RUST PROTECTION FOR YOUR 4X4

Written by: Albert Vandervelde

Rust. We all know the word far too well, especially in our
Canadian climate where in the winter, salt is used liberally
to keep our roads safe for driving. The combination of salt,
water, mud, and air finds its way into every hidden crack
and crevice on our vehicles, causing them to deteriorate
not only on the outside, but underneath and out-of-sight as
well. You might be surprised to learn that the process that
causes rust has usually begun even before the vehicle rolls
off the assembly line.

Vehicle manufacturers have found many ways to prolong
the life of their vehicles. Galvanizing and using plastic outer
panels are some of the more creative ways, but our 4x4s
are still constructed mostly out of good old steel – the stuff
rust is made out of. Paint coatings are the main barriers
between the elements and the steel in your vehicle.
However, paint gets cracked, breaks down, and needs to be
reapplied every few years. Add to that the fact that due to
the vehicle assembly process, there will always be exposed
areas without paint protection from day one.

The Counter Act system reaches into those
areas where traditional coatings can’t. Not
only are the outer panels protected, but inside
of doors and steel seams are protected also.

The question is how can you protect those areas where it
is almost impossible to reach? Better yet, how can you slow the rust process before a new paint coating is required? To answer these questions, we need to understand why rust happens.

For iron to become iron oxide (rust), three things are required:
iron, water and oxygen. When a drop of water hits an iron object,
two processes begin to occur almost immediately. First the water,
which is a good electrolyte, combines with carbon dioxide in the air to form a weak carbonic acid, an even better electrolyte. As this
weak acid starts to dissolve the iron, some of the water will begin to break down into its component pieces hydrogen and oxygen. The free oxygen and dissolved iron bond into iron oxide, freeing electrons in the process. Well, these electrons have to go somewhere. Think of this in terms of a circuit connected to the terminals on a battery. Much in the same manner that electricity ‘flows’ from the positive terminal to the negative terminal, the electrons liberated from the iron (anode) flow to the cathode,
which may be a piece of a metal less electrically reactive than iron, or just another point on the piece of iron itself.
Here is when you can see visible signs of the rusting
process: corrosion.

The chemical compounds found in liquids like acid rain,
seawater and the salt-loaded spray from winter roads make
them better electrolytes than pure water, allowing their
presence to speed not only the process of rusting on iron,
but corrosion of other metals as well. OK, you still with us?

Rust protection that fits in the palm of your hand. The
Counter act system of rust protection goes beyond the traditional
paint-on coatings. Based on the fact that rust is
a electrochemical reaction between oxygen and iron, the
Counteract system works by keeping an electrostatic
charge between the iron (your car body) and oxygen (the
air we breath). If the two can’t combine, rust can’t form.

Think of all things that require good rust protection: ships,
buildings, underground pipe lines, bridges and more. Most
of these big-ticket items are far more difficult to keep painted
than your common, fairly cheap vehicle. It only makes
sense that the manufacturers employ methods far beyond
your common spray-on coatings to protect their products.

For instance, the shipping industry relies heavily on anodes to combat rust in a highly corrosive environment. Anodes are made of select alloys that attract the electrochemical reaction of the rust process, drawing the effects of corrosion away from the surrounding steel. That causes the anodes to corrode faster, but gives the steel longer life. Anodes work best in highly conductive environments such as in salt water or water soaked ground.
Their effectiveness depends on their output voltage, which is determined by the actual alloys used in their construction.

So what does that mean to us? Can this theory be used
to prevent rust in other things, like for instance, our 4x4s?

The Counter Act system starts with a small box which is best mounted
close to the battery in your vehicle. Depending on the model, you have
3,5, or 7 wires to attach. Output leads attach to capacitive couplers,
which are attached to the body. The outputs are high voltage but low
current – around 400v, but current in micro amps. The capacitive coupler
is a small flexible square with a thin copper plate separated from the
body by an insulator and separated from the moisture layer on the body
by an epoxy coating. It attaches via a peel and stick adhesive.

Frames, inner door seams, trunks and axles are all
grounded through the body and will be protected by the
Counter Act rust control system. In areas where road salt
is used throughout the winter, body components wear out
before the drive train does. This rust control system will
be extra beneficial extending the life of the entire vehicle.

Metal screws and fittings which are separated from the
body by plastic parts such as grills and some body moldings
will also be separated from the Counter Act system.
With several capacitive couplers throughout the vehicle,
the majority of the vehicles components will be protected.
This picture shows the protective qualities of the
Counter Act system - compared to areas not protected.

Counter Act has created just such a system to protect anything
from your car to a large building in a form that is cost effective
to the consumer. The Counter Act system uses negative
electrostatic technology to slow the electrochemical
reaction in the rust process. It creates a voltage barrier on
any metal object, which can reach far beyond your typical
coating of paint. Like an anode on a ship, the negative
charge of the Counter Act system attracts the flow of
electrons, thus reducing the buildup of iron oxide on the
surface of the steel. Counter Act doesn’t claim to STOP
rust, but it can slow the process and extend the life of
any steel object, especially in those areas where rust often
starts first, where spray-on coatings can’t reach.

Not only can the Counter Act system protect your 4x4 but
also your boat, ATV, boat trailer, farm equipment and any
other large steel object. Counter Act also makes several
different sized units to suit the size of the vehicle
you’re protecting, from an ATV to a Fire Truck.

Systems are made in sizes to suit the size of
the vehicle they are designed to protect.
Small units are also easy to attach to ATVs
and motorcycles.