Watch out for Snow Boogers!
Whether you call them Snow Boogers, Fenderbergs, or something equally ridiculous, one thing is for sure – clumped up snow in your rims and wheel wells is a recipe for disaster. Not only can they affect your vehicle’s balance and handling, this packed snow can also damage your vehicle’s undercarriage, suspension, or even brake lines.
As snow gets packed harder, it can turn to ice which makes it even more difficult to remove. These fenderbergs can get so bad that they can actually prevent wheels from spinning or turning properly. So, what is a person to do to escape from this dreaded scenario?
Prevention is the Medicine
Not everyone has the option to park in a heated garage, but thankfully there are other solutions. Some people find that coating their wheel wells and frame with a lubricant before the slush starts to accumulate is a simple way to prevent build up.
The most popular choice for this is Fluid Film which is a wool wax (lanolin) based formula. This product seals out moisture and road salts and will not freeze. Similar products are available; however, always make sure the product you pick is safe for automotive use and use as directed.
Don’t Kick it to the Curb
If you’ve seen your share of snowy winters, you’ve probably spent a decent amount of time in parking lots kicking at these frozen chunks. This seems to be the most popular method of removal, yet it comes with the most risk. Fenderbergs can become very frozen and take a lot of effort to remove. Kicking them comes with danger of personal injury and injury to your vehicle.
We get it. Kicking these dirty boogers does come with an odd sense of satisfaction, but we certainly don’t recommend kicking caked-on snow and ice. If you just can’t help yourself, make sure you wear steel toed footwear or try kicking with your heal to avoid toe injuries. A better way to approach these clingy nuisances is to pry them or chip them off with your snow scrapper.
For those really icy ones that just won’t come off, you may have to resort to using warm water or a trip to the car wash. In any instance where you’re using water, make sure the area you’re in has proper drainage so that you don’t end up creating a sheet of ice under your vehicle.
Oops…Too Late
What if you didn’t follow our advice? You were in a hurry to get to work and didn’t take care of your snow boogers. All of a sudden you make a sharp turn and that built up ice tears up your fender. Or, you got a little too enthusiastic and took a hammer to a stage 4 clinger and messed up your wheel well. Fear not! At La Salle Body & Fender, we can restore your vehicle back to tip top shape.
No matter what type of winter accident you’re experiencing, give our shop a call and let us give you a free estimate. Don’t forget to program our number into your phone for 24/7 emergency towing: 815-223-0598.