Toyota Trucks: Fighting oxidation?

Sure it isn't just salts built up? Aluminum and magnesium will
oxidize/corrode to a whitish color, powdery, but steel turns reddish even
before it flakes away. Try scrubbing it down really good first with a really
powerful cleaner (Maybe full strength orange oil cleaner, simple green?
guys- what would cut the salts well? My forte' is mostly household messes...
(; maybe even baking soda?)

If it is indeed oxidized, then yes, it will eventually corrode (note that
'rust' is the common term, but only refers to the color of corroding metal.
Most people I know call it 'corrosion'.)
http://lama.kcc.hawaii.edu/external/chemistry/everyday_corrosion.html here's
a good article on how this occurs.
http://www.tc-11.com/Fundamentals_of_Corrosion.htm another good article on
corrosion (note that the lower half seems to be an ad for a corrosion
control product, not necessarily automotive use.)
Might be a good idea to have the car treated with a 'rust proof'
undercoating by a reputable company, making sure that it is warranted and
that they clean the oxidation off prior to spraying everything. Could be
costly if they have to clean everything first though. Never lived in a snowy
climate to know how much that stuff sets you back.

There's probably a lot of products out there to clean the metal of
oxidation, and all claiming to be better than the next with price tags to
match the claims. I know the Navy just sands off the oxidation/corrosion and
paints over it, and it seems to work fine for their multimillion dollar
fighter jets and ships. (If it is extensive enough, they have compounds to
patch it with.) So try sandpaper first, WD-40 around the bolts to get them
off and protect them once they're clean (and if they break, drill em out and
replace them, and deal with it. Small cost to protect the metal around
them.) Then if you're still worried, apply a barrier film of some sort.
Shoot it all with black paint if you fancy.

--
Dee
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