Offroading In The GLK
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From: Vancouver
Mazda 5, GLK350
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-NwSgAWVp8 if no one posted it
Our GLK was designed to handle the roughest situations out there! =p
If a lil salt water will screw the car up, i think it'll bring shame to the Geländewagen!
Our GLK was designed to handle the roughest situations out there! =p
If a lil salt water will screw the car up, i think it'll bring shame to the Geländewagen!
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2013 Infiniti G37 Coupe; 2011 GLK 350 w/ Premium 1, Multimedia & Sport Appearance; I LOVE IT!
Yo Numb Nuts, I've driven 4x4s enough to understand whats right from wrong. My 9 year old nissan patrol which ive waded into sometimes even 600mm depth of salt water to launch our boat has till date never had any issues. I do know that salt water is bad but the GLK I've only splashed through once for the picture otherwise I've only driven it over sand at the beach. The car was throughly washed including under chasis once back in the city. No need to get all heroic 
.. I dont intend to sell my GLK .. its class.
.. I dont intend to sell my GLK .. its class.No, that's class...
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Nissan GT-R BE / '12 Ducati-1199 Panigale S / '12 C300-4M Loaded/GLK350-4M Loaded
Well, when we follow our son around the country, (he's a professional tournament style paintball player), or when we go hunting, skiing or fishing, we off road with this baby all the time. We do outfit the GLK with the appropriate wheels, tires or Thule chains according to the road conditions we intend to encounter. (Like sand, snow, mud, gravel or plain old dirt.) So I guess that could be considered "off-roading" since it requires us to leave the pavement for most of the day.
Once back at home though it does take a day or more to restore it to it’s showroom shine. (By reinstalling the 20" wheels, washing off the mud, salt etc. and then detailing it.) I still say however that my son's Audi performs much better in this environment than our GLK does. It's not really meant as an off roader, plus it doesn't hold much gear, even with a roof carrier.
Once back at home though it does take a day or more to restore it to it’s showroom shine. (By reinstalling the 20" wheels, washing off the mud, salt etc. and then detailing it.) I still say however that my son's Audi performs much better in this environment than our GLK does. It's not really meant as an off roader, plus it doesn't hold much gear, even with a roof carrier.
Last edited by MBRedux; Nov 10, 2010 at 01:50 PM.
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Nissan GT-R BE / '12 Ducati-1199 Panigale S / '12 C300-4M Loaded/GLK350-4M Loaded
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A soft surface like sand (wet or dry), mud, deep snow (with no asphalt below) is COMPLETELY different than if these materials were to be just lying on top of a black-top road. The vehicle not only drives and handles differently, the driver must be experienced enough to know how not to get stuck or flip over in softer sub-surfaces.
(What is the difference between the salt water and the salt on the road, especially if you drive one or two times on the beach and a full 5 month in the winter when they put on a ton of salt.)
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Nissan GT-R BE / '12 Ducati-1199 Panigale S / '12 C300-4M Loaded/GLK350-4M Loaded
Okay, let's try again. It's my understanding that sea water is slightly more corrosive, especially to aluminum. (Which makes up a large proportion of the GLK's suspension system.) So it's a good idea that if you do drive in salty places, you should spray down the wheel wells and underbelly of the car as soon as possible afterwards.
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Okay, let's try again. It's my understanding that sea water is slightly more corrosive, especially to aluminum. (Which makes up a large proportion of the GLK's suspension system.) So it's a good idea that if you do drive in salty places, you should spray down the wheel wells and underbelly of the car as soon as possible afterwards.
Well, this made me curious and I searched the web. Here is a small part of what I found:
"While salt was once a scarce commodity in history, industrialized production has now made salt plentiful. Approximately 51% of world output is now used by cold countries to de-ice roads in winter, both in grit bins and spread by winter service vehicles. Calcium chloride is preferred over sodium chloride, since CaCl2 releases energy upon forming a solution with water, heating any ice or snow it is in contact with. It also lowers the freezing point, depending on the concentration. NaCl does not release heat upon solution; however, it does lower the freezing point. Calcium chloride is thought to be more environmentally friendly than sodium chloride when used to de-ice roads, however a drawback is that it tends to promote corrosion (of vehicles) more so than sodium chloride."
What did I learn from my research? It harms the vehicle more if you drive a whole winter on a salted road than once or twice on the beach.
.....keep having fun
...., but don't forget a thorough cleaning.
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Nissan GT-R BE / '12 Ducati-1199 Panigale S / '12 C300-4M Loaded/GLK350-4M Loaded
It's not only the salt in sea-water that makes it an enemy to aluminum and steel. Sea water contains hundreds of different types of compounds and other assorted elements.
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From: Tromsø, 69° 41' N
2010 GLK 220CDI 4M BlueEFFICIENCY
Na is one of strong(est) reducing agents (160mV lesser than Ca) of the Standard Reduction Potentials and NaCl the major component of sea water (electrolyte).
According to the Galvanic Series is (for instance) the difference in potential of Al and Fe alloys some hundreds of millivolts. When they are in contact with each other it takes only presence of an electrolyte (sea water) to start the galvanic corrosion.
Certainly is sea water salt the major contributor to the process of corrosion.
According to the Galvanic Series is (for instance) the difference in potential of Al and Fe alloys some hundreds of millivolts. When they are in contact with each other it takes only presence of an electrolyte (sea water) to start the galvanic corrosion.
Certainly is sea water salt the major contributor to the process of corrosion.
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2013 Infiniti G37 Coupe; 2011 GLK 350 w/ Premium 1, Multimedia & Sport Appearance; I LOVE IT!
The water on the beach is deeper than the thin layer of salt on the road so there is more force & volume in the splash, forcing the salt water deeper into areas that are hard (impossible?) to reach when you try to wash it out.
I grew up in Miami and driving in salt water is one of those "no-nos" you just knew not to do.
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From: Tromsø, 69° 41' N
2010 GLK 220CDI 4M BlueEFFICIENCY
The water on the beach is deeper than the thin layer of salt on the road so there is more force & volume in the splash, forcing the salt water deeper into areas that are hard (impossible?) to reach when you try to wash it out.
I grew up in Miami and driving in salt water is one of those "no-nos" you just knew not to do.
I grew up in Miami and driving in salt water is one of those "no-nos" you just knew not to do.
On salted roads, for five working days a week (and at weekends as well), 5 - to 7 months a year, doing the car wash at the station - and realises on the trip back home that the road is still liberally sprayed with salt solution
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2013 Infiniti G37 Coupe; 2011 GLK 350 w/ Premium 1, Multimedia & Sport Appearance; I LOVE IT!
True.
However, you drive the salted roads because you have to get around (and you haven't gotten around to moving to Southern California yet).
Driving on the beach and through the waves is optional, but it's your car so knock yourself out!
However, you drive the salted roads because you have to get around (and you haven't gotten around to moving to Southern California yet).
Driving on the beach and through the waves is optional, but it's your car so knock yourself out!
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From: Tromsø, 69° 41' N
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Well, staying in Anaheim "wasn't too far away from" Southern CA I would say, neither from the Huntington - or Newport beaches either.
I may consider it
I may consider it
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2013 Infiniti G37 Coupe; 2011 GLK 350 w/ Premium 1, Multimedia & Sport Appearance; I LOVE IT!
