Trailer rust

[zelmo]

My boat sits on the original Marine Master trailer. Having read about their propensity to rust out from the inside I worry about it.

I have a few small spots that appear to be just surface rust but how can you be sure? Is there a way to inspect and monitor the trailer for serious issues of rusting on the inside?

[mikesxpress]

Tube trailer?

[zelmo]

Tube trailer?

Yes.

[mikesxpress]

It's a 2006 and it's almost a sure thing that inside the tubing is already corroded. There is no physical way to really tell how much material is affected less going around with a mallet and banging the tubing. And unless it's almost rusted thru, you'll just hear the loose rust bouncing around with no where to dislodge.

[zelmo]

OK. So do folks just generally wait to see it rust through? Any chance of catastrophic failure on the road before it shows?

[Jtreed99]

I have a 2007 Marine master trailer. The biggest thing you can do is make sure the drain holes at the low point on the cross members, and at the rear of the main members are clear. Also keep a check on your brake system as any brake fluid pooling in the tubes will accelerate the corrosion. I can’t believe the amount of flex my trailer has, I thought for sure it was rusted out but mallet taps and small drill holes revealed no issues for me other than the trailer simply not being very sturdy.

[billnorman1]

I'd use a ball peen hammer, either end, probably the flat. Since you're worried about rust through, I think you will be able to determine a soft area. If it damages the paint to the point you are concerned about the cosmetics, then don't do it. The guy I bought my boat from had a trailer that was about to rust through, when we tapped it on some surface bubbles the hammer went right through.
A sad note, one of the trailer sales employees where he bought a (galvanized Load-rite) replacement advertised his old trailer for sale from his house. I went by and looked at it, he had filled the rust areas with Bondo, re-painted it and sold it to some sucker.

[zelmo]

I poked around and under the trailer and didn’t find any problems. I will continue to monitor. Are there any spots to pay special attention to?

[BOATS]

https://www.grainger.com/category/te...191004222754:s

[Jtreed99]

I poked around and under the trailer and didn’t find any problems. I will continue to monitor. Are there any spots to pay special attention to?

Most common failures I have seen are cross members that break at the V.

[Triton420]

Weight of the boat makes a trailer sturdy. With no weight, they will flex and bounce A LOT. It's not solid steel

[zelmo]

Most common failures I have seen are cross members that break at the V.

I was at Eastern Marine (TrailerPartsSuperstore) yesterday to pick up the Dexter wet bolts. While I was waiting for them to bring that from the back I wandered around and saw that they had cross members for sale. I didn't look at them very closely to see if they would fit my trailer because I have no need for them right now and I didn't have any measurements.

It did perk my curiosity though. If a cross member fails can it be replaced instead of trashing the entire trailer?

[Jtreed99]

If the failure doesn’t cause other damage and the trailer is perfectly sound other than the cross member a good welder can put it back as good or better than new for sure.