So we are here in the salty state of Michigan. As you know salt and aluminum do not mix well. You get the salty snow and water down into the L-Track on a S.Needs bus and it just starts dissolving.
We are sending one bus to have the entire floor replaced this upcoming spring because the tracks have dissolved so much the plywood is not rotten. We are also getting 2 new buses.
So the main point of discussion, how do you or do you have any ideas on how to prevent and clean the tracks? With steel bolts and hardware he problem seems unstoppable. we currently have the drivers sweep daily but the track is hard to get into. Also where seats and installed we cant remove them daily and clean them. I am open to any ideas you might have.
What year bus are you replacing track in? Since specing in coated track about 2006 I have had alot less work replacing track
The salt and galvanic corrosion are an issue on track in the rust belt.... I am in Michigan also and have track on all my buses....
My experience with the track cover has been the corrosion still happens you just can't see it... So I quit using it the water salt and dirt still manage to get in track and ends up staying there with cover over it...and can't be sweep out until it is removed.... I had more issues a few years ago and normally replaced track in at least 4 buses each year. At that time my bus salesperson recommended specing the anodized? Or coated track in bus bid.... That seems to have helped... track still corrodes but doesn't seem to be as fast...tracks are holding up alot longer now....
There are different grades of aluminum track also... So not sure if there is an option to add to bus bid to get a different aluminum composition that also helps ...I will ask my salesman next chance I get to see if he remembers..
in the replaced floor we told all 3 shops to find us the best possible floor track so I don't know what they have found. As for the new buses we are getting IC and the dealer said he didn't have any coated or alternatives to the standard track.
Floor Track and keeping it clean
Posted - 11/29/2016 : 09:17:40 AM
