Boat trailer rusting at welds galvanized

[Amira1361]

Before we moved from Michigan to Florida we special ordered a galvanized boat trailer from Wolverine Trailers in Jackson. We have since moved to Florida and use the trailer in the lagoon which brackish water, some salt, some fresh water. We used the trailer 5 times so far (when photos were taken), rinse it with salt away each time and it is rusting all over where there are welds. I reached out to Wolverine via email, then certified mail because it has a five year warranty with photos and received no response after months. Not even a “sorry your warranty doesn’t cover it”. We assumed that it would all be galvanized and we would avoid these issues, are we incorrect. Is this type of rust typical on a galvanized trailer? The rust is much worse now than the attached photos as it’s been several months since taken.

 

[dingbat]

Agh….”galvanizing” takes many forms.

In this case it appears they “galvanized” a welded trailer. The trailer was either welded then dipped, leaving bare steel exposed inside or…..the welding was done after being dipped which burned the galvanize away in the weld zone.

True hot dip trailers are not welded. All the parts are galvanized inside and out then bolted together using U bolts.

Yes, the trailer is galvanized but not adequate for saltwater use

 

[Lou C]

Agreed my old Load Rite is galvanized but all bolted together. Very little rust and it’s a 1994. What little rust there was I took care of with cold galvanizing paint.

 

[mike_i]

Looks like the trailer was galvanized then welded on. I've been using this stuff on my galvanized trailer. I'm not affiliated with master coat I just found that this stuff works for me.

Mastercoat® Ultimate Permanent Rust Sealer SILVER Primer, Original & Sprayable Slim QUART - Mastercoat® & The Master Series Coating Line - No More Rust™

Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer is a professional paint over rust application that will stop rust permanently at low prices.

nomorerust.com

 

[Scott Danforth]

Before we moved from Michigan to Florida we special ordered a galvanized boat trailer from Wolverine Trailers in Jackson. We have since moved to Florida and use the trailer in the lagoon which brackish water, some salt, some fresh water. We used the trailer 5 times so far (when photos were taken), rinse it with salt away each time and it is rusting all over where there are welds. I reached out to Wolverine via email, then certified mail because it has a five year warranty with photos and received no response after months. Not even a “sorry your warranty doesn’t cover it”. We assumed that it would all be galvanized and we would avoid these issues, are we incorrect. Is this type of rust typical on a galvanized trailer? The rust is much worse now than the attached photos as it’s been several months since taken.

trailer looks to be galvanized bits that were then welded together and the welds treated with cold galvanizing.

makes a good fresh-water trailer a step above painted steel, however not a salt-water constructed trailer.

the tube where the plastic caps are is rusting because the end of the tube was not treated

wire brush the rust, apply clr, then re-apply a cold galvanizing compound.

pick up the phone and call the company

 

[KJM]

Yeah, as stated above. Mine is about 5 years old, galvanized and used pretty much exclusively in pure salt water. I've never rinsed it or applied any coatings and it has no rust. Its bolted together.

 

[Chris1956]

The rust on the rear caps (picture 2,4) looks especially bad. Make sure the trailer tube drains, or you will have swiss cheese steel. Also check the axle. They need to drain or they will rust out quickly.

The line of rust (picture 3) is potentially bad. See if it will stop with cold galvanizing paint.

The end of the hull support and the u bolts (picture 1) are not real bad, and can be touched up with cold galvanizing paint.

 

[dingbat]

The hardware looks to be zinc/cad plated.
Hardware needs to be hot dipped (zinc) or stainless if you have any chance of holding up in saltwater

 

[abswood]

Keeping the boat trailer galvanized is very important, it protect your boat trailer from corrosion, especially if it's made of steel or galvanized metal. Since the steel quickly rusts, it's important to protect it with a sealant or paint. You can also use a rust converter, which will seal the rust and protect the steel. It's a very simple process that you can do at home and with these few steps, you'll be able to keep the boat trailer galvanized.

 

[Gianiboy]

Before we moved from Michigan to Florida we special ordered a galvanized boat trailer from Wolverine Trailers in Jackson. We have since moved to Florida and use the trailer in the lagoon which brackish water, some salt, some fresh water. We used the trailer 5 times so far (when photos were taken), rinse it with salt away each time and it is rusting all over where there are welds. I reached out to Wolverine via email, then certified mail because it has a five year warranty with photos and received no response after months. Not even a “sorry your warranty doesn’t cover it”. We assumed that it would all be galvanized and we would avoid these issues, are we incorrect. Is this type of rust typical on a galvanized trailer? The rust is much worse now than the attached photos as it’s been several months since taken.

Keeping the boat trailer galvanized is very important, it protect your boat trailer from corrosion, especially if it's made of steel or galvanized metal. Since the steel quickly rusts, it's important to protect it with a sealant or paint. You can also use a rust converter, which will seal the rust and protect the steel. It's a very simple process that you can do at home and with these few steps, you'll be able to keep the boat trailer galvanized.

Moved to Alabama from up north. Had similar complaints. Neighbor says he sprayed his trailer with cooking oil prior to launches to avoid rust. Is he pulling my leg?

 

[jhande]

Neighbor says he sprayed his trailer with cooking oil prior to launches to avoid rust. Is he pulling my leg?

Metal rusts from moisture and air. Killing or removing the rust and then applying a few coats of paint would work.

But your neighbor is not pulling your leg.
A layer of oil prevents water and air from coming into contact with the metal.
Here in NH it is popular for folks to do an oil based undercoat every year on their cars and trucks. It helps fight off the rust from wet and salty roads during the winter.

 

[dingbat]

Moved to Alabama from up north. Had similar complaints. Neighbor says he sprayed his trailer with cooking oil prior to launches to avoid rust. Is he pulling my leg?

Back in the old days they sprayed fish oil on the under carriages of their beach buggies (trucks) to protect from SW damage while on the beach.

Now a days, such endeavors would draw the ire of the local Natural Resources Authorities. Locally, it's illegal to cause and or leave a (petroleum) "sheen" on the water.

 

[Landm13]

We purchased a “galvanized“ Wolverine (Hot Summer Industries) pontoon boat trailer 1 year and 2 months ago and The frame is already starting to rust. I have sent several emails to the companies president Lyle Johnson and he avoided my statements I made I guess you could say about the trailer rusting. I understand they do rust on welds and the company does not cover rust on the welds but this is actually rusting on the frame of the trailer and I feel like he is trying to blame us and says you need to rinse it off which we have every time we used our trailer. That is the whole purpose we bought a galvanized trailer and waited to spend that kind of money because we do put our boat in salt sometimes but after only a year and two months it should not have started to rust this bad so apparently they do a very poor job at galvanizing or it’s not real galvanized at all and actually the trailer didn’t even look like a real galvanized trailer when we bought it and I was leery and I see now why. You can clearly see in the pictures past the white spots that it is already starting to rust and that is what he was saying was our fault pretty much ! Not sure what to do next but this is like throwing $3500 away!

 

[Landm13]

Before we moved from Michigan to Florida we special ordered a galvanized boat trailer from Wolverine Trailers in Jackson. We have since moved to Florida and use the trailer in the lagoon which brackish water, some salt, some fresh water. We used the trailer 5 times so far (when photos were taken), rinse it with salt away each time and it is rusting all over where there are welds. I reached out to Wolverine via email, then certified mail because it has a five year warranty with photos and received no response after months. Not even a “sorry your warranty doesn’t cover it”. We assumed that it would all be galvanized and we would avoid these issues, are we incorrect. Is this type of rust typical on a galvanized trailer? The rust is much worse now than the attached photos as it’s been several months since taken.

We are having the same problem but ours is also on the trailer frame as well and it has only been a year and 2 months. During that time we have only put our boat in the water a handful of times in that year definitely not enough time to be causing rust and that’s even after we washed our trailer every time we use it,very disappointing. I posted picture on here as well, I doubt they’re going to do anything but I’m trying may even have to contact the Better Business Bureau next!

 

[Landm13]

Looks like the trailer was galvanized then welded on. I've been using this stuff on my galvanized trailer. I'm not affiliated with master coat I just found that this stuff works for me.

Mastercoat® Ultimate Permanent Rust Sealer SILVER Primer, Original & Sprayable Slim QUART - Mastercoat® & The Master Series Coating Line - No More Rust™

Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer is a professional paint over rust application that will stop rust permanently at low prices.

nomorerust.com

We may have to give this a try for sure, our new “galvanized” pontoon trailer is already rUstinov!

 

[dingbat]

You have a couple of things going on.

First, there is no such thing as a “galvanized” welded trailer.

The parts on a galvanized trailer are dipped in molten zinc (inside and out) then bolted together so every nook and cranny is protected.

A welded galvanized trailer would either be welded leaving the insides unprotected or the parts where dipped then welded, burning off the protective coating in weld zones, then “sprayed" (painted) to repair” the damage

Zinc is a sacrificial coating that wears away over time. The white spotting/corrosion is the weathering of the zinc when used in saltwater. Perfectly normal