Asbestos in my truck?

Have a look at the boilers and pipes in old buildings. That white stuff on the pipes, yep, its asbestos. My father in law was using that stuff in the 50s. He said you mixed up the dry asbestos laden material with water, then smeared the paste on boilers and pipes for insulation. A few years later, when the stuff gets bumped and chunks fall off, other people would go fix it.

I think of all the people who stood at a city corner or bus stop as trucks, busses, cars stopped, took off, etc. Think of the asbestos released into the air from brakes and clutches.

Yea, cover your breathing holes, but don't freak out. I wonder which is the greatest evil-- a few minutes of very minimal exposure to asbestos once, or sitting in a smoke filled bar (if you can find one anymore) 2-3 times a week for a couple of hours at a whack for many years.

 

Safety is always good, panic is for sissys, and flat out disrespect for one's concerns is beyond words. Common sense applies in any asbestos scenario. There's a locomotive in the Henry Ford Museum. It's huge boiler completely lined in asbestos. There was a time it was going to be removed in the interest of public safety. Panic. The removal would essentially destroy the whole museum as there's virtually no way to contain that much dust. It's sealed in an asphalt based coating and remains undisturbed to this day. Asbestos is the "666" of the industrial/automotive/construction world. It's very name causes fear and if you'd like to see something a bit amusing, lay a sealed bag of it on your bench and watch people run away when you tell em what it is. Respect it and yourself and you can't go wrong. As far as where in your truck it is, usually anywhere that needed extreme heat control. I seriously doubt the idea that it's in the sound deadener in the roof. More like old asphalt based waste paper and fiber board. Still nasty but I doubt deadly. I once got pretty sick from handling the original wood from a Packard woody wagon. I figured the dust had some flu virus in it or something since I seldom to never get sick, almost never get the flu but it coulda been an old virus. **** happens. Pre-war and post-war Caddy V-8s had an asbestos wrap on the exhaust manifolds and Packards from the late 20s to mid 30s had it on the main exhaust pipe.

Just use due caution and don't over concern yourself. Not dissin your concerns in any way but thousands of restoration experts deal with these things daily. Be smart, ventilate, wear a mask, don't let lil kids get involved in the teardown stages. You'll be fine. Again I don't believe asbestos is in sound deadeners, more like asphalt to hold it together. Have fun...

 

Call me stupid ,but if i had a dime for every time i have welded on galvanized or wire welded aluminum all day(and had a hang over from it a few times) i could retire .As far as asbestos goes im sure i have lots of it in my lungs from stripping old paint.I worked at an auto gl*** factory for years and one of my jobs was to dump the "cullet " or pulverized gl*** outside. The dust would cut your arms if you tried to wipe it off.No telling how much is in my lungs.Painted and primed many cars without a resperator .May catch up to me some day but ,im almost 40 and have had no lung problems yet.Somethings got to take me out and when your # is up its up.As others have said ,if it bothers you wet it down to keep the dust down .I have been elbow deep in ratt **** and piss a few times getting parts out of old field cars as well ...

 

I come in contact with this more than I would like, It's on a lot of water piping, boilers, and fire proofed objects. If you know it's there you should have it removed professionally, (legal). Sooner or later you are going to make accidental contact with it.
You can get a fairly good idea of whether it is actual 'stos or not by taking it and fracturing it in bright light, if it crystalizes and glitters in the light, sort of *****les you most likely would test positive for it. You can get test kits for the detection of 'stos, lead and other carcinogens at the local hardware store.
As far as the removal of it, I have watched the pros remove it, some get all NASA about it and some don't. The objective is to keep the crystals from getting airbourne and inhaled, you also do not want a lot of residuals hanging about for later inhalation. In any situation where I remotely believe that I have encountered 'stos where it can not harm any other person than myself ( never in a home ) I spray the 'stos with a mix of 50 % dishwashing liquid and water and carefully and thoroughly soak the item with a spray bottle and carefully bag it to be disposed of properly.
I get into situations with other items I find problematic, things I believe will be considered future dangers, High density fibergl***, rock wool, brown fiber mat gl***, I treat these all the same, heavy shirt, good filter for the lungs spray the half soap on it and bag and seal. Immediately do a double wash on your clothing in a dedicated machine if possible, if not wash a batch of non house hold cloths behind it to purge the machine and do a good serious wipe out, you don't want brown gl*** in the wife's *******, she will think you brought her home a not wanted STD.
In my opinion the fiber gl*** mat is worse for you than any other item, you can get an instant reaction on your skin, severe hives, burnt eyes, and serious respiratory tract problems. I have seen people have dangerous reactions to the high density fiber gl*** and spend time in the hospital.
For exposure to brown gl*** my most effective skin treatment for myself, is a warm shower and baby oil or mineral oil wash with a wash rag, sooth the hived area and wash with a non alcohol soap, in most cases you should see relief in about an hour, if you have persistent problems or severe rash see a doc.
Stay safe. And keep all of this **** out of you and your families lungs.

 

It is fibres not crystals and if your 'detection' method works I'd market it because after nearly 30 years of working in the abatement industry I know the only way to test for asbestos is in a Laboratory.
Please OP do some proper research and be safe.
Fibregl*** is already being treated as hazardous in many situations and countries and one reason is it used to contain formaldehyde and being man made the fibres were not small enough to cause many issues (rejected more easily by the body) but over time the fibres are breaking down to near asbestos size ,3 microns and less, and causing problems through inhalation.

 

if you are so worried about the propoganda that al gore and his enviormental buddies spew out the crush the car and ride a bike

 

It's tarpaper. Just wear some nitrile gloves, a dust mask, s****e it off with a putty knife and stop worrying. Even if there are asbestos fibers, mouse poop, pigeon ****, Hanta virus, bubonic plague, HIV, anthrax, salmonella, Nirgeran flesh eating disease or the clap in the stuff, unless you disturb it, eat it, aeresolize it, or inject in into your body, it's not going to leap from your truck cap into your body. Or leave it where it is...

Brian

I'm an RN in a critical care unit. I see stuff, am exposed to stuff, and expected to clean up stuff that makes old tar paper sound deadner seem like a mid-morning snack. Geez, you guys are a bunch of pussies...

 

That there is some funny ****!

Jeez, common sense?!

 

My main concern is when I do remove it the fibers being in the air and on things in my garage where my 2 children do like to spend time when I am out there. I have checked around and with all your answers I and most others do belive it is only tar paper and should not have and asbestos fibers in it to worry about. I will take it out before I take the cab inside this coming week. I apperciate the comments and all the concerns and do listen to the advice, I in no way intended this to be a topic that boils your blood and arguments start. Thanks again for the replies.

 

If you're really concerned (I removed my own being cautious), all this could be for nothing if you haven't had it tested......simple and inexpensive....it may not contain asbestos at all.

 

Consider Mold / Animal Feces thats common in old car interiors, I'd be more concerned with that than asbestos. Dont think I'd wet it.
Wear a Quality Respirator with the correct filters, treat it like you would paint. I got sick from pigeon **** dust tearing out old racking in a warehouse, 104 fever and scarring in my lungs.
I must be a real ***** cause I keep the guard on my electric grinder, wear ear plugs when I run the compressor/ mow the yard, weld with a mask instead of closing my eyes, unplug my tools when I change a bit/ wheel.
Ive worked in manuf for 10 yrs now, worked with a lot of guys with nub fingers, dont wanna "earn" a nub of my own. After the bird **** fever Im protective of what I breathe even if it takes a few extra minutes.

 

If it is intact just leave it the **** alone! No reason to remove it. glue some new sound deadner or roll some on over the top and move on. Some of you make things harder than they need to be.

 

Holy ****! You let your kids play in the same garage you do brake jobs? There's probably more asbestos in your brake lining dust than in an entire old car.
Seriously, this whole topic could make most paranoid car guys want to sell their old cars and just run out and buy a new Lexus.

 

^^^^^ This is the best answer yet

 

Paranoia will get the best of you in most situations. Never the less just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get ya.

I personally try to wet anything down that is going to make a lot of dust. Dust just makes it hard to breath, period.

Most of us older guys that have been involved in the automotive industry very much have breathed way more asbestos than the EPA is saying is a serious health risk. We are still here. There is a modi*** of truth to what the Govt has to say about it but a lot of it is also hype.

If you are worried about it you should definitely take precautions, knowing what I know today I do. I probably wouldn't go the whole space suite route but one should be moderately careful at the very least.

 

Yes asbestos is bad, and I would'nt eat a plate full of it, but hmmmm, dare I say that maybe, just maybe, the asbestos thing is blown a wee bit out of proportion by the $$$$ LAWYERS $$$$$ and the subsequent asbestos removal industry??