Got salt? Options

[Shivers]

In my limited experience (since 2019), the rock salt is the only thing that can melt through snow and ice build up. But it also acts like a bead blaster on fenders and undercarriage.

Wouldn't it be more fun to just have flamethrowers on the front of your cars ? And save the salt for Margaritas. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[dhuckabay]

Think you will find that this is magnesium chloride, less corrosive than salt.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-1435-1643640394.1.jpg)
PA has gone to using brine, which seems to be worse then salt when it comes to corrosion. But its cheaper then rock salt and in theory you get more even coverage.

But when I see the panic lines show up on the road for the first time, thats the end of the driving season until the spring rains wash all that crap off the roads.

Zach

[emerygt350]

In minnesota, where it used to be regularly too cold for salt to really do much, they would just put sand down. Worked fine for in town.

[Superhawk996]

In minnesota, where it used to be regularly too cold for salt to really do much, they would just put sand down. Worked fine for in town.

That's what a lot of places used to do . . . . back when people were expected to know how to drive in all weather conditions.

Now salt is the "miracle cure". Reduces accidents since so few drivers actually know how to judge tire grip. Or worse, how to control their cars if they get out of line -- so Stability Control to the rescue. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[wonkipop]

In minnesota, where it used to be regularly too cold for salt to really do much, they would just put sand down. Worked fine for in town.

i think that is what i was getting at as a dumb aussie.

we get snow here.
but only in the alpine regions.
they use sand.

[wonkipop]

In minnesota, where it used to be regularly too cold for salt to really do much, they would just put sand down. Worked fine for in town.

That's what a lot of places used to do . . . . back when people were expected to know how to drive in all weather conditions.

Now salt is the "miracle cure". Reduces accidents since so few drivers actually know how to judge tire grip. Or worse, how to control their cars if they get out of line -- so Stability Control to the rescue. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

there is a limit to that electronic stuff.
as the evidence shows down here.
roll over stats have gone through the roof in recent years.
SUV drivers armed with ABS, ESC, etc have little or no sense anymore of vehicle limits? mobile ortho shoes with high centres of gravity get into situations where the electronics hand off control back to driver, "i give up, good luck, see you when its all over".

[JmuRiz]

Looks like my roads, brined before and salted during....all for 1” of snow.

Oh yeah, they did nothing when we had 6” a couple weeks ago, ughhh (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[Van B]

Looks like my roads, brined before and salted during....all for 1” of snow.

Oh yeah, they did nothing when we had 6” a couple weeks ago, ughhh (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

Lol… that was a good time! We got a solid 12” here in Waldorf.
I never get tired of seeing all the creative ways people crash their cars on snow pack roads.
The day after That storm I was driving to work and I saw a Lincoln Navigator that someone drove into a bar ditch and tried to drive out with the entire passenger side slammed against the side of the ditch. They plowed about 20yds until they buried the car lol…

[bkrantz]

dumb question from dumb australian.

but why the fuch do they still use salt.
its the 21st century.
isn't there something better out there?

it hit 35.5C today.
there was a lot of salt residue all over me.
sweating it out on the falcon ute down at the workshop.
i hope i am not making it rust again.

i did not approach within 40 feet of the 914.

Salt is probably cheap and if salting saves 1 life it's worth it. Not sure of you winters in Aussie, but here in the Northeast US it gets nasty

it might save lives, but it costs plenty in corrosion of just about everything, including road beds, bridges, utility lines, and of course, vehicles. Other materials also provide benefit with less impact. Material cost might be more, but total cost is less.

[ClayPerrine]

For those of you that may not experience this... The white on the road,that is all salt. That is black asphalt on a perfectly dry day. No snow on the road.

I grew up in Northeastern Ohio. I remember shoveling the nasty white stuff out of the driveway. I hated every minute of it. If I could move farther south, I would.

And that nasty white stuff is on the ground next to the road.

What sucks is the weather forecast is calling for freezing rain going to snow for Wed/Thu timeframe. I can work from home, so I won't be going out at all.

It was 70 degrees here on Sunday. We took both 914s out and drove them. But they are back in the garage waiting until after the freeze to come out.

[Front yard mechanic]

In New Mexico we just toss dirt on the road in the summer and hope it stays till winter (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[iankarr]

As much as I hate salt...sand might be worse since it doesn't dissolve and just stays there on the side of the road, waiting to blast our paint when the wind blows it back into the street.

[930cabman]

In New Mexico we just toss dirt on the road in the summer and hope it stays till winter (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

+1, great idea

[wonkipop]

there is a place in aus to drive on salt with a smile.

looking forward to getting there soonish.
bonus = hundreds of ks of dirt/sand/dust before you hit the salt.

[Superhawk996]

there is a place in aus to drive on salt with a smile.

Shame Burt Munro had to come all the way to Bonneville then! What a legend! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

[PatrickB]

dumb question from dumb australian.

but why the fuch do they still use salt.
its the 21st century.
isn't there something better out there?

it hit 35.5C today.
there was a lot of salt residue all over me.
sweating it out on the falcon ute down at the workshop.
i hope i am not making it rust again.

i did not approach within 40 feet of the 914.

We still use salt because it's effective and cheaper than anything else. There are alternatives but they all cost a LOT more money. (I'm a roads supervisor ). We use brine to help the salt get started at it's job and to stop the salt from bouncing off the road when it comes out of the truck (pre-wet). Salt won't work unless it's wet, and won't work at all below about -12 or -14 c . Sand is okay up to a point and works at colder temperatures, but needs to be applied at a much higher rate which means more trucks on the road. Also needs to be stored inside so it doesn't freeze solid, means we need a huge building to put it in. And yes, we DO have to try to make the roads idiot proof to avoid lawsuits. Lots of times I drive to work just fine before the plow/salt trucks are out, but there's always people going in the ditch.

[wonkipop]

there is a place in aus to drive on salt with a smile.

Shame Burt Munro had to come all the way to Bonneville then! What a legend! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

you are right, burt was a legend.
also a kiwi. more inventive than aussies were - by sheer necessity.

about 50 years ahead of his time.
its amazing that he got himself to bonneville back then.
almost more amazing than the bike he built.

sadly we are both now nations of soft handed consumers.

[930cabman]

dumb question from dumb australian.

but why the fuch do they still use salt.
its the 21st century.
isn't there something better out there?

it hit 35.5C today.
there was a lot of salt residue all over me.
sweating it out on the falcon ute down at the workshop.
i hope i am not making it rust again.

i did not approach within 40 feet of the 914.

We still use salt because it's effective and cheaper than anything else. There are alternatives but they all cost a LOT more money. (I'm a roads supervisor ). We use brine to help the salt get started at it's job and to stop the salt from bouncing off the road when it comes out of the truck (pre-wet). Salt won't work unless it's wet, and won't work at all below about -12 or -14 c . Sand is okay up to a point and works at colder temperatures, but needs to be applied at a much higher rate which means more trucks on the road. Also needs to be stored inside so it doesn't freeze solid, means we need a huge building to put it in. And yes, we DO have to try to make the roads idiot proof to avoid lawsuits. Lots of times I drive to work just fine before the plow/salt trucks are out, but there's always people going in the ditch.

Often times the idiots with 4WD, or just plain bad drivers. Always a good rule to keep it slow whenever snow/ice is on the roads

[emerygt350]

When I lived in Washington DC we had an inch or so of snow and an 80s blazer slid sideways into my opel gt while I was sitting at a stop light. The driver said "I don't understand what happened! It is 4 wheel drive!"

Luckily my opel was fine, her door wasn't so lucky.

[SKL1]

Having lived full time in AZ for the last 2 years, after 70 years in Iowa, I sure don't miss that!! Used to hate it when they'd start spraying the roads with that sh*t 2-3 days BEFORE a snowstorm was predicted...

But we have a LOT of rocks on the roads here, and most cars go through a lot of windshields unfortunately.