Repainting a Trailer ... Need Help

[luckyinkentucky]

Can anyone suggest some decent economical spraying equipment so that I can repaint my trailer?

I have several small rust spots throughout the trailer, and will have the boat off for 3 or 4 days so I will repaint it while it's off. I already have the paint color I want, but will probably only apply a primer and base color without a clear coat. It's not going to be a big job, but I need to buy a compressor and gun.

Any suggestions?

 

[i386]

Re: Repainting a Trailer ... Need Help

I'm in the process of doing the same. I'd take a wire wheel to those rust spots and then treat them (or better yet the whole trailer) with a Phosphoric Acid based rust converter like Ospho before you prime it. I'm using a sandblaster and wire wheel but my whole trailer is covered in surface rust. If you really want to get serious about it, take apart anything that's bolted on that may have rust behind it that you can't see like roller brackets for example. Mark the location of anything that's adjustable (roller height) so everything goes back like it was. If you were so inclined you could even take the leaf springs apart and treat them too.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Repainting a Trailer ... Need Help

I'm not sure if I can recommend it as common practice but I painted the trailer in this pic out of cans about 5 years ago. I sand blasted it using a cheap pot from Northern tool, primed and painted out of Ace Rust stop paint. I spent about $150 bucks in can primer and paint. The last two years or so the boat and trailer have been kept in my shop but other than that it has been outdoors. If you don't like that idea (who can blame you) you can get cheap sprayers at Harbor Freight that I am sure will do the job. And I agree with any excuse to buy a compressor. They have a million uses. If you do get a compressor I recommend the largest capacity you can get.

 

[bralex]

Re: Repainting a Trailer ... Need Help

You may want to do what drewpster suggested if you are not trying to color match your trailer to your boat. Because the surface area of the trailer is not that large an expanse, spray cans may give you a fairly nice job. The spray pattern of most guns would require you to turn it down quite a bit just to avoid a large amount of paint loss to over spray. If you need to use a gun, look into renting a compressor. Removing rust with a wire wheel is not that effective. Yes it does remove it but tends to burnish the metal. Using sand paper on a grinder/drill will give the metal a better surface prep for primer. The phosphoric acid is a great idea. It will allow you to use a non rusty metal primer which you can sand if you like prior to top coat. Good luck with your project.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Repainting a Trailer ... Need Help

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=211202

 

[Solittle]

Re: Repainting a Trailer ... Need Help

Read the link from Tail Gunner carefully - Especially note the use of Penatrol - great stuff - I use it faithfully & I been dunking trailers in salt for over 35 years.