Snow Stupid Question: Transporting Tractor in Snow w/ Salt?

[rhatfiel]

OK, stupid question from a guy picking up his first tractor. Forum has been super helpful on the buy side, and now I'm picking up a 2013 Kioti CK2510 this Saturday and hauling back on an open trailer 2+ hours home. We're supposed to get a few inches of snow, so the roads will obviously be covered in salt.

Do I need to worry about a rinse down or wipe down of the tractor when we get it back home from all of the salt it will take on? Clearly these machines are made to take a beating, and I see heavy equipment along highways all of the time during construction, but I've also heard warnings of washing out fertilizer spreaders and such to the point of being able to eat off them to avoid rust.

Thoughts?

 

[George2615]

Welcome to TBN.........
I guess it depends on whether your outdoor spigot is frozen when you get home. If not, you could hose it down to get the road salt off. I doubt there would be any serious damage not hosing it.

I bought and picked up my tractor during a blizzard almost 5 years ago. I was on the road for about an hour to get home. When I got it home it spent the next two days plowing snow. The weather wasn't warm enough to hose it off for over a week. When I did finally hose it off the entire tractor was encased with a layer of ice. I parked it in the garage which was about 35 degrees and it took a couple days for the ice to melt. I've had no problems with any premature rust.

The same goes for my trailer, truck, or other vehicles. During winter when we get a day where the temps get up to 40 or so I'll hose the road salt off the best I can. I suppose the are some drive through car wash places that do spray the underside of vehicles but the nearest one to me is about 18 miles away. It would be a waste of time for me to go there and by the time I get home the underside is salt covered again.

Another option would be to wrap the tractor with a tarp after securing on the trailer to keep the salt to a minimum.

 

[LouNY]

The unfortunate proplem hauling on sloppy roads is that the salt/calcium sprat will get everywhere on and in your tractor.
Myself if I was hauling my own equipment in those conditions it would get the best rinse down I could do when I got it home,
after the rinsing/washing I'd try and blow as much water off and out of the wiring harness area,
then I have a gallon jug of WD40 sitting there with a hand sprayer or pump up sprayer and I would give all my wire connectors and
wiring harness and linkage a good WD flush.

 

[3Lfarms]

When you get home and the roads are dry, take it on the trailer to a do it yourself car wash and wash both the tractor and trailer.

 

[Like Tractors]

Road salt was invented in Hades and delivered to us at the hands of the Devil! I recommend you make ever attempt possible to wash the tractor thoroughly to get the salt residue off of every component. Salt is hygroscopic, any remaining salt residue will attract moisture and will cause corrosion. I have vehicles I won't drive in the winter because of the salt damage. The smart money is to wait till salt is not a threat.

 

[the old grind]

Rock salt is hygroscopic at something above 80% humidity. CaCl is hygroscopic above 20% humidity, making it 'sweat' in most North-American climes. Warmer temps speed corrosion, and freezing temps can ****** it, thought these are typically secondary to a chemical's innate corrosion potential.

Know what your demon really is. Here in MI we mis-credit highway 'rock' salt for the tremendous damage from CaCl dumped regularly on unpaved roads to keep dust down and cement fines to gravel. Depending on how far one lives 'off the pavement' many of us have more underside-washing to do in Summer than in winter.

Those who deny the basics may be doomed to trade in a rust-bucket. (eg: unwashed student commuter iron) That said, there is no substitute for prodigious rinsing whenever in doubt. If a tarp wouldn't flap too much and ruin paint, I'd want the extra coverage to minimize what 'spray' could seep into tiny spaces. btw, parking outside in the weather/rain for a day or two when warm, and/or plowing snow when it's coming down 'wet' are IMO underrated 'cleaning' shortcuts. (no cabs, please)

Agree that liberal dowsing of exposed metal with WD-40 is usually a good thing to do. Also know of a trucker who trigger-sprays Armor All under the hood of his own cars/trucks after a light rinse at a DIY car wash. (No rust, no dust, and 8 YO cars looking like new dealer demos.) btw, the 'cleanest rinse' can invite corrosion if we don't 'post-treat' bare metal to minimize flash rust. Just my $2.02.

 

[ArlyA]

Nice to have you here with us rhatfiel. I'd not loose any sleep over salt or no salt. I'd worry more about hauling that load on a slippery road....

 

[Industrial Toys]

I worry about Salt too. Try and cover the equipment and wash it off. Salt tends to CREEP everywhere! This place is just a sheet of ice, yet I refuse to use a teaspoon of the stuff on the ground!

 

[dmottv]

OK, stupid question from a guy picking up his first tractor. Forum has been super helpful on the buy side, and now I'm picking up a 2013 Kioti CK2510 this Saturday and hauling back on an open trailer 2+ hours home. We're supposed to get a few inches of snow, so the roads will obviously be covered in salt.

Do I need to worry about a rinse down or wipe down of the tractor when we get it back home from all of the salt it will take on? Clearly these machines are made to take a beating, and I see heavy equipment along highways all of the time during construction, but I've also heard warnings of washing out fertilizer spreaders and such to the point of being able to eat off them to avoid rust.

Thoughts?

I had my first tractor, a 2014 CK2510, delivered on an open trailer two weeks ago! I think we may have nearly identical machines based on reading one of your other threads. I'm under the impression the CK2510 started at the 2014 model, though they were produced in 2013. I'd like to see if there is more specific info based on the VIN. I never thought about the salt exposure, that's a good question! Congratulations and enjoy!

 

[Greenland South]

I frequently haul my tractor back and forth to our remote property throughout the winter. If its warmer than -15c I'll stop at the carwash on the way home to give it a bath. At that temp, or warmer there is a lot of snow debris flying around.

If it were my tractor I'd be giving it a bath. Salt and dirt hold moisture.