Rusty trailer options.

[airlock]

The trailer for my 5.2 twin hull is looking worse for wear. Several rust spots, rusting axle and two of the cross beams are toast.
Is it worth trying to get it respired or should I just be looking to replace?
I’m worried about rust reaperaing after a costly repair.

[Marco1]

Hard to say without a photo. Steel rust can give an apocalyptic appearance but can come good with just a grinder and a power brush. Some cold galvo applied by hand, etching primer and epoxy top coat will keep the rust off for a few more years.
If rust has made gaping holes in the structure, you can still repair if you can weld or ... pull the pin and buy new.

The worst of repairing a trailer is where to keep you boat in the meantime.
Post a photo or two of the offending parts

[scottar]

Just depends on how bad it actually is. If you can't weld (or don't want to learn) the decision gets harder . Without getting a quote on repairs if you aren't doing them first and a new trailer it's a hard call.

[catshark]

rusting axle can be swap out if your handy on the tools, the cross members need a bit more thought, rust will always reappear but if you can buy some more time with a few repairs go that way . if the last two members are shot perhaps a temporary solution is tack some angaline along the RHS if its a structual issue..

[Marco1]

There is a lot you can do before you get to 3 to 5k that is the cost of new trailer.
having said that, if you want a workshop to dothe fixing it will take very little. I had to move a boat interstate too big to tow with my Landcruiser so had the local dude to fix the brakes, caliper and rotors, lights, and got new tires and spent $1500 just on that. Unless you do most of the rust repair yourself, you may be better off selling it as is for someone else to do it and buy new or good second hand.
Gumtree is full of trailer ads. There is bound to be one better than yours.

[TheRealAndy]

Welcome the the single worst aspect of boating.

Until you start grinding, welding and replacing bits its hard to tell how bad things are. The last trailer I repaired probably cost me $1000 in parts and paint, for a 22' boat. It was cheaper to repair but only cause I got in and did the work before it was totally stuffed.

The current boat I have (9m) is on a yard trolley and it needs some work in the next year or so. I am already estimating about $1000, but still cheaper than antifoul given the trolley is now 14 years old.

[Crocodile]

Hello Airlock,
We need to see some pictures.
Are you handy with tools?
Can you weld?
How are you for spare $$$$?
For how long do you plan to keep the rig?
No need to rush, rust is enevitable but it is a slow process.
Inspect with a ball hammer, applying solid wacks.
Have a look at this;
https://www.swiftcotrailers.com/Shar...ailers-C4.html
This trailer is probably a bit big but gives you some idea of replacement cost.
$12K
I recently had the back 2/3's of my Webster trailer replaced/rebuilt for less than $1k which I thought was pretty good.
Bad news is that galvanising is prohibitively expensive, had to go with Duragal which is well short of ideal.
Keep us informed.

[tunaticer]

If your trailer is hollow form i.e. box steel you will buy only marginal time with repairs.
If it is open section like channel or I beam you can get much longer life from it because there are no hidden internals rusting away.
Wherever you weld on hollow form the inside will rust away quickly because you can not effectively seal the burnt metal unless you get the frame re-galvanized properly.
I re-galved my old trailer 3 times, each time giving another 6 years. Nothing was replaced on it because I caught it before the steel was badly damaged.

Galvanizing costs are skyrocketting in the past 3 months. Commercial rates are now just under $2700 plus GST per tonne.

[gazza2006au]

Airlock wouldn't even repair it, i recently had a trailer which needed 1 cross member due to rust holes i was quoted something stupid to replace it than on top of that it needed to be redipped in gal costing a fortune

build your self a alloy trailer just remember to use a combination of U bolts and gal bolts on the cross members i cut mine on a 45 degree angle which i can't fit u bolts on my f... up lesson learnt

you can buy the aluminium from Capral Aluminium they have prices on their web site

[stevej]

New trailers are cheap enough
Gal is sacrificial it’s the whole point of it

How you store it at home matters as much as where you use it

Warm humid areas such as on grass or under tarps will degrade it even faster

People shouldn’t be home building trailers unless they have experience in the industry or appropriate welding experience
Just acidents waiting to happen on the road beside me

Especially with ally

By the time you invest the time and effort you still end up with a sub par product
Cheap Chinese trailers would end up being a better option

[gazza2006au]

Steve that is like saying u shouldn't be driving a boat today because the day u first drove a boat u had no experience

[tunaticer]

Gazza, that depends on whether you gain the skills required quickly to get a satisfactory job.
Plenty of back yarders do not attain that level of skill in a decade....a weld that looks good may be defective.
Not to mention some of the designs and materials they opt for in the back yard that really make you wonder.

[stevej]

Wasn’t a reference to you Gazza please don’t assume every post is

If you can’t see the difference between the two topics no need to reply

A boat licence you at least sit for and have to pass a test and a course

Bending aluminium isn’t just sticking a ram in there and hoping for the best
Even drilling holes in it is a science

And no need to single me out in your posts

[inveratta]

good question airlock....ignore the ally stuff..sorry but irrelevant to your question...its really a question of either buying a new trailer..cos they do wear out ..or if you have some skills repairing it safely...safely for you and the other road users..as Neil Young said... rust never sleeps..If it is "toast" not much point in paying someone else to fix it ..Its not really a question with an easy answer...

[Marco1]

Still no reply from the OP. No photo no possible suggestions.
As a retired blacksmith, I agree that building a trailer from scratch is beyond the skill and the tooling for most home handymen. Even if one can weld.
Building one in aluminium is even further removed from most people skills.
Not impossible mind you.

As for repairing a trailer that has rusted, and providing the rust is not inside a hollow section, you can take your trailer to hot zinc spray aka thermal arc spray. An alloy of zinc and aluminium is melted with an electric arc and sprayed with compressed air on the previously sand blasted surface. It is done on large object that can not be dipped in a vat.

https://www.ccmp.com.au/services/hot-metal-spray.html