Interior Corrosion – Public Enemy Number One to Semi-Truck Cabs

Interior Corrosion – Public Enemy Number One to Semi-Truck Cabs

Sponsored by Premier Manufacturing Co.

In-cab corrosion is a big deal in the heavy-duty trucking industry, costing fleets five-to-six figures annually.

Every fleet manager in the business would love to eliminate in-cab corrosion, but how?

Chemicals are introduced to the cab by a driver’s boots, and drivers are in and out of the truck numerous times a day. The salt and grime brought into the cab on a driver’s boots are the number one source for interior cab corrosion. It’s a seemingly impossible fight.

In the winter, snow and ice team up with the deicing chemicals used on roadways to wreak havoc on a cab’s interior. The problem is made worse because of the hygroscopic nature of the chemicals.

Hygroscopic material continues to draw moisture from the air, even in seemingly dry environments. 

As the driver’s boots dry out, the deicing chemicals’ remnants get sucked into the HVAC system are recirculated throughout the cab.

The Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) has had many discussions regarding in-cab corrosion. Their task force on the subject has discovered that many rolled up cab rugs on two to three-year-old trucks had been nearly eaten away by corrosion. 

However, the floor itself isn’t the only thing impacted by corrosion. Seat belt mounts and retractors are also vulnerable, but perhaps more importantly, the damage to electrical wiring and connectors can be devastating, not to mention costly.

During a 2016 TMC task force meeting, one attendee said that corrosion had destroyed a four-thousand-dollar sensor within six months. The task force’s advice was to inspect all sealed connectors because once moisture gets in the cab, it gets in the wires.

Most highway departments now use chloride-based deicers, such as calcium chloride or magnesium chloride. While these compounds do an excellent job of keeping roads clear during inclement weather, they also pose a significant risk to commercial vehicles.

Several fleets say that it costs them between eight hundred and fifteen hundred dollars every time a driver leaves because that’s the cost to either replace or clean the cab floor. And the chemicals that impact that floor are a deterrent to attracting and retaining drivers.

One of the best ways to prevent in-cab corrosion are tray-style floor mats, which have a raised edge all around the mat, keeping the deicing chemicals–along with any spills or messes­­–on the mat and off the floor.

These types of floor mats can be cleaned in seconds, eliminating the need to remove the driver’s seat to get to the carpet, so you can then remove the carpet and steam-clean it. That’s an all-day job with enormous shop rates, whereas these tray-style mats can be pulled out with ease and cleaned in a matter of minutes.

They also do a great job of keeping the cab and its native floor looking brand new, so any driver will be impressed with his new rig when he steps inside.

In-cab corrosion is a formidable opponent, but there are some solutions out there that can help you beat one of the costliest issues in trucking today.

You May Also Like

How air quality impacts diesel engine air filtration

Just as you feel it when you breathe in air with a poor air quality index, your engine also feels it. 

WIX-logo

As diesel engine aftertreatment systems became more and more efficient the adage in the trucking industry was that the air coming out of the tailpipe was cleaner than the air going into the engine. As air quality worsens across the globe that adage is quickly becoming a stark truism. Just as you feel it when you breathe in air with a poor air quality index, your engine also feels it. 

Don’t slack when it comes to heavy-duty truck slack adjuster inspection

The crucial role of slack adjusters in truck safety, understanding legal limits, and the innovative features offered by Motor Wheel

FUCHS Launches RENOLIT CSX AWE 0, a Sustainable Grease for Heavy Duty Truck Trailer Axles

FUCHS Lubricants Co. recently released RENOLIT CSX AWE 0, a calcium sulfonate complex grease for truck trailer axle hubs. When compared to the industry-standard legacy grease in a third-party side-by-side study, RENOLIT CSX AWE 0 exhibits improved low friction performance, lower running temperature, and improved extreme-pressure performance. Using this product, OEMs can expect better protection

The ABC’s of tire load capacity

By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll realize that ensuring optimal tire performance can be as easy as ABC.

Keep an eye on coolants in today’s advanced diesel engines

What to focus on when it comes to heavy-duty truck diesel engine coolant maintenance.

WIX-logo

Other Posts

Minimizer adds floor mat selector tool

The tool connects users to local and online distribution options.

The true cost of bargain air spring spec’ing

Reproductions made of cheaper, less stable materials are on the rise in the global market.

Tire maintenance tips to avoid heavy-duty pressure points

Tire pressure, or a lack thereof, can be a significant driver of overall fuel consumption. In fact, research from NACFE reveals that a 0.5-1.0% increase in fuel consumption is seen in vehicles running with tires underinflated by just 10 PSI. It is important to note the council also found about one in five trailers are

Managing wheel-end PMs to reduce unforeseen service events

Trailer service pop quiz: Do you consider inspections “maintenance”? Answer: Maybe you should, according to Greg Dvorchak, Engineering Supervisor – Brake and Wheel-End Division, Hendrickson. “Inspection is maintenance,” says Dvorchak. From his perspective, service needs and preventive maintenance are two different things. Preventive maintenance is done to extend intervals between service or avoid unplanned wheel-end