steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

[lakeerieboater26]

So I have a steel trailer that will be getting dunked into saltwater about 4 or 5 times in a few months. I have grinded all the rust off the exterior and panted it with rustolium. the inside of the trailer frame is what concerns me. i cant sand the rust off it or pant it so I was thinking about take massive amounts of grease and coating the inside of the tubes by slathering it in there with some sort of a mop head attached to something flexible. Any better idea's ????

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

No guarantess but someone told me to make sure I dunk it good in a freshwater system after I've had it in saltwater. Don't know if that 's true tho.

 

[highN'dry]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

Unless your trailer is intended for saltwater use such as being fully galvanized or all aluminum then you better keep it out of saltwater because it will turn into a pile of iron oxide.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

Have a marina put the baot in for you with slings or a lift. A steel box trailer is going to rus really bad if you dip it.

 

[walt-oxie1]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

It may be worthwhile to look for ramps that are a little further of a ride that are brackish water. If you dunk it in salt water stop by the car wash on the way home and spray the crap out of it. Something else to neutralize the salt is ammonia. Salt water is evil and will kill unprotected steel.

 

[cadunkle]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

My trailer is a C frame steel. I usually boat in brackish, sometime far enough up river to be fresh, but every now and agina go in salt. I don't sweat it, no matter what I dunk it in I flush motor when I get home and hose off boat and trailer. Only takes 10 minutes and you don't have to worry about it sitting for a while with salt all over.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

Box member trailers are a problems for salt water. Sounds like one end of the box is completely open though?

I would give the manufacturer a call and see what they recommend.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

They should recommend a galvanized trailer

 

[bruceb58]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

it would be great of you could fill the channels with some sort of rust proof primer and let it all drain out. Would probably take too many gallons of paint though

 

[captharv]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

I wonder if you can go to an undercoating shop and they have a wand which can spray the inside of the box?
Or spray it down inside with rusty metal primer. Gotta help and not hurt.

I had an E-Z-Loader boax frame steel trailer. It was galvanized inside and out. It had drum brakes and they rusted out about every 5 years.
The rear crossmember broke after 22 years, The rest of the frame was solid when I traded it 2 years ago. However, after dunking in salt, I throughoutly hosed it down.

It went thru a set of springs after 20 years, so I installed the next heavier size.

Springs, brakes and suck are normal wear out items and its expected to replace them no mater if you boat in salt, fresh or brackish. One thing about the E Z loaders: They have a bunch of rollers. You back in only until the trialer lights are even with the water. So the axles and the majority of teh trailer is not into the water, most of the time.

 

[marine4003]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

So I have a steel trailer that will be getting dunked into saltwater about 4 or 5 times in a few months. I have grinded all the rust off the exterior and panted it with rustolium. the inside of the trailer frame is what concerns me. i cant sand the rust off it or pant it so I was thinking about take massive amounts of grease and coating the inside of the tubes by slathering it in there with some sort of a mop head attached to something flexible. Any better idea's ????

I can assume your taking the boat on vacation? if its only 4-5 times in its life your not going to trash it , go to a car wash after you pull the boat and stick the want into all the accessable ends of the trailer,rinse as well as you can. or what i do to my steel trailers , jam a cloth into the box ends about 4-5 inches then spray expanding foam into ends..when its dried cut off any protruding foam..its now watertight.Keep in mind it doesnt last more than a year with heavy use..but it'll get you thru 4-5 times.

 

[lakeerieboater26]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

well, its going to get dunked so I gotta do something and I dont think there is a freshwater area to launch. I just painted the whole trailer with rustolium so its just the inside i am worried about. the leaf springs are covered in grease and the axle and rims are painted as well. I think I am going to put about 12 tubes of marine grease inside the tubes and try and cover every inch I can. its not possible to paint it or spray any sort of undercoating either, I already tried to go that route. Any other idea's are welcome, thanks for the input though !

oh yea, i also thought about putting some sort of irrigation lines inside the trailer tubes so when I get it home I can connect the lines to a hose and rinse it out really well ! kind of like a homemade flushing system !

 

[triumphrick]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

oh yea, i also thought about putting some sort of irrigation lines inside the trailer tubes so when I get it home I can connect the lines to a hose and rinse it out really well ! kind of like a homemade flushing system !


You will find those fittings available at trailer manufacturedrs and supply houses as they use them for braking systems. Not a bad idea, I just think using bedliner material and a rope with a drenched rag is about the best you could do otherwise.

 

[lakeerieboater26]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

that bed liner stuff is expensive so I am try to figure out what else to do. what a pain in the butt. lol

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: steel trailer, saltwater, how to protect the inside of the frame ???

My Dad's old sailboat trailer got a thorough wash down and re-paint twice a season. After launch to dock for the season and after recovery at the end of the season. Still showed signs of rust.
Salt water is un-merciful glad I am now a fresh water only boater.....but for how long I do not know !!
Planning to take our boat to the 2010 gathering in Florida.