Rust Bullet

[The-easyrider]

Well my trailer is eight years old (that means the boat is 8 as well must be time for a new one) and starting to show some signs of rust so the time has come for a little TLC or I will be replacing it in a few years. Over all it is not to bad with the gal on the bottom half of the chassis rails showing some rust spotting and the main cross members having obvious rust on the lower parts but all bits have passed the hammer test. I know a lot of blokes swear by Tectrol and that is what I will most likely use in the rails but am looking at a product called Rust Bullet for the external bits of the frame. Has any body used this product and can offer any info?

[tunaticer]

Is your trailer a square hollow box construction?
Regardless if the hammer test, the internals will be corroded worse than the externals.
If your trailer is open form I section or C section then you will have better luck of seeing exactly where the rust is and how deep it is.
Personally I think if you have a hollow tube trailer you should strip it back and get it re-dipped to get a decent 2nd bite at the cherry.
There are heaps of rust converters and sealants on the market, but they only sequester the rust and slow progression unless the rust is removed physically first. Even if you remove the entire rust internally and externally, these products need re-applying every two yrs or so max.
I had my trailer re-dipped two yrs ago for the main frame and it cost about $385 from memory for a trailer suitable for a 5.2m boat.

[Bros]

I had my trailer re-dipped two yrs ago for the main frame and it cost about $385 from memory for a trailer suitable for a 5.2m boat.

A lot of galvanizers won't regalvanize as they can't get to the internal parts. For a good result the parts have to be free of all but a thin rust coating or sandblasted.

[grinner2]

Best thing to do is to completly strip down trailer & send to your local galvanizers for a STRIP & REGALV . THe galvos will submerged your trailer in a caustic solution which will remove any paint or grease & then do the same process in a acid solution which removes any rust & existing galvanizing & then redipp it.( the secret is to not let the rust get to the stage where it is causing structural issues , as this will obviously require repair before regalvanizing & the galvos may suggest that you have the trailer blasted before they will touch it .
Regards
Paul

[Noelm]

nothing the galvanisers do will remove rust, it needs to be sand blasted to remove rust (and paint) and if it is box section you cannot blast inside the channel, and thats where the bad rust will be (been there and done that)

[grinner2]

Pending on the level of rust ,heavily affected steel will be rejected by your local galvo & you will be told to get it blasted , but surface rust of a fairly bad nature will be removed through their std process .
It is not that they cant remove heavy rust it is more of the additional time it takes through there acid baths to remove it , therefore tieing up their tanks & slowing the whole process line.

[Noelm]

Acid tanks do not remove bad rust (not surface rust) all rust and paint must be removed (by sand blasting) before a galvaniser will even accept the work, light surface rust will be fine, the acid will remove this as well as old galvanising, it will just be 'eaten" by the acid.

[The-easyrider]

Gents thanks for all the helpful information regarding re-galvanizing trailers, I did consider this path and decided that it will not be an option I will pursue at this time.
My question was around the product Rust Bullet, The advertising says it is the best thing since panel vans with mattresses but as other advertisers have told me that if you mix cows lips and bum holes combined with pickles and special sauce are good burgers I tend to be a tad sceptical.
So if any body has used this product I would love to hear your feed back

[netmaker]

i have been looking at it also. at $100 per litre it would be good to know it works first. i agree in principle with that which has been posted already but have an open mind as far as technological advances are concerned. (I also want to believe that it works) having just had a bike fuel tank acid dipped and then applying redkote i am inclined to believe that it could be as good as it says. i am very impressed with the quality coating that redkote produces. the fuel pump had external rust which i rust converted before applying the redkote. it is still hanging in the shed with no further rust apparent. seems like a very strong protective shell and i have read of once-rusted tanks still in use 20 years later. i was considering trying it on my trailer in the worst spots just to see how it goes. my trailer frame is oil filled so i expect no internal rust but would like to keep surface rust on axle, springs and frame at bay. i suspect rust bullet is similar to tectyl but with a harder shell that resists stonechips and starves the rust of oxygen. if you decide to go with it please post your opinions up afterwards.
cheers

[Stuart]

Strip the rust off best you can. Buy rust converter "Phospheric acid". Then use an epoxy paint from Dulux,cant remeber the name but its the same stuff they use on ships, the Harbor bridge and so on. I will find the name and post it.

[Stuart]

Here is the link mate. http://www.dulux.com.au/specifier/product/protective-coatings/topcoatsfinishes/micaceous-iron-oxides/product-detail?product=2326

[TheRealAndy]

Wow, just read the Rust Bullet "how it works page"!! Lots of very simple explanations of various forms of corrosion that are totally irrelevant!!

At the end of the day, the way to stop rust (or corrosion of ferrous materials) is to remove oxygen from the equation. Any industrial coating will do this, but you first have to remove the rust. Simple reason, rust is is iron oxide, or iron atoms combined with oxygen atoms. Yup, rust itself has the key ingredient. Coating it with something will certainly delay the inevitable, but it wont stop it.

I would not waste the money, I would just use a cheaper product. Head down to your local super cheap or repco and by some tecyl 506 or that black underbody stuff. Any non porous coating will do, just get as much rust off as possible first, then lay this stuff on thick. Nothing will replace the use of good quality paint applied regularly.