts as an electrolyte and just speeds up the galvanic process.

IMHO, cars should have earth ground connector, and/or electronic corrosion systems like boats. Stray battery currents greatly impact rate of corrosion. Hooking a boat (and car, I would think?) to a true earth ground while not being used slows corrosion big time.

There are also systems that impart the correct current (dc I think) and polarity to slow or stop this type of corrosion.

Auto makers could also put sacrificial blocks of zinc or something on the engine that are replaceable, like on boats, barges, and radio towers.

I bet these boat systems could be modified to work on cars pretty easily.
 






I agree, however with a material capable of forming to the bolt head and sealing out any electrolyte (moisture, etc) from bridging the bolt and it's hole, wouldn't that eliminate the possibility of galvanic corrosion? It seems as though if the bolt does not contact an electrolyte then it cannot come into electrical contact with it's hole.

-Dubya

Sealing it won't help in that case, you need something to sacrifice itself, like another metal. Some type of metal impregnated stuff like antiseize would probably work.

Maybe you could somehow combine RTV and antiseize into something?

You can use cold galvanizing paint, too. It's basically a super high zinc content primer. (It's pretty cool because of all the metal it's super heavy compared to normal paint.) You can paint it on and it will take the corrosion bullet for what it's painted on. Even cooler, the zinc will migrate and fill in any pinholes that develop in the protection layer. You can buy fasteners with coating already applied from McMaster. They also sell the paint at hardware stores. Sometimes called cold galvanizing, or zinc paint, or chain link fence galvanizing repair paint.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ole...y-Cold-Galvanizing-Compound-7585838/100142963
 






Ah yes I forget about road salt living down south.


Auto makers could also put sacrificial blocks of zinc or something on the engine that are replaceable, like on boats, barges, and radio towers.

I bet these boat systems could be modified to work on cars pretty easily.

I owned a boat and know what you are talking about with those "zinc anodes". I had to replace mine before and it attached to the out drive of the boat. It became corroded and wore away over time in the water. Have seen them mounted on the hulls of ships as well. Your idea sounds like it could work, but I think automakers would lose tons of replacement parts money if nothing ever rusted and rotted off of our cars and that's not going to happen.
 






They also sell the paint at hardware stores. Sometimes called cold galvanizing, or zinc paint, or chain link fence galvanizing repair paint.

rl]

Chain link fence paint! Man does that bring back memories of when I was a kid. I had to paint 200 feet of fence (both sides) around our back yard in South Buffalo and by the time I got done, I was covered in silver colored paint. I looked like the friggin "Tin Man" from the Wizard of OZ when I was done. :D
 






Sealing it won't help in that case, you need something to sacrifice itself, like another metal.

Why would sealing not help if it prevented an electrolyte from being exposed to the bolt head? Don't the two metals need to be in contact with moisture to corrode the anode?
 






I owned a boat and know what you are talking about with those "zinc anodes". I had to replace mine before and it attached to the out drive of the boat. It became corroded and wore away over time in the water. Have seen them mounted on the hulls of ships as well. Your idea sounds like it could work, but I think automakers would lose tons of replacement parts money if nothing ever rusted and rotted off of our cars and that's not going to happen.

Yep that's what I'm talking about. But, I'm just guessing. Maybe that only works in water? I don't know enough about the chemistry. I'm pretty sure I've seen radio towers with zinc blocks on them.
 






Chain link fence paint! Man does that bring back memories of when I was a kid. I had to paint 200 feet of fence (both sides) around our back yard in South Buffalo and by the time I got done, I was covered in silver colored paint. I looked like the friggin "Tin Man" from the Wizard of OZ when I was done. :D

Haha! Awesome.
 






Back
Top