trailer care

[nik]

Hello,
I bought a new galvanised trailer a couple of weeks ago. It has not been dipped in salt water yet, but in preparation for this I have covered exposed threads and nuts with copper grease. In hindsight, I am not so sure this was a good idea. Could it add to corrosion problems?
I would like to hear your opinions on this.
Thanks, Nick.

[John Kennett]

I doubt that it's likely to cause any problems, and any grease is likely to be better than no grease. I would recommend just using regular heavy grease normally.

John

[Keith Hart]

I agree with JK.

Keith (can I have some extra credibility marks now) Hart

[codprawn]

Just make sure you wash all the saltwater off afterwards - remember volume of water is far better than pressure!

My mate used Acrypol roof sealant on his trailer and landrover and they are still like new 4yrs later - it is about £30 for a big tin and can even be used on a wet roof! Can be had from Selco and similar.

Stuff is a biitch to get off again though - pray you never need to removce the bolts or do any welding.

[Aging Youth]

IMHO,

Good fresh water rinse after each use. Pay extra attention to the wheels, Bearings, Tyres ect. Any good waterproof crease libraly applied will help when the time comes for maintenace.

Regards

[nik]

Thanks for the replies and putting my mind at rest.
Nick.

[Jari Hjerppe]

I don't know if the copper grease can increase any corrosion. I use CRC's "water grease" for the prop shaft and other critical areas. It's very sticky and resists water well.
Normal spray vaseline with lithium used regulary would be good for trailer rollers etc.

Jari

[chris jh]

Not sure whether it really is that significnt, but i was always advised against dropping the trailer straight into cold water after a long journey without giving it chance to cool down. The logic seemed to be the bearings suddenly cooled when emmersed and water would be drawn in past any seals.

Is this actially valid, or did he realise how green I was and therefore would listen to anything?

[geoff]

I was given this exact advice when I bought my first RIB and have heard it countless times since and passed it on to anyone who will listen. The first thing I do when we stop at the slipway is to feel the trailer wheels. If you have been driving through traffic and using the brakes a lot, they can be quite hot. Take your time getting ready and feel the wheels again before launching to check that they have cooled off.

[Andy]

I just completed my 1st year service on my trailer. It was a bugger, everything was hard to remove, taking days. The cables & brakes where so rusted they needed replacing. I have now decided to give it a service every 2 mths, cleaning, heavy greasing etc. I think my biggest worry is that while towing a problem occurs and as everything is stuck fast its not easily fixable. For example if your brakes or cables lock they could be removed by the side of the road to allow you to get home, providing they come off in the first place. I also use copper grease.

[John Kennett]

Did you do any preparation to the trailer before you first used it?

Unfortunately when a new boat arrives on a new trailer the last thing in most people's minds is greasing nuts and bolts on the trailer, but it really pays dividends in the long run!

It would be great if trailer manufacturers greased all the vulnerable parts before delivery, so the trailer was really ready to use. This may be too much to hope, but I certainly think that any company selling a trailer with a boat and engine as a "ready to go" package should give the trailer a quick going over before delivery.

John

[geoff]

When launching we very seldom get the trailer wheels wet. On a half decent slipway we can roll the boat off the trailer with just the tyres in the water. Not so fortunate when recovering as the boat tends to go on at a slant unless the wheels hubs are under water. Still at least the bearings have well and truely cooled off by then.

[nickjaxe]

I look after our dive club boats, if I have much work to do on the trailers I push the boat off onto my drive onto old carpets or the like, makes it much easier to work on the brake cables or rollers ect.

Nick.

[Outnabout]

I bought a new DeGraaf double axle last year and when I went to collect it, the owner fired a lot of very useful tips my way. Needless to say I couldn't remember half of them when I got home, but I will get in touch with him and see if I can persuade him to add a servicing page to their web site.

2 things I can recall which are extra to the other tips you've heard on this thread....

1. Pre and post season, remove the cables, suspend vertically, make a plasticine cup at the top, around each cable. Pour in some diesel and allow it to soak down through the cable. This protects the cable and does not trap dirt and water like grease does. [His advice, not mine, so I can't vouch for it].

2. On each wheel and drum assembly, idenitfy a suitable spot and drill through the wheel and drum (without damaging the brake assemblies ), fit a male Hozelock fitting to the hole in some ingenious way, and voila, you have a ready made system for flushing your drums with copious amounts of fresh water at the slipway, when you pull her out, before setting off home. You just need to carry a female Hozelock fitting with you to attach to the slipway hose.
All the brake system components should be suitably greased anyway (apart from the brake surfaces of course, thought I'd mention that before some other wag does ), so all you're doing is getting rid of the salt from any exposed surfaces.
The water will naturally drain through the gaps but with enough water pressure you ought to be able to get plenty of water into the drums. If you can't, nothing stopping you rolling forward or back a few feet to circulate it.

I've bought the bits for this job and should have it completed in a couple of weeks, so I'll let you know how it goes.

ATB

[Daniel TD5]

i used my trailer saturday for the first time its not the best trailer ive seen
but its good for the job it was fully seviced when i picked the boat up the guy said checks are depeant on
use ie every time you use it

1.wash it off
2. check all grease nipples
3. grease all bolts

he said i will need a new set of wheel bearings each year as they are not sealed type

we use ptfe spray at work. its fully water proof so i will nick that and let you know how it works

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Outnabout

fit a male Hozelock fitting to the hole in some ingenious way, and voila, you have a ready made system for flushing your drums with copious amounts of fresh water

That sounds like a great idea ... raise a patent quick!!! Although now you have told us all it may not WASH!!! Sorry couldnt help it.

Please let me know how this goes, it sounds great, providing you can put stoppers in the hozelocks to stop crap from getting in when you are towing.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Outnabout

Pour in some diesel and allow it to soak down through the cable. This protects the cable and does not trap dirt and water like grease does.

Not sure about this one. Diesel is good at cleaning grease and oil off things ... its very good for cleaning your bearings in before refitting and re-greasing. If this is the case then you may loose the lube that was in the cable. I would be tempted to pour bike oil etc into the cable in the way you describe. Then grease each end heavily to try and reduce the amount of water that gets in there when you dunk it. However the plastercine tip is a great trick!!! Does anybody else know about diesel as a lube??

[Outnabout]

providing you can put stoppers in the hozelocks to stop crap from getting in when you are towing

Hadn't thought of that as a problem, but, should be easy enough to turn a thread inside the fitting and put in a nylon bolt as a stopper. Any other solutions appreciated.

ATB

[Andy]

Grit for example, if that got in you may have trouble. If it got stuck between the drum and brakes it could score etc. However I doubt anything would get in. I guess a bit of hose bent over or taped shut ... just pushed over the fitting would do it.

The hozelock idea is a good one, best one I have heard for ages, especially after all the grief I went through servicing my trailer a few weeks back - I will try anything to make things last longer.

[Outnabout]

I've been in touch with DeGraaf. They sent throught this word doc. It doesn't cover much more that everyone already knows but I've posted it anyway. (Things like the autoreverse technique might be news to the less experienced trailer towers )

ATB