Ever wondered about how lawn weed and feed reacts with aluminium?

"4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30" (4muddyfeet)
02/08/2016 at 11:08 • Filed to: Aluminiumthermite

Well here is the result, unbelievably rapid alu rot. It’s only taken 2 months to reach this stage, after spilling some autumn weed and feed granules down the back of the ply lining on the inside of the box trailer and then thinking nothing more than, ‘oh well, what harm can it do?’

I suppose at least I get to use my rivet gun again (sorry RamblinRover, no BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTTTTDDDD yet) but I also have to pay for a sheet of aluminium.

Here’s the other side for comparison.

DISCUSSION (12)

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
02/08/2016 at 11:19

I predict rotted F150's.

Needmoargarage > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
02/08/2016 at 11:27

Does your state de-ice roads with fertilizer often?

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
02/08/2016 at 11:40

Paint. Primer. Those two words will hopefully save them...

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Needmoargarage
02/08/2016 at 11:49

Say wut?

I’m talking about 2 things:

1. Landscapers. You know, people who use their trucks to haul around things concerning their business which involves, among other things, caring for peoples lawns. Which involves, eventually, the inevitable leaky bag of fertilizer.

2. Douchebags that like to fuck with peoples vehicles because they’re bitter, jealous, smug, a bit of each, or some other equally stupid reason. Easy way to wreak a vehicle? Lets try it!!

And province btw.

Gone > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
02/08/2016 at 11:57

Magnesium or potassium chloride in the fertilizer will make wonderful galvanic corrosion buddies with the aluminum and water. If you’ve got a bad ground or current flowing into the body, it would be electrolytic corrosion as well. MAG is (was?) used to de-ice roads in many states.

Next time, also drop a chunk of zinc in there in order to stop it.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
02/08/2016 at 11:57

Nothing quite like alu rot when there’s a little acid, a little salt, and a sabotage metal present. Having alu on its own is one thing, having sheet in contact with steel is an invitation for horror. My Series when I got it had big holes blown through the rear floor where there’d been contact between the steel ribs and the sheet. Horribly reactive stuff if it has a galvanic pathway to reduce through and a helpful corroded metal of another kind nearby. It’s trying to “save” the rotted steel, see, by throwing itself in front of the corrosion truck. Metaphorically.

One reason cast aluminum can be nice - there’s only so much corroded white devil powder that can form. We’ve got an old cast alu-decked lawn mower that’s still holding together alright.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/08/2016 at 12:03

Hopefully. I’m pretty sure fertilizer isn’t really kind to anything though. It’ll probably do the same thing to steel, actually, but it’ll take much longer.

Anyway, I see this as being primarily an issue for landscapers, and with the equipment they use the bed paint is bound to get scratched away. Drop in bedliners have holes that the fertilizer can drop through and be forgotten, and given enough time I wouldn’t be surprised if it could eat through the paint as well—it’s pretty corrosive stuff.

Basically anything that isn’t a spray-in is a worry point.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
02/08/2016 at 12:31

almost every truck on the lot at my local Ford dealer has a spray-in bed liner pre-applied... you can still ORDER one without a liner, but I have yet to see a dealer-lot-stock aluminum F150 without one.

edit: turns out the local dealer DOES have aluminum F150s without bed liners in stock , they’re just at the second location and they only keep the loaded ones at the main building....

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/08/2016 at 12:36

You’re good then.

Needmoargarage > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
02/08/2016 at 12:58

I gotcha, I’m just playing around. The aluminum F-150s are significantly better prepped than the trailer pictured. I don’t imagine most landscapers would skimp on a decent bedliner either (if they didn’t already get one from the factory.) I don’t imagine we’ll see much real difference between aluminum and steel however. If so, it will be a universal problem regardless.

As for ways to mess with another’s vehicle, there are plenty regardless of construction. Ever see the effects of brake fluid on auto paint?

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Needmoargarage
02/08/2016 at 13:03

The thing is, I doubt a drop in bedliner would save it. It’ll get through the holes eventually, and once it’s there it’s forgotten. It’s spray-in or nothing. I think you’re right on the steel doing the same thing in the long run, but I don’t think it would rot that bad in 2 months.

I can’t say I have. We still don’t need any more ways though.

We’ll have to wait and see in any case

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
02/08/2016 at 16:56

Yeh mine started at the back where the body meets the rear crossmember. It hasn't moved since I've owned it so I assume it's stopped! This rot on the trailer took me by surprise with just how bad it is in the space of a couple of months. Ugh.