Bringing a trailer back to life

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

I have read about some spare tires mounted flat like you've done is that they can hold water and rust out the rim.

Ick, That is true. With the chrome rims I bought for this trailer rebuild job, there is a small ridge around the center of the rim that could hold water. Not too big though, but I am making a wheel cover for it so that isn't an issue with my setup. But you are correct, on some flat spare setups you really have to watch for that problem. Being covered and chromed (and waxed nicely too) I don't see an issue. I did the same on one of my previous boats and never had one issue with rust... Thanks for pointing that out so others will know of that possible problem... That IS what these forums are all about, to inform others! Also, with a spare tire cover, it keeps the UV sun rays from accelerating the dry rotting problems too, so you get a little long tire life. :joyous:

 

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

Today I spent some time gluing and stapling the bunk carpet on the bunks. I first started with treated 2 x 6's and some exterior plywood. The plywood was cut into the four steps I am installing on the trailer. The 2 x 6's are for the usual bunks and side guides. I bought the treated 2 x 6's about six months ago and let them completely dry in my shop for those months. Then I cut them to the correct sizes and routered the edges with a 1/2" round over bit and cut an angle at the end of them to aid in loading the boat. I believe I explained that in a previous post.

So then I took some polyurethane clear and some mineral spirits and mixed them 50/50 for the first coat on all the cut pieces. The 50/50 mixture allows the polyurethane to seep into the wood grain a lot deeper with that mixture to help prevent water intrusion. Next I applied a coat of Rustoleum gloss black to all sides of the wood. That coat soaked in pretty quickly. So I applied another coat for the finish. Then I allowed those coats to dry for a few days (actually I think it was weeks) before proceeding. Yesterday and today I started to glue and staple the marine carpet onto those wood parts. I used HD's 6700 glue. I read some on here don't like it while others love it. So it seems there is always those types of responses on most everything. But I've used Weld-wood contact glues before with great results but was afraid the solvent may dissolve the rubber backing on the marine carpet, so I went solvent-less type glue. I have to say that the 6700 glue is indeed extremely sticky stuff. I can't see how it won't do the job. Then I cut the carpet to the correct size and used stainless steel staples to staple the carpet on too. Well as Murphy's law predicts, I ran out of carpet. I have a lot of carpet left over, but not wide enough to finish the last two bunks. So I am in the process of buying more... :facepalm:





In these two pictures above you can see one of the guide bunks. And in the other you can see one of the fender covers for the inside of one of the fenders. The carpet is a 20oz cut pile marine type carpet. I really like the color and finish and it was pretty easy to cover them with it. Now I have two bunks left to cover...another day though...

I also primed the spare tire lock parts. I cut two pieces of angle iron about an inch wide and then drilled a 1/2" hole in them for the lug stud to go through and drill the other ends for a pad lock to fit. Then I welded on the lug nuts to each piece on the 1/2" hole side so when I install them I can install a simple pad lock to keep the spare from being removed by folks that aren't supposed to remove it. You can see that I made them with a little space between them when installed. That is so they can be spun on without interfering with each other. They work amazingly well. Just have to make sure you carry the key with you if you have a flat...





Well that's all for now. I'll keep you all posted as things get done. After this trailer is finish (hopefully real soon too) the boat is calling me... Wishing everybody a wonderful day... :joyous:

 

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

So, as I await for more marine carpet to arrive :facepalm: , I'll post further pictures of what I did next. Here are a few pictures of the PPG 2K Epoxy Primer I sprayed next on the trailer to both seal it and put that final priming coat on that is compatible with the following base coat and clear top coats to come. I starter using automotive paints and primers back a few years ago and like them so much I use them for everything now. Easy to spray and clean up afterwards. And the finishes are amazing and impervious to oils, fuels and most any chemicals you would come around in the normal usage. And the finishes are also hard to scratch. I never sprayed anything before that allowed me to do professional results like quality PPG automotive products. And before anybody thinks this is a commercial for their paints, I believe any quality type paint with a catalyst hardener will give the same results as well. But I am known in the PPG shop now and get some nice discounts on their paints...so why not?

Here is what I primed with:



It gets mixed at a 2:1 ratio. And those ratios are printed on their products too. So not very hard to mix them properly. The PPG shop has mixing cups for any size job. I use them to make sure I get the proper ratios. The next picture is the primer mixed and waiting 15 minutes before applying. This primer is a 2K epoxy type primer with a mixed shelf life of 8 hours. So you have plenty of time to mix spray and clean up the gun...



You can see the mixing cup there as well as the spray gun I used. And the directions from the paint shop even tell you what nozzle sizes to use and the air pressure at the input of the spray gun. You can see I have both a regulator and moisture trap at the gun too. Works for me...





The previous two pictures are the 2K primer applied. It is quite a bit darker gray then the Rustoleum Rattle can primer. So now the entire trailer is sealed and curing (not drying) waiting for the base coat of paint. And one issue with automotive paints, this primer has a 72 hour limit on it for spraying the base coat of paint. After that time, you have to resand and reapply. So once you decide to shoot primer and paint it is best to watch the weather report a few days ahead. The base coat of paint (color) has a 24 hour limit on it too. So I saw we had two days of mid 70's or above and sunny too. So I had to do everything in two days. Doesn't sound like too hard a time table, but it does keep you on your toes... You probably also notice I have this trailer sitting on two saw horse. That is so I can get the under sides as well.

Okay until next update, wishing everybody a wondrous day...

 

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

Today's update should be a little more colorful. I actually sprayed the base color and then two strips along the trailer frame for a little breakup look. Then a couple of coats of clear to finish it all off. The following few pictures shows these changes. While not finished per say, it is beginning to look like a nice trailer again.

The color is a dark metallic gray with one red strip and one light gray strip. These colors coordinate to what I am planning the boat to look like, and of course the already rebuilt 1976 40HP Johnson engine too. So I decided to use some of the same paints from the O/B rebuild to give this a little more finished look. These paints are of course PPG Shop Line colors with their top of the line clear coat finish. It is amazing to see the colors pop when you start applying the clear coats. The metallics actually look dull until you spray the clear coats. I waited for the base coat to cure before applying the strips. The manufacture's data sheets for their paints and clears actually specify the time from painting to tack time, tape time, sand time and even polishing time. That info really helps to make sure you don't try to tape and then pull off the base coat when removing the masking tape... :facepalm: That would be a disaster to say the least. :violin:

Here is what I've don't thus far on this trailer rebuild.







Amazing what paint will do! In the last two shots you can see the winch tower, trailer jack plate, spare tire holder and the front roller and tongue welds after paint. They came out fairly nice I think.

Now I can breathe a little better knowing I achieved my painting in the two day window. If it rains now, I don't care. From this point forward it is all bolting on everything, wiring the lights and applying the bunks. Then this project will be finished. I'll post more shots of the procedures as I finish up this rebuild. Hope it some how can helps others...or maybe not...who knows. Thanks for looking anyways.

'Till next update, have a nice day...

 

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

continued



Seems the post police wouldn't allow all the pictures in the same post...

 

[alldodge]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

Very nice, you can clean my trailers up anytime :thumb:

 

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

Well I'm still waiting for the additional marine carpet to show up to finish up the last two side bunks. I'll post a few more painted pictures.







I actually think these last two pictures were before the clear coat was shot on. The strips took a little time to tape of the trailer. What I did was to take some 3m auto type 1/4" stripping tape and eye-balled the center of the trailer side and ran it along first. Then I took regular masking tape and eye-balled another 1/4" wide section towards the top of the 1/4" tape and applied that along the side rails too. And then I did the same with the tape along the bottom of the 1/4" tape as well. This gave me two areas to spray paint onto. First I took the red paint and a very small air brush and a light pressure setting and sprayed the red top color along the entire trailer. Then after letting that red paint dry, I took some more masking tape and covered over the red stripped section and sprayed the bottom gray paint strip. That way I didn't have to make lots of small 1/4" parallel taped section to get two strips. Worked very well and so quick to get two stripped lines. Then after the proper time, I sprayed the clear coats. Since this time I attached the winch, the bow stop rubber, the side and tail lights. I still have to actually wire them all up, but then comes after we get a dry day now... Hope this is completed in the next week...

 

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

Okay, the next few comments will show the last of this project. I actually finished up the trailer today with the exception of attaching the safety chains and the top cap for the trailer jack, but those are very minor issue I'll address after the boat is finish so I can get the proper length for the chains. AS you can see the bunks, rollers and lights are all on and the lights are completely wired as well. I like the way it came out and it should trailer my tri-hull nicely. New wheels and tires set it off with the final pictures. Look and see how it came out...

 

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

continued:

 

[alldodge]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

Real nice job

 

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

So finally it is finished. I started with this:



And ended wit this:



I think this trailer was a very fun project to do. Yes it was a lot of work, but I enjoy doing these rebuild projects. And I think this trailer will last as long as I want to keep it...

One last thing. I have been posting on these comment board for a while now. And I hope I was helping others with some of their problems. With that said, I was recently informed that these comments could lead me to liability issues if someone used anything I suggested and got hurt doing so. So with that new knowledge, I decided to post the final of this project and become just a read instead of a suggester and/or a project poster now. So I simply am post these latest pictures for mere entertainment value and absolutely nothing more. If anyone tries anything I did on this project or mimics anything, they do so at their own risk. I assume zero responsibilities for anything or any liabilities. I enjoy doing these projects but simply can't take the risk that these law-suit days could bring...

This is the last in this series for this project and the authorities can close it now if they want... :wave:

 

[alldodge]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

I don't see showing what you did an issue with liability, that said there are ambulance chasers every where. If this could also be true then everyone on this forum at one time or another has plunged into those waters. Guess U tube would be another place.

 

[MRS]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

O no Brother you got to show one last photo with the boat on it sweet job.:encouragement::encouragement:

 

[Tnstratofam]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

Really outstanding work. That trailer turned out nice. I hope you will post pictures of the completed rig. This forum is where allot of us come up with good ideas to use on our own projects. Common sense "Which isn't very common anymore." should be that we all use any information obtained through these forums at our own risk, and or discretion. That being said I hope you continue to contribute to these forums. All our combined knowledge should be used to help our fellow iboaters succeed in their own projects.

Great work again on your trailer. Seeing your completed project really inspires me to get mine cleaned up and painted. It's needed it for a long while now.

Thanks again.

Dave

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

Nice job on the winch tower. I just noticed that.

I also may copy your spare tire mount.

 

[Mud Puppy]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

GM; when I get around to my trailer, I can only hope it turns out half as nice as yours did, but everything I have seen you do turns out spectacular!

Cheers,
Rocco

 

[gm280]

Re: Bringing a trailer back to life

GM; when I get around to my trailer, I can only hope it turns out half as nice as yours did, but everything I have seen you do turns out spectacular!

Cheers,
Rocco

Thanks for the kind words Mud Puppy, I'm sure yours will look just as good if not better! All I did was weld, grind, sand, prime and paint. The original trailer was in a lot worst shape then I seen when I bought the whole setup. Now unto the boat itself... Thanks again!

And to brueb58, AllDodge, MRS and tnstratofam, thank you all too for the nice words. I do appreciate them...honestly...

 

[scvcando]

I can only (almost only) say WOW! It's been said that I get a little carried away with detail now and then but I now know that I'm an amateur at getting carried away! Absolutely beautiful. I'm thinking that you only have about 10% of what you originally started with--maybe. That satisfaction at the end is what it's all about. Thanks so much for all of your step by step info, tips and pictures. I know that many of us out here have benefited greatly. Out of curiosity, have you got any idea of your hours and $ spent?

 

[jbcurt00]

SCV: gm280 is still active on the forums, in the future, rather then dragging an inactive[90+days w/out any posts] topic back up use the private message [PM] feature to reach the user directly.

gm280 will probably respond in a day or 2 to a PM, about as quick as replying here.

thanks, John

gm280, feel free to post a reply to his questions when you get here. Perhaps post the requested pix of the boat on the newly rehabbed trailer, even though you arent yet finished w the boat..

 

[bonz_d]

Wow this thread is a year old and I missed the whole thing from the beginning. Must have been while I was working 10hr days 6 days a week!
Still gm sorry I missed all your fun and great work, looks terrific!