Stupid Question maybe??

[Homer_Jay]

Just thinking about my new trailer and how i can stop it from rusting.

Why cant you put a sacrificial anode on the trailer as you put on an outboard? That way it will corode away instead of your pride and joy.

I am guessing there is a reason why it wont work as i have never seen anyone do it before.

Any ideas anyone :-/

[PADDLES]

for an anode to work and provide cathodic protection the whole lot needs to be sitting in an electrolyte ie. salt water. the anode in the air won't do anything.

[Chimo]

Hi H J

I asked a similar but different question in the COUPLERTEC RUST PREVENTION 4WD thread and got this reply.

I have not followed it up as yet but I think it may be worth looking into?
What do you think?


the actual unit is connected to a series of pads that are the main working part of the prevention,,

having 10 pads is overkill,,,

i've run electronic rust on all my 4b's,,, as previously posted,,, and have never had any drama

the trailer question,,,,,no it wont offer protection to add ons in full strength unless a pad is fitted,, i have known a few people that run a """extension"" to there trailer (camper),,, and they say it works a treat,,,

search under rust,,,by choppa

coupler tech are mainly marketed by motor1,,, and are sold predominately through car dealerships,,

IF YOU"RE BUYING A CAR THROUGH A DEALERSHIP,,, PM ME FOR A PRICE,,,these things are sold up to 750.00 for a 4-6 pad version,,,,,,cost is well below this

theres always going to be those against,, and those for electronic rust prevention,,,, i like it because it protects above the glass line,,, ie the sill areas,,, roof,,, etc etc,, places were you dont think about until its to late,,

early model cruisers always rust out around the rear window sills as an example

Cheers

Chimo

[marlinqld]

you asked it homer, so it aint stupid..

the only stupid question is the one that isnt asked.


Mike

[kitty_cat]

a lanolon product eg enox or lanaguard is the only other alternative works great and is sold at all boat shops for about $15-$20 bucks

[marlinqld]

inox is about the best on the market, but wouldnt be cheap to do a whole trailer.

I use it to spot spray my trailer parts...wheel nuts etc etc, keeps them working nicely.


Mike

[Homer_Jay]

Thanks guys,

Was just a thought. I think the lonoguard or tectyl will be the way to go.

I also read in an old magazine where Peter Webster said about sprating it all with a mixture of turp's and linseed oil. Has anyone had any success with this method? I am guessing it would have to be done evry time before you put it away.

[triman]

This came up on the Fishnet site a while back and I answered there as well.
Unless you've gone for something completely different your boat trailer will be made of galvanised steel; the galvanising coating being a deposit of metallic zinc.
Boat engine anodes are normally zinc.
Provided the gal coating on your trailer is intact the entire trailer is an anode.
Because it spends such a short amount of time in an electrolyte the chances for corrosion to form are limited and they should be rustfree for years.
Trailers should only rust where the galvanising has been damaged or poorly applied.
As you drive down a dirt road towards the ramp if you can hear stones striking the trailer you are damaging the galvanising and one of those stone strikes could lead to rust.
The non-galvanised parts of the trailer, especially the springs, are likely to rust if dunked. It MAY help to put a small button anode on each spring but I wouldn't fancy drilling a mounting hole in my springs to ensure I had electrical continuity between the anode and spring.

[Homer_Jay]

Its a dunbier trailer and the springs and axle are galvanised too so that should do the trick. I wonder how they go galvanising the springs with the heat of the dip. I wonder if that changes the temper of them? I guess not.
I wont be drilling any holes in my springs!! :o

[Stu]

I painted my new 12 month old trailer with Tectyl.
It certainly does the trick. Great stuff and cheap as well. I got it from the local auto paint shop.
The only draw back is it smells a bit.
Cheers
Stu

[triman]

Several southern site members recommended a quick spray of the springs with fish oil, probably de-odourised to stop the neighbourhood cats nesting on your springs.
With my trailer when i get a rust spot i give it a quick buff with a wirw wheel and a spray with a zinc-rich primer then a zinc topcoat.
It looks a bit motley but no major rust.

[Lucky_Phill]

The mob over at Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island use a mix of Tectyl and Lanotec. This has kept the vehicles rust free for years.

The Tectyl drys the lonotec, and the lanotec provides most of the rust protection.

I initially used Tectyl on my trailer some 5 years ago. Never re-touched it up and to date is rust free. Axles and leaf springs excepted.

Good luck with it all.

Phill

[Homer_Jay]

I used that tectyl stuff on an old shorty landcruiser years ago. But it when it dried it was like wax and after driving on the beack all the time the sand just stuck to it and you could never get the sand off. Thats why i never used it again. Is this what it always does or is there a way to make it dry with a hard finish?

[joremhar]

I rust proofed my prado with tectyl and drove on as many dirt roads as i could find and dust sealed the tectyl. Have done many beach trips since and have not had a problem with sand sticking to it and no rust after six years.