I need to fix my trailer. I have yet to use it other that to get the boat home, where it has sat fir the last two years. It is in god awful shape. The jack doesn't work, the winch doesn't work and it doesn't even have bunks. I understand the first step to fixing the boat up is to remove absolutely everything and get it down to the frame only. Then I remove the rust, not sure how though. What do I need to replace? how do I mount a new bunk on (other trailer is all rollers)? etc.

 

https://imgur.com/a/yctlKg5

How pretty do you want it.  A wire brush on a side grinder will knock the most of it off.  Then spray it with one of the rust stops that neutralize the rust and makes it hard.  Spray you some primer and then some black paint, and you are done.  for the Winch and Tongue jack, you can usually spray penetrating oil in the areas that need to move, over a couple of days and sometimes get them freed up.  If all else fails, Tractors Supply has a pretty good selection of new ones.  Good change you will need to replace the wiring and lights also.  The insulation gets very brittle, cracks off and shorts out, and the rust wipes out any connections the lights might have had.

the lights didn't work when we drove it home haha. I will definitely be replacing them. I think the winch is from 1973 so im just gonna buy a new one. I am planning on trimming it with a wire brush to remove the rust, then priming and spray painting it. will probably end up winging the bunks and use a 10' pressure treated 2x4 with carpet.

The angle grinder with wire brush is excellent for paint/rust removal as  way2slow mentioned. Sometimes some various wire brushes and a drill are handy for detailed stuff as well. 

 

As far as bunks you can probably find some brackets specifically for bunks from a shop that specializes in trailers or online. Maybe adjust the existing roller bunks to get the boat positioned right then install the 2x4 bunks with brackets. 

 

Also check the wheel bearings and tires. It’s hard to tell from the pics but the tire looks ok. There should be a dust cap of some sort on the hub though. If it were mine I would probably repack the bearings and try to find a dust cap that fits at a minimum. How much money and time I’d put in the hubs would depend on towing distance. If you’re just going down the road a bit you could probably get away with a lot. If you’re gonna be interstate speeds for any distance I’d spend some time making sure it’s exactly as it should be. 

 

 

If you posted your location, you may have people offer to help you. I know if you lived by me, I'd tell you to bring the trailer on over and we'd make it look new. Metal work is one of my favorite hobbies and I've got every tool known to man to accomplish your task. 

You can pick up a cheap angle grinder from Harbor Freight if you don't already have one. A wire wheel attachment makes for quick work of rust. They come is all different size and shapes for large areas and tight areas. Once you've got everything cleaned really well, I'd spray the frame with phosphoric acid to neutralize any rust left over and let it dry really well for a couple of days. The rust will turn black from a chemical process and will no longer be rust or cause any damage. After that, you can paint it. 

 

As far as the bunks go, it's probably just the boards that needs replaced. So measure what you have now and cut new ones to size, wrap them in carpet, and mount them. You'll want to use treated lumber. Depending on how bad the bunk board mounts are, it's possible you'll have to cut the old mounts off and weld new ones on. This is where the angle grinder will come in handy again. If you don't have a welder, you can get a metal fabricator to do this for you for a few bucks, even if it requires making new mounts.  

 

The winch and the Jack can easily be replaced for not much money. You can usually find these at your local farm store. But the winch isn't anything but a big gear so it may just be stuck so if you lube it up and work it around, maybe you can get it working again. 

 

Good luck

 

12 hours ago, Quarry Man said:

with a wire brush to remove the rust

I strongly second the advice that @Way2slow has given you.  I started restoring classic cars before I got my driver's license.  I am now 50 years old.  I have never seen a product in a can that is as effective as the rust encapsulators that are now availbable for sealing up your old metal.  You will NOT get all the rust off unless you have the entire frame media blasted.  I know they are really expensive, but products like POR-15 or Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator (this is my preferred) will save you a lot of frustration down the road.  

Do yourself a favor and don't spend the extra money on these expensive branded chemicals in fancy cans. You can buy the active chemical for much cheaper and mix it yourself in a spray bottle. Phosphoric acid is what you want. 

 

I own a power washing company and rust on my trailers is what I deal with on a regular basis. You've never seen the likes of rust until you deal with sodium hypochlorite on an every day basis. 

14 hours ago, Ski213 said:

The angle grinder with wire brush is excellent for paint/rust removal as  way2slow mentioned. Sometimes some various wire brushes and a drill are handy for detailed stuff as well. 

 

As far as bunks you can probably find some brackets specifically for bunks from a shop that specializes in trailers or online. Maybe adjust the existing roller bunks to get the boat positioned right then install the 2x4 bunks with brackets. 

 

Also check the wheel bearings and tires. It’s hard to tell from the pics but the tire looks ok. There should be a dust cap of some sort on the hub though. If it were mine I would probably repack the bearings and try to find a dust cap that fits at a minimum. How much money and time I’d put in the hubs would depend on towing distance. If you’re just going down the road a bit you could probably get away with a lot. If you’re gonna be interstate speeds for any distance I’d spend some time making sure it’s exactly as it should be. 

 

 

wow, exactly what I need. my research confirms what you say about the grinder, great minds think alike I guess. I was thinking of riveting angle aluminum onto the frame if I can't find a bracket for the bunks, since I will be a master riveter by the time I am done with the build  I will look into fixing the bearing as I will be driving the boat many miles on the highway. might check to see how big the tires are.

 

is grinding the rust, self etching primer then spray painting some kind of paint for a matte black finish a good plan? im not sure what type of paint yet.

 

also id like to add bunk guide ons, would you think this is a good idea?

5 hours ago, SuperDuty said:

If you posted your location, you may have people offer to help you. I know if you lived by me, I'd tell you to bring the trailer on over and we'd make it look new. Metal work is one of my favorite hobbies and I've got every tool known to man to accomplish your task. 

I live outside of philly. That would be amazing to work with other people. its why I joined the community in the first place, help others and get help too.

As far as the finishing process see the above posts. Those guys know more about that than I for sure. I’ve done it, but have limited experience with the rust converters/encapsulators. When it comes to final paint finish I like a satin or maybe semi gloss on a trailer. 

 

I don’t know anything about rivets that are heavier duty. May work great. Some of the brackets are slotted I would think a bolt would work better in that application but I could be wrong. 

 

I think the bunk guides could be beneficial. For sure something to be thinking about. 

 

Just an opinion but I would start with ensuring the trailer is solid for the road first priority or what it’s going to take to get it there. Coupler is good, tires good, hubs good, trailer structurally sound. You don’t have to address all those items before refinishing cause often the less that is there the easier it is to do the prep, paint, etc. but you’ll want to know what you’re looking at having to do in total. 

 

 

On 1/31/2020 at 7:12 PM, Quarry Man said:

will probably end up winging the bunks and use a 10' pressure treated 2x4 with carpet.

 

Do not use pressure treated wood for the bunks - the copper in them will eat away any metal touching them that is not hot dipped galvanized or stainless steel (think of the brackets holding them)

 

Pressure treated wood and aluminum is a big no no.

On 2/1/2020 at 8:20 AM, SuperDuty said:

If you posted your location, you may have people offer to help you. I know if you lived by me, I'd tell you to bring the trailer on over and we'd make it look new. Metal work is one of my favorite hobbies and I've got every tool known to man to accomplish your task. 

I live outside of philly. That would be amazing to work with other people. its why I joined the community in the first place, help others and get help too.

2 hours ago, HenryPF said:

 

Do not use pressure treated wood for the bunks - the copper in them will eat away any metal touching them that is not hot dipped galvanized or stainless steel (think of the brackets holding them)

 

Pressure treated wood and aluminum is a big no no.

I am aware, but the carpet will be wood will be covered in plywood so it will be fine.