There is no way for municipalities to avoid the damaging chemicals used to clear roadways in winter, but understanding the nature of these compounds and learning how to take preemptive measures can keep trucks lasting longer.

During a 2016 Technology & Maintenance Council task force meeting on cab and controls corrosion, chairman Tim Brune said, “We are seeing a lot of corrosion happening in cabs.”

Corrosive chemicals wreak havoc on cabs in more ways than one. The spray that comes off the road impacts the underside of the cab, and driver footwear brings corrosive chemicals into the cab several times a day.

It’s bad enough to have snow and ice combined with the deicing chemicals, but their hygroscopic nature makes things worse. According to the Identification and Laboratory Assessment of Best Practices to Protect DOT Equipment from the Corrosive Effect of Chemical Deicers, hygroscopic material continues to draw moisture from the air even in seemingly dry environments. As a driver’s shoes dry out, the remnants of the deicing chemicals get sucked into the truck’s HVAC system and recirculated throughout the cab, where they continue to attract moisture because of their hygroscopic nature.

Several task force attendees said when they rolled up cab rugs on two to three-year-old trucks, corrosion had eaten away the floor. However, the floor is not the only item damaged by deicing substances. Seat belt mounts and retractors can also be damaged, and replacing electrical wiring and connectors costs thousands of dollars. During the task force meeting, one attendee said that corrosion had destroyed a $4,000 sensor within six months.

Many municipalities have switched to chloride deicers, such as calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, to keep roads passable during winter. Both chemicals are more effective than sodium chloride because they provide lower freeze points, cost less, and are less harmful to the environment. Some also mix in liquids such as sugar beet juice or vegetable oil to improve adhesion to road surfaces and spray road surfaces before storms hit to get ahead of the snow and ice.

Even if the cab floor fails to show rust, it will take a beating and lose some appeal, and winter chemicals aren’t the only things drivers can bring into the cab. During other months of the year, road tar and fertilizers make their way into municipal trucks, making it hard to keep the interior clean.

Minimizer custom molded floor mats are one option for fighting the effects of in-cab corrosion. The mat’s raised edge will contain any spills or messes – including deicing chemicals – and keep them off the floor. Rather than spend a day in the shop scrubbing and detailing the cab, the cleaning process takes seconds. “We can remove the mats and take a pressure washer to them. It takes about 30 seconds,” K&B Transportation Vice President Brock Ackerman said.

Ackerman insists K&B has saved a lot of money since installing Minimizer floor mats. “Probably saved me about a thousand dollars a truck over the life of the truck,” Ackerman said.

Minimizer offers custom molded floor mats for 90% of the newer trucks on the road. To find the correct part number for your municipal trucks, visit minimizer.com.

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