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centerchannel68 · Mar 8, 2007, 01:26 PM

I had a thought the other day.... you know that zinc trim tab that acts as an anode to prevent the rest of the outboard from rusting? Why don't they do this with cars? I mean, I remember hearing about the penny trick, where people would lift up the carpet in their car's trunk and floorboards, and put pennies all over the place, then put the carpet back down. The idea was that if the salt and crap tried to oxidize the metal body, that an electron would simply shift from the penny to the chassis, and the chassis to the salt.

So why don't current car bodies have anodes, or some type of sacrificial block that corrodes to save the chassis?

centerchannel68 · Mar 8, 2007, 01:32 PM

Huh?

OreoCookie · Mar 8, 2007, 01:36 PM

In Germany, they zinc body parts for years now … so I'm not really sure what you mean. Usually only damaged parts of the body start rusting here, despite all the salt they use in the winter time.

centerchannel68 · Mar 8, 2007, 01:38 PM

Well I know they coat the steel bodies with zinc....but that's just a coating, and it only seems to work until that coating gets scratched. I'm asking why there isn't a user-replaceable zinc block every few feet bolted to the chassis of your car.

centerchannel68 · Mar 8, 2007, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by sek929

I read it several times and nothing jumped out at me.

Oh! I get it! You're just being a prick!

Yeah, pretty much.

Whatever. The universe tends to unfold as it should.

analogika · Mar 8, 2007, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by mac128k-1984

Before upgrading your car I suggest you upgrade your writing abilities (spell checker is your friend)

Talk about idiocy backfiring.

Gossamer · Mar 8, 2007, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

Talk about idiocy backfiring.

I think he's still mad that Rob told him his house looked weird.

Nai no Kami · Mar 8, 2007, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

I think he's still mad that Rob told him his house looked weird.

I'd like to see analogika's house. Just to have an opinion myself.

centerchannel68 · Mar 8, 2007, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Nai no Kami

I'd like to see analogika's house. Just to have an opinion myself.

Who cares? The dude has mad sound equipment. He could live in a rusting metal aircraft hanger and it'd still be cool.

vmarks · Mar 8, 2007, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

Well I know they coat the steel bodies with zinc....but that's just a coating, and it only seems to work until that coating gets scratched. I'm asking why there isn't a user-replaceable zinc block every few feet bolted to the chassis of your car.

So the bolt rusts and you end up chiseling or shearing off the threaded stud to change the block? And that doesn't even begin to talk about the efficacy of this plan?

Powerbook · Mar 8, 2007, 05:14 PM

They call it... Aluminium!

Tenacious Dyl · Mar 8, 2007, 05:32 PM

Rhinoline it. The stuff is absolutely wonderful, and lives up to the promises they make about it. Sure.. you wouldn't want it everywhere in a car / truck, but its great for doing the trunk / truck bed, and the floors.

http://www.rhinolining.net/

We had to make a very specific sized pool for part of a play that went onstage and was actually used by actors... all we had to do was make a sturdy box (wooden) and get it rhinolined. Talk about kick ass. We kept it after the show.

centerchannel68 · Mar 8, 2007, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by vmarks

So the bolt rusts and you end up chiseling or shearing off the threaded stud to change the block? And that doesn't even begin to talk about the efficacy of this plan?

Make the bolts that hold the brick on with stainless steel, or fiber reinforced plastic. Basically it just has to have surface area of the sacrificial block onto the chassis. They do this with boats and ships all the time:

Sacrificial Zincs by Don Casey

zinc alloy anode for sacrificial cathodic protection or cp in marine, pipeline and sea water

I just don't get why this isn't applied to the automotive realm.

centerchannel68 · Mar 8, 2007, 05:42 PM

[QUOTE=Powerbook;3321337]They call it... Aluminium!

They call sacrificial metals to save a steel chassis aluminum? That doesn't make sense. And aluminum can oxidize just like steel. Ever heard of aluminum oxide, or found an old soda can that's wasting away? Plus, aluminum has some properties that make it a rather inferior choice for a car body... it's a bitch to weld, it does not hold up well to constant flexing, and bunch of other crap. I could go grab the 'racer's guide to metals, fibers and materials' if you want more info.

Doofy · Mar 8, 2007, 05:43 PM

Rob, the car industry doesn't want cars to last forever because then they couldn't sell you a replacement.

centerchannel68 · Mar 8, 2007, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by Tenacious Dyl

Rhinoline it.

1. I'm not asking how to cover up rusted metal. I'm asking why a method of preserving steel that is common in the marine industry is not used in the automobile industry.

2. That crap is HEAVY

3. It's also not smooth, which would increase drag dramatically

4. It's ugly. It's used for truck beds, not coating an entire car.

Basically your response is completely useless. I mean, I can see how you read 'rust' and just thought of this stuff, but that was not what this thread was about.

centerchannel68 · Mar 8, 2007, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Rob, the car industry doesn't want cars to last forever because then they couldn't sell you a replacement.

Is that it? I mean..... that's what I'm kinda thinking, but I guess I don't understand why nobody has produced some sort of aftermarket solution for people who want to keep their cars free of rust. Basically, is there a reason this would not work on cars?

Doofy · Mar 8, 2007, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

Is that it?

I figure so.

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

I mean..... that's what I'm kinda thinking, but I guess I don't understand why nobody has produced some sort of aftermarket solution for people who want to keep their cars free of rust. Basically, is there a reason this would not work on cars?

<shrug>

Worth looking into for a business idea?

Gossamer · Mar 8, 2007, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by Tenacious Dyl

Rhinoline it. The stuff is absolutely wonderful, and lives up to the promises they make about it. Sure.. you wouldn't want it everywhere in a car / truck, but its great for doing the trunk / truck bed, and the floors.

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

1. I'm not asking how to cover up rusted metal. I'm asking why a method of preserving steel that is common in the marine industry is not used in the automobile industry.

4. It's ugly. It's used for truck beds, not coating an entire car.

Basically your response is completely useless. I mean, I can see how you read 'rust' and just thought of this stuff, but that was not what this thread was about.

The Rhinolining helps prevent rusting from happening in the first place, it's not just for covering up existing rust.

f1000 · Mar 8, 2007, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

I'm not asking how to cover up rusted metal. I'm asking why a method of preserving steel that is common in the marine industry is not used in the automobile industry.

Both the sacrificial anode and the car's entire chassis would have to be immersed in an electrolyte for your idea to work. That's why galvanization is used on car bodies instead.

besson3c · 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

Reported.

"Egg yolks remove paint. Someone could interpret this as advice and ruin their cars finish costing them thousands of dollars. He should be banned for this comment, it's freaking ridiculous how harmful this 'advice' is."

You are a complete asshole.

Rob, I literally belly laughed out loud, and I very rarely laugh this hard in here. Thanks! This was an awesome post, my wife loved it too... You rock!

You were joking, weren't you?

I wonder how many cars I've ruined, and how many cartons of eggs I've inspired people to buy?

phantomdragonz · Mar 9, 2007, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by f1000

Both the sacrificial anode and the car's entire chassis would have to be immersed in an electrolyte for your idea to work. That's why galvanization is used on car bodies instead.

ding ding ding... we have a winner!!!!

Zach

Powerbook · Mar 9, 2007, 06:30 AM

[QUOTE=centerchannel68;3321362]

Originally Posted by Powerbook

They call it... Aluminium!

They call sacrificial metals to save a steel chassis aluminum? That doesn't make sense. And aluminum can oxidize just like steel. Ever heard of aluminum oxide, or found an old soda can that's wasting away? Plus, aluminum has some properties that make it a rather inferior choice for a car body... it's a bitch to weld, it does not hold up well to constant flexing, and bunch of other crap. I could go grab the 'racer's guide to metals, fibers and materials' if you want more info.

No, I have never seen a rusting aluminum car, I'm sure automobile alloys meet higher requirements than a soda can. The building process is more complicated, but trust me, Audi knows what they are doing. The do a mixture of tiny spot welding, bolding and gluing.

PB.

Tiresias · Mar 9, 2007, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Rob, the car industry doesn't want cars to last forever because then they couldn't sell you a replacement.

Put it in song.

centerchannel68 · Mar 9, 2007, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by f1000

Both the sacrificial anode and the car's entire chassis would have to be immersed in an electrolyte for your idea to work. That's why galvanization is used on car bodies instead.

Why? If some salt water mixture took an electron from my fender, why couldn't my fender simply take an electron from the anode?

centerchannel68 · Mar 9, 2007, 08:15 AM

Never underestimate the stupidity of the average person.

Gossamer · Mar 9, 2007, 08:41 AM

Aluminum doesn't rust in the same way iron does. It reacts with the oxygen and moisture in the air to form Aluminum Oxide which manifests itself as a "film" layer on the surface of the aluminum, preventing any further rust.

smacintush · Mar 9, 2007, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

Aluminum doesn't rust in the same way iron does. It reacts with the oxygen and moisture in the air to form Aluminum Oxide which manifests itself as a "film" layer on the surface of the aluminum, preventing any further rust.

Yeah I remember a few years back one of our customers returned a shipment of pistons to us because they thought the film could be anthrax.

Dakar² · Mar 9, 2007, 08:57 AM

Is it a full moon out or something?

Gossamer · Mar 9, 2007, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

THIS IS MY THREAD. Not yours. I am reporting people who feel the need to **** all over it and derail the topic and post stupid crap I'm not interested in. You are being a prick. I am not attacking you or calling you names, I am saying you are acting like a total dick. You're also CONTINUING to derail my topic. Reported for derailment, AND for baiting, since you're post is quite obviously meant to incite anger from me. I hope you have a really crappy day.

It was a joke (hence the white text) and I hope someone gets a chuckle out of it. Sorry for ruining your day.

ThinkInsane · Mar 9, 2007, 08:59 AM

Robert, you certainly know how to lose the moral high ground.

OreoCookie · Mar 9, 2007, 09:06 AM

I think a lot of people have lost moral high ground here. They shouldn't feel any safer than Rob about this.