Keeping up with trailer maintenance

[daveova]

Hello all,
First post for me, I've been a member for over a year so I guess it's time.
I purchased my 2011 Triumph 215CC w/ Honda 150 new from Chad at Merritt Marine in 2012 as a leftover (great deal, great dealer) and of course I love it. We usually fish in salt water (Chesapeake Bay)- which is about a 1-1/2 to 2 hour drive away- anywhere from 10-15 times per year, and so after 4 years of trailering her back and forth and dipping in the bay we had some corrosion on the trailer, mostly where you can't see- springs, rotors, calipers, hardware, etc. I thought it would be a good early spring project to knock that rust off and breath new life into those components...I definitely underestimated the amount of work and the time it would take. I'm sure most of you have been where I am, and you either do this yourself, or (like I probably will next time) replace the parts or pay someone else to. Anyway, it's finally done (after 8 weekends of work) so I thought I'd share my blood, sweat & tears with you (because my wife doesn't care- she just wants to know when I'll be done so we can take the boat out!).
Here's my baby...(need to take some new pictures of her)

Here are some 'before' pics of the corroded trailer parts...
And then pics of the parts and some of the tools I used to clean them... And the last few are 'after' pics- showing the completed work, before the wheels went back on.
Once I got the rust off, I sprayed the parts with cold galvanised paint, then the hubs with black hi-temp paint, then once all assembled sprayed a CRC corrosion inhibitor on everything (except the rotors). The only parts I replaced were the brake pads (they were toast). Then I put an anti seize compound on the threads of the lug nuts. Once I got started in this (of course- after) I looked up how to avoid some of this and some folks use a salt terminator after launch & retrieve. I'll be looking into that, but I'll have to bring my own water, as the boat ramp I use is public and has no fresh water rinse station. If anyone has better ideas, please share.
Thanks, Dave

 

[NCangler]

Wow! Thanks for sharing this Dave. Great work (and lots of it it looks like).

 

[Push&Pull]

One of those guys much smarter than me came up with a quote that goes something like this....
"Doing the same thing, over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity"

Or something along those lines. - I have been where you are a couple of times already with the brakes and I'm done.(added note: I replaced the parts instead of cleaning. You'd think they would last longer. they don't) At the slightest sign of the brakes failing again, I'm removing them. They don't function long enough in the harsh salt water environment to make it feasible to go thru the headaches and expense repeatedly.

BTW, really great looking job. knowing how much work and effort you put into all that .......makes me almost want to cry for you.. I so hate boat trailer brakes....
Keep the shiny side up.....