Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

Ok, I've asked a lot of questions here in the past about getting the trailer
we've made painted. I'm pretty sure I've found the right company and that
they will do a good job.

My question today is: There are parts of the trailer that are boxed in. This
means that paint won't get down in there. But water still will. The water
will drain out. What I'm wondering is: What are good ways to protect this
from rusting from the inside out??

Do paint shops typically have some type of longer nozzels they can use to
get paint in there?

Could they maybe put some type of car undercoating in there?

Is there something I can do?

Obviously it won't be seen, so it doesn't have to look pretty.

Yes...I will as my paint guy, but I'm hoping to get ideas and information
here first.

As always, THANKS to all the people
who take time to answer & discuss!

Gary

Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...
My question today is: There are parts of the trailer that are boxed in.
This
means that paint won't get down in there. But water still will. The
water
will drain out.


Obviously it won't be seen, so it doesn't have to look pretty.



A significant advantage to using channel instead of box frame members is
that you can paint all surfaces of the channel.

I had a trailer that had one section made of box. The trailer was already
old and rusty when I got it, and I spent a lot of time repairing it,
sandblasting and painting. The trailer looked great, for a while.

The welds connecting the box section were not water tight, which allowed
water to get in. Then rusty water leaked out. The rusty water trickled
down the painted surface and left ugly rust stains behind.

If you can seal those boxed in areas you will be a lot better off. If you
can't weld them shut you might want to consider filling the box with a
closed cell expanding foam. Evercoat makes a one-component urethane foam in
an aerosol can that you can inject into small spaces. This is a closed cell
foam that is water proof. You may have to drill a few 1/4" holes in order
to get the foam in and air out.

Rod

Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

"Rod McInnis" wrote in message
...

A significant advantage to using channel instead of box frame members is
that you can paint all surfaces of the channel.

We used 5" channel for most of it. But the tongue & bow stop are
box. Plus the side had a *slight* bow in it which would 99% likely
have been fine, but we boxed in some of it with 5" flat stock. So
now we have another area we can't paint.


If you can seal those boxed in areas you will be a lot better off. If you
can't weld them shut you might want to consider filling the box with a
closed cell expanding foam. Evercoat makes a one-component urethane foam
in
an aerosol can that you can inject into small spaces. This is a closed
cell
foam that is water proof. You may have to drill a few 1/4" holes in order
to get the foam in and air out.


Hmmm, interesting idea.

Thanks.

Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

I would take the frame somewhere where they could 'hot dip galvanize' it.
They can't do the leaf springs. believe the hot temperature affects spring
steel.

Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

"Don White" wrote in message
...
I would take the frame somewhere where they could 'hot dip galvanize' it.
They can't do the leaf springs. believe the hot temperature affects spring
steel.


Also an option.

We have torsion-bar axels, so no springs.

Though I don't know how hot the galvinizing
process is and I don't know what temperatures
the rubber in the torsion axels can stand.

Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

On Fri, 04 Jun 2004 20:00:01 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:
I would take the frame somewhere where they could 'hot dip galvanize' it.
They can't do the leaf springs. believe the hot temperature affects spring
steel.

=======================

I agree but doesn't that imply being able to sand blast everyhing to
clean metal first? Is there a chemical or electro-chemical
alternative?

Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

Galvanizing will give you the best protection, especially if the trailer is
going to be used in salt water. I even galvanize trailers or any other
steel fabrications that are just going to be used around SW.
The galvanizing tanks are @ 800 deg. F so your axles could not be dipped
unless they are disassembled. Also holes must be drilled into closed tubes
so that the zinc can get into and out of the tube and also to avoid an
explosion in the hot tank. Call the galvanizer for all of the rules that
have to be met before taking the trailer to the plant. It's not necessary
to sand blast new metal but I do blast all of the welds just to insure that
all of the flux is removed.
I would not even consider painting a trailer that was going to be used in
salt water!!!

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

"Don White" wrote in message
...
I would take the frame somewhere where they could 'hot dip galvanize'
it.
They can't do the leaf springs. believe the hot temperature affects
spring
steel.


Also an option.

We have torsion-bar axels, so no springs.

Though I don't know how hot the galvinizing
process is and I don't know what temperatures
the rubber in the torsion axels can stand.

Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

"QLW" wrote in message
...
Galvanizing will give you the best protection, especially if the trailer
is
going to be used in salt water. I even galvanize trailers or any other
steel fabrications that are just going to be used around SW.
The galvanizing tanks are @ 800 deg. F so your axles could not be dipped
unless they are disassembled. Also holes must be drilled into closed
tubes
so that the zinc can get into and out of the tube and also to avoid an
explosion in the hot tank. Call the galvanizer for all of the rules that
have to be met before taking the trailer to the plant. It's not necessary
to sand blast new metal but I do blast all of the welds just to insure
that
all of the flux is removed.
I would not even consider painting a trailer that was going to be used in
salt water!!!


Now that I think about it, the axels can be unbolted. It was just
their bracket that was welded on. So that's no big deal.

I'm not sure if we will be using in salt water. Mostly we won't
and if we had to we could always look for a hoist to launch
the boat in salt.

My Dad is paying for the trailer part of this. Is galvanizing
much more $$ than painting?? I'm looking at $700 or so
to paint it.

Also, if it was going to be used in salt only very rarely
and if we made a point of washing it well afterward
is that OK? Or not a idea? (I realize OK is a subjective
term...but you know what i mean.)

Lastly - I've heard of Color Galvanization. Know
anything about that? Is it dipped too? More money?

My Thanks,
Gary

Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

"QLW" wrote in message
...
Galvanizing will give you the best protection, especially if the trailer
is
going to be used in salt water. I even galvanize trailers or any other
steel fabrications that are just going to be used around SW.
The galvanizing tanks are @ 800 deg. F so your axles could not be dipped
unless they are disassembled. Also holes must be drilled into closed
tubes
so that the zinc can get into and out of the tube and also to avoid an
explosion in the hot tank. Call the galvanizer for all of the rules
that
have to be met before taking the trailer to the plant. It's not
necessary
to sand blast new metal but I do blast all of the welds just to insure
that
all of the flux is removed.
I would not even consider painting a trailer that was going to be used
in
salt water!!!


Now that I think about it, the axels can be unbolted. It was just
their bracket that was welded on. So that's no big deal.

I'm not sure if we will be using in salt water. Mostly we won't
and if we had to we could always look for a hoist to launch
the boat in salt.

My Dad is paying for the trailer part of this. Is galvanizing
much more $$ than painting?? I'm looking at $700 or so
to paint it.

Also, if it was going to be used in salt only very rarely
and if we made a point of washing it well afterward
is that OK? Or not a idea? (I realize OK is a subjective
term...but you know what i mean.)

Lastly - I've heard of Color Galvanization. Know
anything about that? Is it dipped too? More money?

My Thanks,
Gary



In Oakland, CA Pacific Galvanizing gets $500-700.

Protecting Boat Trailer from Rust ??
 

If it's galvinized, leave it alone. If not, get it
galvinized. Paint it, and it will look OK for a while, until
the places the paint doesn't stick too well flake off. Then
it will look like hell. Like painting your house with cheap
paint. You get to repaint every couple years.
JR

Gary Warner wrote:

Ok, I've asked a lot of questions here in the past about
getting the trailer we've made painted. I'm pretty sure
I've found the right company and that they will do a good
job.

My question today is: There are parts of the trailer that
are boxed in. This means that paint won't get down in
there. But water still will. The water will drain out.
What I'm wondering is: What are good ways to protect this
from rusting from the inside out??

Do paint shops typically have some type of longer
nozzels they can use to get paint in there?

Could they maybe put some type of car undercoating in
there?

Is there something I can do?

Obviously it won't be seen, so it doesn't have to look
pretty.

Yes...I will as my paint guy, but I'm hoping to get ideas
and information here first.

As always, THANKS to all the people who take time to
answer & discuss!

Gary



--
Remove X to reply

--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth