How would you sort the rust on this trailer?
- Thread starter steve yates
- Start date
northwind
Well-Known Member
Clean it up, use some rust converter and then cover it with a zinc rich paint, the stuff from screwfix is actually not bad stuff
Plum
Well-Known Member
Assuming it has not lost any strength due to the corrosion, it depends on how long you intend to keep it. If it was mine I would remove as much of the rust and old paint as is possible with a power wire brush and get the whole thing hot dip galvanised. Strip off the removable bits, tow it to the galvanisers, unbolt the hitch and suspension units on their site, then bolt them back on for the collection trip. You then won't have to do any maintenance for 20 years.
Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
steve yates
Well-Known Member
If I was keeping the boat I'd probably do that, as trailers are so expensive. But its pretty sound, just scruffy looking. Already replaced the rollers, stub axles, hubs and wheels, they are all brand new now. Will clean up the winch and the jockey wheel and maybe replace them they look ropey. So now I just want it brought back cosmetically and protected so the rust doesnt become a problem or terminal.
Simi
Well-Known Member
The best way to get rid of rust on a trailer is to buy a new one!!!
peteK
Well-Known Member
Box section trailers rust from the inside,I used to put old engine oil in the box section.
ltcom
Well-Known Member
Post 2 and waxoil inside the box sections. Old engine oil is carcinogenic and not good for the environment.
Caraway
Well-Known Member
That's all channel steel. Get a twisted wire brush and a cup brush for your angle grinder. Clean it up as good as possible. I would use just a proper enamel paint like Rustoleum Combi-Colour (brushing paint, not the aerosol).
It will look very smart, clean easily and can be touched up as required. Zinc rich primers are very soft. A galvaniser will insist on grit-blasting it.
I've always got Rustoleum from a steel supplier (Thomas Grahams) but it is available on-line (this seller seems to offer all the colours- just scroll down - but the tins are all about £30 whether 750ml or 2.5 litre. Which needs checking out. You will never use 2.5 litre).
It will look very smart, clean easily and can be touched up as required. Zinc rich primers are very soft. A galvaniser will insist on grit-blasting it.
I've always got Rustoleum from a steel supplier (Thomas Grahams) but it is available on-line (this seller seems to offer all the colours- just scroll down - but the tins are all about £30 whether 750ml or 2.5 litre. Which needs checking out. You will never use 2.5 litre).
Kilo
Well-Known Member
+1 for Caraway Steve.
Get the flat twisted knot wire brush from screwfix but also get a face shield & wear safety glasses beneath it as they tend to spit the wires out in all directions. Really nasty if you're not properly dressed.
For some reason toolstation are charging £8 a pop! They don't last, buy a few.
Get the flat twisted knot wire brush from screwfix but also get a face shield & wear safety glasses beneath it as they tend to spit the wires out in all directions. Really nasty if you're not properly dressed.
For some reason toolstation are charging £8 a pop! They don't last, buy a few.
Jim@sea
Well-Known Member
I have often wondered if after a rusty trailer has been wire brushed back to bare metal if one could paint it with Fibreglass Resin (obviously with hardener mixed in) This when painted sticks like sh1t to a blanket. Which would then make the trailer chassis waterproof. Then paint it with Silver Hammerite.
Or paint the rusty bits with the Hammerite Cure Rust (or red lead) then paint it with Fibreglass Resin.
Or paint the rusty bits with the Hammerite Cure Rust (or red lead) then paint it with Fibreglass Resin.
DownWest
Well-Known Member
If you have a decent jet wash, they do sand blasting attachments. Not used one myself, but hear they work quite well.
TernVI
Well-Known Member
You can either spend may hours getting it spotless, then spend a lot on good paint etc,
Or chip off any bad rust, go at it with phosphoric acid product, then some paint like hammerite.
If you do the first, it will want doing again in maybe 10 years, if you do the latter maybe 4 years.
If you could get it galvanised, it will be good for 20+ years. If you hose it off well every time it goes in the sea.
Or chip off any bad rust, go at it with phosphoric acid product, then some paint like hammerite.
If you do the first, it will want doing again in maybe 10 years, if you do the latter maybe 4 years.
If you could get it galvanised, it will be good for 20+ years. If you hose it off well every time it goes in the sea.
penberth3
Well-Known Member
Paint is basically resin. Not sure there's any point trying fibreglass resin. And when did you last see Red Lead paint? I think you're a bit out of date with that.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Get a price for shot blasting, then prime/paint with Hammerite products (smooth topcoat, not the hammered finish.
If the shot blasting is too expensive, wire brush in a grinder as above, then Hammerite. Wire brushing with a grinder makes a decent job, but it's a horrible job and you can't easily get into the tight/awkward corners, so unless shot blasting is really expensive, go with that.
If the shot blasting is too expensive, wire brush in a grinder as above, then Hammerite. Wire brushing with a grinder makes a decent job, but it's a horrible job and you can't easily get into the tight/awkward corners, so unless shot blasting is really expensive, go with that.
C08
Well-Known Member
A belt finger sander is made for getting into the channel sections and then some paint over rust paint. They are brilliant for that type of metal preparation.
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
I would get it blast cleaned then either dip or paint, depending how much I loved it. I have just restored an old dinghy trailer with a T-plan chassis made of 40mm square tube and even that took ages to get clean.
Caraway
Well-Known Member
About 2 hours to clean that up, and a lot cheaper than blasting.
Rappey
Well-Known Member
I've used a lot of it in the past 5 years. It's never been banned as many seem to believe and the rest confuse it with that total rubbish red oxide ,but it is very hard to obtain as not many manufacture it any more , and for a really bizarre twist I read somewhere that it's use is controled by English heritage ?
As a single pack over badly prepared metal its a winner but if the metal can be prepared properly there are better solutions.
Apparently red lead is amazing for painting the bilges of a wooden boat
penfold
Well-Known Member
That; for maybe £300, versus faffing about getting filthy with a grinder for hours then mithering over several coats of paint.
Kilo
Well-Known Member
Really not worth shot blasting & dipping unless you're planning to keep the boat for a good long while. Even at today's inflated prices the process will cost more than its worth. Best return is a quick spruce up, ensure it's roadworthy (sounds like you've done that) so that potential buyers are able to drive away with the boat trailing behind & job done.
