Ric232

I need some advice regarding my trailer. Currently, I have a nice custom purple trailer that matches my boat. It's a middle-of-the-road brand (Roadrunner).

I love the look of the painted trailer, but it is starting to show some signs of minor rust, even though my use was 100% freshwater until last May. Now I will probably be doing an annual trip to the Keys for a week, so the trailer will get dunked in saltwater twice per year; once to drop the boat in, once to take it out. I know just one exposure in saltwater can spell eventual death for a painted trailer.

Anyway, I'm wondering what options I might have.

1. Is there a particularly good paint that I might have the trailer re-painted with? This assumes that I prefer to have the trailer painted and just accept the risk of corrosion.

2. Can a trailer be galvanized after-the-fact, or is this something that is done to individual components before the trailer is fabricated?


Thanks.

lucky strike

iTrader: (1)

My advice is.....................

Go for the extra cash a use a sling at a marina. One in one out cost less than painting the trailer. This way it stays fresh water perfect. Good idea?

LS

Reed Jensen

I had my trailer frame galvanized after the fact. If you mean by after the fact,,,, yeah,,,, after is was totally disassembled. I had new springs and brakes installed and new bearings. Spent a ton on it. I'd suggest that you can get by with just washing the trailer down well after the salty dunk because the frame itself isn't the biggest problem, or just use the sling like Lucky Strike suggested. If you were to clean , zinc chromate and paint the rusty areas you can maintain the trailer without galvanizing. The biggest problem I encountered was not rusting on the frame but all the problems with the brakes and hardware. Any way you look at it when you put it in the salt there is lots of work to do afterwards. I've known people to install sprinkling systems behind the backing plates for the brakes in an attempt to flush out the salt water. You can wash and wash and the salt still seems to get everywhere. Even the brake cylinders were all rusted up after one season. I dunked mine in the salt at least 40 times one year.

mcollinstn

If you have a freshwater steel trailer DO NOT DUNK IT in salt.

Plan to splash the boat at a marina with a fork truck or sling that can put you in. Depending on how your bunks are set, they might be able to just stick the forks in and pluck you right off your trailer..

sonic28

i have 1995 custom eagle trailer 32-0 i didnt buy it with the boat the color was red with some signs of surface rust. i contacted a local galvanizer asked what i should do. remove the axels, bunks, brake actuator,springs lights and wires.you have to sand blast before it goes to galvanizing.the process is they acid dip the trailer then is dunked into the galvanize tank when it comes out of the tank they grind off any high spots or slag then when it's still warm it goes into a paint both basicly any color. i went white then purchased the decals from eagle and sonic.i still have the boat lifted off the trailer but it will never rust even if i did go into salt water.the galvanize flows into all the areas.trailer mrg don't do this be cause the extra cost which is not much.the cost of my job was around 1200.00 which is about .60 per pound. but you never have to touch it again.

rchevelle71

iTrader: (1)

Sell it while it is still in good condition, and get an Aluminum!!!!!

Cord

iTrader: (2)

You'll never be able to paint the inside of the tubes.

RickR

I,m with rchevelle71 , sell or trade it for an aluminum.

I use Rolls trailers on my Donzis. They are a work of art!

T.A. Mahoney's in St Pete will trade with you.
1-813-241-6500

Or Rolls Trailer in Plant City 1-800-ROLLS-52

If you want a pic email me @ [email protected]

Ric232

Why do you need to if it is galvanized???

Ric232

Sonic28,

Your story was exactly what I was hoping for. If it actually works, that's what I would like to do. It's the best of both worlds (rustproof and nice color). I always assumed the paint would not adhere to the galvanized trailer.

Now I just have to find someone who can do what you had done. I'd much rather spend $1200 to do what you did versus spending $3000 on a new aluminum trailer that won't look as nice.

Thanks again.