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?? for those with White trucks (or cars)

8K views 36 replies 23 participants last post by  regulator54 
#1 ·
Before my Ram, I had a white Dakota.

It really irritated me to see those little rusty spots all over; I was told it was from the brakes (and the material they are made from); hot specks coming off the brakes and landing on the paint.

If this isn't the case...........please advise.

If this is the case..............what do you all use to clean the spots? :4-dontknow:

Are there brakes out there that won't do this?

I told myself...."No more white".....but I like the white.
 
#4 ·
that's a new one to me. I had a light grey dakota but I swapped out the pads and rotors to Eagles when it was time to change. Never had any problem with the paint, just dust on the rims. I don't see how the spots would be caused by hot specs on the paint, cuz I never had that problem myself.
 
#5 ·
I was thinking the same thing when I first read this one... my second thought was adding mud flaps....
 
#6 ·
It is fall out from the atmosphere and something you will always have to battle. I used to have a white S-10 and a white Xterra. Clay kits become your best friend! I had to stay diligent in keeping up on claying and waxing. Everything shows up on white. Good luck!
 
#7 ·
see wut great advise you get here.................

keep it waxed and it will still get dirty

i would be inclined to say thats somethin off the asphalt :)4-dontknow:)

do you park under or near an elm tree , tree sap will eat at paint give it time.

my old D100 was white and no matter wut i did those pesky spots always showed up , so i figured it was in the paint to begin with , so i sold the truck.

best of luck :smileup:
 
#9 ·
thanks for the replies...........

I have good mud flaps installed.

I don't think it could be fall out from the atmosphere as it's not on the top portion.

my truck is never parked outside and I live outside of town.

These are random spots (looks like rust spots) about the size of a pinhead or smaller.
 
#10 ·
From Autopia:

Question:
hundreds of tiny rust spots !!
I pulled the Monte Carlo out of the garage today (winter storage) and when I got it out in the sunlight I was horrified to find hundreds of tiny rust spots all over the hood and front fenders. This paint is just a little over a year old and is 2004 Corvette bright white in Duponts Chroma One with a clearcoat.
As near as I could tell the spots were the result of metal particles from grinding getting on the car while it was out of the garage for a couple of weeks while I put a new engine in the Jeep. I washed the car then hit it with a clay bar and was able to get all the spots off and it does not appear that there was any damage to the paint, but this left me with two questions.
1) How much does the type of paint come into play when determining a detailing regimen? The Chroma One is a catalyzed paint and seems to be very hard which makes me think that it will take more aggresive chemicals to condition it. Any thoughts?
2) Does anyone have opinions on a good car cover?

Answer:
Corrosion:
Corrosion (rust) destroys metal by an electro-chemical reaction with water as the catalyst (water + ozone (an oxidizer) moisture + oxygen). Corrosion arresting products are available that penetrate corrosion cells, emulsify the moisture and separates it from the metal leaving an ultra-thin barrier to protect the metal from further damage.

It is not enough to simply seal over existing corrosion by moisture displacement. While this technique will prevent further contact with the electrolyte, (moisture), it also traps existing moisture under the sealant, thus allowing that corrosion to continue.

Corrosion arresting products, when applied to a moist surface, will wick the moisture through the coating to the surface. A major study on rust proofing 2-3 years ago stated that an annually applied petroleum based product offered the best protection. Rubber coating such as Ziebart were not recommended as water or moisture can be entrapped between the rubber coating and the sheet metal making matters worse and also the best time to apply the product is in the summer months contrary to the cooler fall months, this way the product remains liquid and will penetrate folds and crannies.

The cause-
Particles produced from the friction of brake pads rubbing against the rotor.

This metal on metal friction disperses tiny particles of statically charged black dust, which adheres to the wheel and other vehicle surfaces. Sequestered brake dust, if left for any length of time will cause galvanic corrosion, which etches the paint surface allowing contaminants like acid rain, ozone, sulphuric acid, dioxide and nitric acids to penetrate the paint film surface.

Once the clear coat is compromised UV radiation will further degrade the paint by causing oxidation. The metallic brake dust acts as a conduit for industrial contaminants to permeate the paint film surface, that over time can cause permanent etching which, take the contaminants harmful effects (corrosion) right to the base of the paint system and down to the vehicles sheet metal.

Neutralizing –
Washing the paint film surface with a slightly alkaline car wash concentrate and thoroughly rinsing will neutralize the contaminants and remove them from the paints surface Detailer's clay removes imbedded brake dust and other contaminants by encapsulation, thereby eliminating the primary cause

Treatment-
By applying a suitable cleaner (Por-15® Products Marine Clean) and then a rust inhibitor (POR-15® Products) it will arrest corrosion on contact without leaving a sticky residue that would attract dirt, dust or grime. Corrosion attacks metal by an electrochemical (galvanic) reaction with water as the catalyst.

It penetrates the corrosion cells, emulsifying the moisture and separating it from the metal, leaving an ultra-thin barrier to protect from further damage. Since most corrosion begins in crevices, (seams), it is important to have the capability to penetrate these crevices in order to form a protective barrier. Many heavier or more viscous products don't penetrate crevices, instead they form a `bridge', and while this may isolate the crevice from further contact with the electrolyte it does nothing to eliminate the presence of existing moisture or surface corrosion. Injection into a seam or crevice with an aerosol or spray eliminates this problem.

From Classicappreciation:
What Are Those Tiny Little Rust Spots on the Back of My Car? PDF Print E-mail


If you look really close on the rear bumper or deck lid of your white vehicle, you will most likely see tiny little spots that look like rust. Fear not! Your car is not permanently rusting. Those microscopic little rust speckles are actually iron particles or iron dust that land on the surface then, with the help of water, salt, and oxygen, the iron dust oxidizes and sticks to the paint finish. This occurs on all cars but is the most noticeable on white. The dust particles are created when you step on the brake. Each time the rotor or “disc” is squeezed by the brake pads to stop the car, the friction that occurs wears down the iron rotor slightly. This warm iron dust floats to the rear of your vehicle as you drive and lands on the back. Then the water, oxygen and salt go to work turning the particles to rust. The speckles can be removed, but if left on the surface for a long time, the particles start to embed themselves into the finish of your car, making removal more difficult. Frequent washing and waxing is the best way to minimize this situation.

From yahoo answers:

I have tiny rust colored spots on my brand new white car?
Could it really be rust? If so, does that mean I have a really crappy paint job? It's a 2008 Nissan Altima coupe and it's white. The spots are very small and barely noticeable but of course I noticed them today when I washed it. I have had the car for about 9 days now. Should I take it to the dealer?

what it is is a thing called industrial fallout. what it is is contaminates in the air get into the paint of new vehicles, along with rust falling off of the trasport trucks. they should have "bricked" this car while detailing it before you drove it off the lot. thats the 350 buck "prep fee" that you pay. they wash and brick the car, take all the protective plastic off, ect. what i would do is take it back to the dealer. especialy if you have only had it for a lil over a week. they should re-detail it for free since they are supposed to make sure all the fallout is off your car. if for some reason they DONT, do not panic. its not realy a big deal. go to the parts store and look for the clay bars. meguiares makes a good product. they come with a clay bar and some quick detail wax. what you want to do is wash your car, leave it wet and go around and generously spary the wax on an area. working one area at a time go over it with the clay bar. full instructions are included with the kit but that pretty much wraps it up. after you "brick" the entire car, rinse and re-wash. then shammy dry. try avioding doing it in direct sunlight though. if you must make sure you work quickly and rinse each body panel off after you clay bar it. this is all asuming that the dealer dont take care of it, which they should.

From ezinarticles:

Many of us get stuff on our cars, which will not easily come off. There is tree sap, over spray, bird droppings, rust spots and even salt marks from that stuff they put on the roads in winter; none of which is very easy to get off. It is very important for the protection of your car’s clear coat and paint finish to pay careful attention when cleaning your car to remove the fallout and small Rust Spots.

You should be careful if you go to a coin-op car wash or if you use a pressure washer. It is possible to get too close to the paint and damage the finish. Generally if you blast thru a clear coat you will notice it is because there will be a pealed mark and you will rip off a large chunk of paint. Use the “one-foot rule” and keep the nozzle at least one foot away from the paint at all times. You should be fine, just remember the 1-foot rule and that also applies to center caps on rims. But the rest of the rims and tires you can get closer.

The best way to remove such contaminants from your car is to wax them off. Many times a polymer solvent wax (the kind which separate and are liquid, which you have to shake well before you use them-generally tan or white with liquid when you let them sit and separate out) will take the rust dots off. Or look in the Yellow Pages for AutoMagic Detailing Products and buy clay magic to take off the tiny rust spots. Take care of your cars finish so it will last and think on this in 2006.


I rest my case................
 
#11 ·
Thanks so very much for the detailed info BlueJet!

I've never used the clay bar myself; the detailer always did the rust spot removal on my Dakota.

Sounds like it is a time consuming procedure. This is a big truck, so it must be an all day project.
Any excellent recommendations on which brand? Meguiare's (sp)?

Any willing volunteers to help?
 
#13 ·
i found this on another forum ..its called rail dust
so fallow these procedures of repairs ..
like Blue said ,use a clay bar , good fore knowledge blue,thank you,

Several people have asked about rust spots in the paint of a relatively new vehicles. Heres the most likely cause of the problem and the solution to the said problem.


Symptoms: Visible grains of iron or rusting spots in the paint surface.
Models Affected: 1994-2007 GM Passenger Cars and Trucks.
Commonly looks like (click to enlarge):



Where does it come from?
Rail dust comes from tiny iron particles produced from the friction between train wheels and the tracks and gets deposited on the vehicle surfaces. Iron dust can get deposited on the surface if the vehicle is stored near any operation producing iron dust such as a steel ore yard. Either material can lay on top of, or over time, become embedded in the paint surface.

Illustration of surface rail dust and embedded rail dust:




Because the severity of the condition varies, proper diagnosis of the damage is critical to the success of repairs. Diagnosis should be performed on horizontal surfaces (hood, roof, deck lid, pick up box, etc.) after the vehicle has been properly cleaned. There are two types of repair materials recommended to repair rail dust or iron dust:

Gel Type Oxalic acid (Fallout Remover): - Has the characteristics of the liquid type oxalic acid but stays where you put it because of its gel consistency.
Clay Bar: - Requires surface lubricant during use.


Caution:
Rail dust remover (Oxalic Acid) is an acidic substance containing chemicals that will break down the iron particles embedded in the finish. When working with rail dust remover, use the necessary safety equipment, including gloves and goggles. Follow the chemical manufacturer's directions closely because it may require special handling and disposal.


If, upon inspection, some particles are still present, the various chemical manufacturer's processes can be repeated.
After the removal process, small pits may remain in the clearcoat and can be corrected, in most cases, with a finesse/polish/buffing operation.



Procedure
Move the vehicle to a cool shaded area and make sure that the vehicle surfaces are cool during the removal process. DO NOT PERFORM THE REMOVAL PROCESS IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT OR ON A VEHICLE WITH HOT OR WARM BODY PANELS. Wash the vehicle with soap and water. Dry it immediately and clean the affected areas with a wax and grease remover.
Perform the removal process according to the chemical manufacturer's directions.
Once the damage has been repaired, the final step involves a polishing process.


Where do I find Rail dust remover or Clay bar?
Napa and Sherwin Williams carries Rail dust remover.
Clay bar can be found at any place that carries car care products. Register today for free or log-in if already registered to remove this ad!


__________________
 
#14 ·
My last Ram was white and it had the same spots when I purchased it and at first I had trouble keeping them off. Once I got into deatiling I realized that it was rail dust or the brake pads causing the rust spots. Once I clay bared the truck and waxed it regularly I never saw them again.

I got into the habit of using Eagle One wax as you dry at each wash to help keep some form of protectant on the paint. It's not effective like a real polish or wax but it's better than nothing and it did help to keep the rust spots from appearing.

If you were closer I would offer to help you but I'm in Texas.
 
#16 ·
Mothers also makes a good clay bar kit with 2 bars and showroom shine for the lube. it is an involved job, but worth it. usually takes me 2-3hrs depending on how bad the build up of tar is. I apparently live in construction/paving country. I have a tendancy to do a full wax strip/prep/wax when I use the clay bar, but you don't have to go that far too often.
 
#18 ·
I have this same issue with my WHITE 08 Ram. I called the dealer today and have a appointment for them to look at it on Wed. of this week. I told them about the Fall out and Rail Dust that I have read about here. I hope that they will not have to paint the truck again, but I want the little orange/brown spots to go away NOW......
 
#23 ·
Every new vehicle I've owed, I've gotten those spots. Doesn't matter what color it is. My white car had them until I replaced the brakes, didn't see it as much after that.
 
#25 ·
Brake dust will attack any color paint, it's just easier to spot on white. Use a clay bar once a year, and wax on a regular basis as you should and your paint job will be ok. I am about to start using Zaino Brothers on my new white truck. Zaino is probably the best polish on the face of this earth.
 
#26 ·
This rust spot issue is strange..... I have a white truck and my wheels a larger offset so my tires stick out from the fenders, I get alot of stuff thrown up on my paint, and I get a few small nicks and chips from time to time, and I actually even have a couple little red dots (I assume I ran over something red or wet red paint or something), but never much issue cleaning it off. I was my truck MAYBE once a month at most, and damn near all the spots wipe off(with the exception of any small dings/chips). I really like the white, I think it always seems to look good even when dirty. It never really looks perfectly clean like other colors, but also even when it's really dirty it doesn't look all that dirty. It always looks in between lol.
 
#27 ·
Although this thread is 2 years old, there is some correct information and some not so much.

The specs ARE called rail dust. It comes from 1 of 2 ways really. The first is during transit on trains. The iron/metal particles embed themselves into the paint. Another way is through braking. Iron particles are hot and do find themselves a home in your paint through that way as well. A lot of the time it is on the truck/rear of vehicles.

This is the hatch of our Magnum

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o290/Redv8s/Magnum Detail/IMG_0921-1.jpg

The particles tend rust, which is what many people can see first. Removing them can be a bit tricky.

What I did was use detailing clay. After doing a spot about 6" by 6" on the hatch, my clay looked something like this.



Another way is to use a chemical cleaner with mild abrasives. I used Poli-seal, which worked very well on the particles that were not embedded very deep. The last resort for the sake of cost, or the first choice if you have it available is Iron Cut, or Iron X. A chemical that specifically targets Iron and will literally melt them off of the paint. Google it if you are interested.
 
#28 ·
I've seen this before on new vehicles. My last truck was silver and at about 1 year old I seen hundreds of tiny white spots. I took it to the dealer and they cleaned it up with a polish wax. I was told that the rust probably came from being transported on a rail car with a bearing or something going out on one of the rail cars. After cleaning it off it never showed up again, I drove the truck for 9 more years in Northern Arkansas on treated roads during the winter. My wife has had a white Toyota 4Runner for 5 years and I've haven't seen this on hers. I bought a white truck and I wouldn't be concerned about it, polish it off or if it's under warranty have the dealership do it. Hope you get it figured out.
 
#29 ·
Yup, those are rusted bits of debris stuck on to your white truck. I get them all the time. Pretty much unavoidable as it comes from everywhere! Best thing for them is a clay bar, and some elbow grease. From my experience its purely superficial, but always good to get rid of. Happy cleaning!
 
#30 ·
I don't know, I barely ever wash my white 2010 ram anymore (now at about 115,000 miles) and I still think it looks great. Just cleaned it up (wash and sealant), still looks like new to me. I will say that the 1, 2, or at most 3 times a year I wash it anymore I do spend a whole day doing it (inside and out usually). I have seen the infamous rust spots but they seem to come right off for me if I have them at all. I've never used clay, just water mixed with a slight amount of dawn dish soap and murphys oil soap. Followed by a sealer. On all plastics and rubbers I then rub down with oil (usually motor oil).





 
#31 ·
carpro ironx is the product for rail dust. hands down

then a good sealant/wax and wash regime to minimize their return/embedding
 
#33 ·
Any of the black plastics. Grill inserts, mirrors, wiper cowl and wiper arms, bed side caps, rear bumper step piece. Helps keep it from dry rotting and fading to some extent. Better than other products I've bought IMO.

I use murphys oil soap mixed with water on the tires to keep them from dry rotting (Sidewalls)
 
#34 ·
x2 on Carpro IronX. Try the Trix for removing tar and iron. On white paint you'll watch a bloodbath of iron disintigrate in front of your eyes. As far as sealants go the only thing close to CQuartz durability is a combo of Duragloss 501 marine polish and sealer topped with Colinite insulating wax. Ive seen this combo go nearly a year with water still beading off.
 
#35 ·
rusty spots in white paint

Yup I remember the first time I saw the spots in the pretty white paint. I even paid the extra $300 for paint protection. I was told its the brake dust and environmental particles. And the only fix I've been told of is Clay bars. I have yet to try this, it sounds like a hell of a lot of work on a big vehicle. I try not to wash it as much so that I don't see them as often. Sad, nice colour for a truck but I won't ever get a white vehicle again. :i_rolleyes:
 
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