In the automotive parts export industry, steering systems are a product category that presents both a headache and a critical need for factories. Despite their unassuming appearance, these parts almost entirely determine the safety of the vehicle's driving experience. Therefore, any rust, oxidation, or surface defects can lead to customer complaints and even returns. This is especially true now that many factories export steering system components to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Sea freight can take ten days or even more than a month, posing a significant risk of corrosion due to moisture, salt, and temperature fluctuations. Therefore, ensuring these critical metal parts remain intact after being at sea for half a month has become a crucial problem for manufacturing plants.

Why are automotive steering systems prone to rust?

The steering rack, steering knuckle, connecting rod, gears, and housings in the steering system are mostly made of steel, cast iron, or alloy steel, all of which are inherently prone to oxidation. More importantly, their surface shapes are quite complex: they have high-precision mating surfaces, deep holes, threads, toothed surfaces, and grooves. If even a small spot of rust appears in any of these areas, the installation accuracy will be affected, potentially causing jamming, abnormal noises, and other quality problems. Especially in some electronic steering systems that contain both metal and electronic modules, moisture ingress can not only corrode the metal but also affect electrical performance.

Although many manufacturers perform basic rust prevention treatments after manufacturing, the real problems often arise "from factory to customer." Long transportation times, large temperature differences, high humidity, and inconsistent storage conditions all make steering systems particularly vulnerable to rust.

How serious are the rusting factors at sea?

Metal rusts extremely quickly at sea. There are three key factors that make maritime transport a high-risk environment for metal corrosion. First, the humidity at sea is extremely high, often approaching 90%. Moisture constantly circulates within containers, and temperature changes can cause container rain. This means condensation is dripping directly from the top of the container. Imagine a container full of metal parts constantly being dripped with water; it would rust very easily.

Sea breezes carry salt spray, and even a tiny bit of salt seeping in through cracks can double the rate of metal oxidation. Steel and cast iron parts, in particular, can develop orange rust spots within days in a saline environment.

Unlike domestic shipping, which takes only one or two days, ocean freight, especially for exports to Southeast Asia (which is relatively short), often involves 20-40 days of transit time for customers going to the Middle East, South America, and Africa. The longer the journey, the longer the metal is exposed to the elements, naturally increasing the risk of corrosion exponentially.

Rust-proofing products suitable for steering systems: China concentrated VCI oil + VCI plastic anti rust film 

To keep steering systems intact at sea, factories typically employ "dual protection," combining China concentrated VCI oil and vci plastic anti rust film. This approach has become almost standard in the export parts industry.

China concentrated VCI oil primarily protects the metal surface directly, forming a stable, thin rust-proof film that is resistant to moisture and salt. It can even penetrate into tiny cracks and threads that are difficult to see with the naked eye, ensuring even coverage of the entire part's surface. Steering system parts generally have complex structures and high machining precision; China concentrated VCI oil ensures that every corner is protected.

VCI plastic anti rust film protects the internal space of the packaging. While it looks like ordinary plastic film, it contains "volatile rust-preventive molecules." These small molecules automatically evaporate and adhere to the metal surface in a sealed environment, forming an invisible protective layer, effectively turning the entire packaging space into a rust-proof environment. This solves the most dreaded problems in sea freight: humidity and condensation.

A combination of "VCI oil+VCI film" solves both the contact protection of the internal metal and the vapor phase protection of the external environment, resulting in a more stable rust prevention effect.

Advantages and Applicable Scenarios of China concentrated VCI oil

In the industry, China concentrated VCI oil is a reliable rust prevention method. Unlike the thick, sticky machine oils or greases of the past, which are difficult to unpack and apply, China concentrated VCI oil has strong penetration, good adhesion, and is easy to clean without affecting subsequent assembly.

China concentrated VCI oil is particularly suitable for applications such as steering systems, which involve high precision, complex structures, and long sea transport times. For example, the tooth surfaces of racks, the bearing positions of steering knuckles, and the holes in connecting rods are all areas highly susceptible to rust. Ordinary oils cannot reach these areas, apply them unevenly, or easily peel off, while China concentrated VCI oil perfectly solves these problems.

Advantages and Applications of VCI plastic anti rust film

VCI plastic anti rust film's biggest advantage is its ability to prevent rust without oiling, providing direct vapor phase protection for metal parts in a sealed environment. Packaging is incredibly simple: just place the parts inside, seal the bag, and let the rust-preventing molecules handle the rest.

VCI plastic anti rust film is suitable for various metals, as well as assemblies, precision parts, and export components. Many customers particularly appreciate VCI plastic anti rust film because it eliminates the need for cleaning during unpacking, allowing for direct loading or assembly, saving time and ensuring a clean workflow.

Our customers exporting to Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines almost always request VCI plastic anti rust film for every shipment. They consistently report no rust issues during humid seasons after its implementation.

While automotive steering systems are indeed susceptible to corrosion risks from moisture, salt spray, and temperature fluctuations during sea transport, a well-designed packaging solution can ensure stable, reliable, and worry-free protection. China concentrated VCI oil provides direct protection for the metal, while VCI plastic anti rust film transforms the packaging interior into a "rust-proof space," and the addition of desiccants to control humidity effectively provides triple protection for the parts.

CVCI's VCI rust-preventive oil, VCI rust-preventive film, and moisture absorbers are currently exported to many countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and are widely used and recognized by numerous auto parts factories, trading companies, and warehousing enterprises in these regions. If you are also exporting auto parts or encountering problems with rust during sea freight, feel free to contact us. CVCI can provide customized rust prevention solutions based on your product model, material, shipping route, and packaging method.