Trailer rust

[soak 'n fused]

Hello all- My boat trailer is definitely showing some rust. I dinked around last year and used a drill with a wire brush to clean up some rust spots and put gray primer on. There are a ton more little spots everywhere and think it would be a pain to try to get at all of those what with wiring and all. Does anybody have any ideas on how to remove rust spots on a boat trailer without having all the wiring taken out and having it sandblasted? I heard of navel jelly but am not sure if that would work. Any ideas?

 

[JAL51974]

Re: Trailer rust

I have the same problem and decided to just wire brush it with a drill, painted on a product that stops the rust then top coat of rustoleum white. Its a long process but the best I could come up with for now. At some point I will go the sandblast route, but I wasn't ready to do it that extensively yet.
Biggest headache is for some spots the boat will have to be off the trailer, so that means for me a trip to the lake, float the boat and tie off then do the work in the parking lot.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Trailer rust

I have the same problem and decided to just wire brush it with a drill, painted on a product that stops the rust then top coat of rustoleum white. Its a long process but the best I could come up with for now. At some point I will go the sandblast route, but I wasn't ready to do it that extensively yet.
Biggest headache is for some spots the boat will have to be off the trailer, so that means for me a trip to the lake, float the boat and tie off then do the work in the parking lot.

A trip to the lake is always a good thing. Launch the boat, then go right back and do your work on the trailer. Then, while the paint's drying, go fishing. Sounds like a great day to me!

 

[JAL51974]

Re: Trailer rust

Yep that's my plan! Hopefully most of it can be done in my backyard leaving only the cross beams and the hardware mounts for the rollers to be done in the parking lot.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Trailer rust

The easiest way to clean up rust is with a sand blaster. Then a good coat of primer and some epoxy paint.

I do have one non galvanized trailer here, the last owner stripped and painted it with that aluminum paint thats intended for rain gutters and steel roofing, it looks decent and has held up well.

I have one here that I plan to sand blast and do some repairs on, it will take more than a day of fishing though to get it done. I'll have to block up the boat or transfer to another trailer for the duration of the repairs.

 

[JAL51974]

Re: Trailer rust

I finished all that I can get to with the boat on the trailer last night. The white gloss rustoleum looks pretty good if I must say so myself! I am using the Navy rule: grease it if it moves, paint everything else.

Joe