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Old 10-24-2014, 06:24 AM   #1
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Name: Ron
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Winter and salted roads

When I get my new trailer, it will be in February, and I'm going to be carrying it up to Pennsylvania, so salted roadways are more likely than not.

With the aluminum wheels and aluminum frame, is there any need to be concerned? Rinsing it off may be an issue in the winter.

I've heard aluminum boat trailers are not for salt water, so it's making me wonder about this.

I've seen some car washes open in the winter, so that may be an option.
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Old 10-24-2014, 06:29 AM   #2
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Perhaps Oliver can spray some sort of protectorant on the under belly, similar to Escape's foam spray that will give you some protection.
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Old 10-24-2014, 08:22 AM   #3
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I use a product called Fluid Film on my vehicles. You can buy a spray can at many auto parts store, Napa, Autozone, O'Reilly, etc. Amazon also sells it. It's lanolin based. Biodegradable. It's a lot easier to apply than other rust inhibitors I've used. Soap and water wash up. The web sites says removal with high pressure water. I applied it to my truck two years ago and it's still on after several washings with the garden hose. Enjoy your new trailer, Raz



http://www.fluid-film.com/
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Old 10-24-2014, 08:22 AM   #4
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Most (I would assume all) aluminium wheels are clear coated and resist rust for years when properly maintained. The big difference with having a boat in salt water is constant contact and electrical activities in the boat interacting with the electrical potential of the body of water. As opposed to a road wheel getting some road spray, with a percentage of salt in it.

A cheap trick I ave used to prevent rust where appearance is not an issue is a lot of WD40. I noticed cars the leak oil tended not to rust as bad (where the leak was).

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Old 10-24-2014, 08:48 AM   #5
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Thanks for the Fluid Film tip Raz. I'm going to look for that. WD-40 works, but doesn't last long. All you need is a barrier between the metal and the moisture in the air. Salt is hygroscopic and draws moisture from the air and holds it on the metal compounding the problem.

I'm glad this topic was brought up, because we plan to bring our Scamp to FL this winter. Salty roads will be almost a certainty.

When I was into boats, I always paid extra for galvanized trailers. They weren't all that common with Great Lakes area boaters. My friends always wondered why I'd pay extra for a trailer that was uglier than their shiny painted versions with fancy pin stripes. The older the trailers got; the nicer looking mine were. Keeping rust at bay was a never ending chore with a painted trailer. I learned that from folks that operated in salt water.

I wish travel trailers mfrs. offered ugly galvanized trailer frames as an option. I might be the only Midwesterner to buy one. Pretty is; as pretty does.

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Old 10-24-2014, 09:14 AM   #6
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Steel frames are painted. As long as you keep up with it, you should be fine without a rust proofing. Since the Oliver frame is not painted, a coating might be a good idea. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about a steel frame rusting from the inside out if it's a tubular frame. I recall a thread where someone was adding an accessory to the bumper of an Escape. They drilled a hole and out came water. It's my understanding that Escape now drills drainage holes for that reason. Raz
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Old 10-24-2014, 09:16 AM   #7
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Tom, Lil Snoozy trailers come with galvanized frames.
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Old 10-24-2014, 09:46 AM   #8
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I have pulled my trailer a few times in the winter over some pretty heavily salted mountain passes. The first thing I do at destination is find a car wash - the self serve type with spray wands. Getting hard to find that type though. Wash the whole trailer down including spraying the underside. No ill effects.
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Old 10-24-2014, 09:59 AM   #9
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I have an aluminium trailer and fiberglass boat we used in West Palm area. The steel parts of the trailer are all rusted off but the aluminium parts look almost new. Built in '83.

Has anyone seen those underbody sprayers recently? Used to see them advertised where you attach a garden hose and roll them around under your car to clean the under carridge.

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Old 10-24-2014, 10:29 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David B. View Post
Tom, Lil Snoozy trailers come with galvanized frames.
Dave & Paula
I didn't know that Dave. When I first saw them, I wondered if they were using boat trailers. Are they? Nothing wrong with that! At the time, I remember thinking it would make a lot of sense. If you design the trailer for a frame of those dimensions, why re-invent the wheel? Galvanized too? They just went up a couple notches in my book. Thanks.

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Old 10-24-2014, 10:30 AM   #11
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on salt water boats I use Boeshield T9 its like spraying a coat of wax on the surface. It will not let anything corrode under it. it is tough to clean off after you put it on. marine supply stores carry it.
Boeshield T-9® | Corrosion Protection and Waterproof Lubrication
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Old 10-24-2014, 10:40 AM   #12
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I grew up in Chicago where salted roads were commonplace. It can be devastating to any metal. Salt gets into any crack or crevice and continues to pull moisture into the metal. The rustproof spray is a good idea and so is pressure washing. I would give special attention to seams, and crevices where salt can stay. I hate salt so much I would avoid it if at all possible. Waiting a day or so for the roads to clear would be a consideration for me. If the road is dry the salt effect is minimal but a slushy or wet road with salt on it is terrible. Have fun with your new trailer.
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Old 10-24-2014, 11:01 AM   #13
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Has anyone seen those underbody sprayers recently? Used to see them advertised where you attach a garden hose and roll them around under your car to clean the under carridge.

Jason


Jason, while that might work I would not count on it to have enough power to get everything on the underside of the trailer or the vehicle clean. Have found it takes a fair amount of water pressure pointed directly at various locations to get all the sand and crud off. If there are any open beams you can be sure there is road sand etc inside of them as well as behind the spare tire or any place else the spray up from the road hits.

I have to drive on the BC Highway 1 a number of times each winter - over the Highway Thru Hell and Rodgers Pass. Both of which get a little ugly in the winter.

After each trip I take the vehicle through a new drive through car wash down the road - often twice. Even though I have done that when I go to give it a good spring wash and wax I am always very surprised at how much sand comes off the underside when I use a wand with high water pressure to wash the under side it get at the hard to reach areas that a spraying of the underside by the car wash misses. My driveway is often covered in sand (sometimes even large chunks of salt) that has come off the vehicle.
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Old 10-24-2014, 11:12 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack L View Post
I grew up in Chicago where salted roads were commonplace. It can be devastating to any metal. Salt gets into any crack or crevice and continues to pull moisture into the metal. The rustproof spray is a good idea and so is pressure washing. I would give special attention to seams, and crevices where salt can stay. I hate salt so much I would avoid it if at all possible. Waiting a day or so for the roads to clear would be a consideration for me. If the road is dry the salt effect is minimal but a slushy or wet road with salt on it is terrible. Have fun with your new trailer.
I agree with this. Problem is, with a 600 mile journey, you don't know if you are going to come across some slushy places.

My intent is to avoid traveling in snow if possible, and perhaps I'll have a bit of luck. If not, then I need a plan to protect my new trailer the best I can.
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Old 10-31-2014, 10:06 PM   #15
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Here is a look at the aluminum frame and how it is mounted to the suspension assembly.

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/v...#1414813055407
The steel suspension assembly isn't attached directly to the aluminum frame, but is mounted on a heavy galvanized bracket that is bolted to the aluminum frame. This extra step is to curtail any dissimilar metal reaction when in a salt and moisture environment. Here is a look at that galvanized bracket.

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/v...#1414813055407
At the end of the suspension assembly, on the aluminum frame is a button looking sacrificial anode to further protect the aluminum frame. Here is a better look at that sacrificial anode.

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/v...#1414813972193
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Old 11-01-2014, 10:27 AM   #16
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OOpz, link problem with shutterfly. Here is the frame photo.
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Old 11-01-2014, 10:29 AM   #17
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And here is the "button" photo. And a good look at the galvanized bracket that is between the suspension and the frame.
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Old 11-03-2014, 06:54 AM   #18
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That is exactly how the suspension is attached on my aluminum boat trailer. I will suggest that, even with proper practices during assembly, the area where aluminum and galvanized steel be scrutinized regularly. Shouldn't be as big a problem on a camp trailer as a boat trailer in salt water, but an ounce of prevention is worth many $$$ or repairs.

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Old 11-06-2014, 02:54 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol H View Post
I have pulled my trailer a few times in the winter over some pretty heavily salted mountain passes. The first thing I do at destination is find a car wash - the self serve type with spray wands. Getting hard to find that type though. Wash the whole trailer down including spraying the underside. No ill effects.

Winner. People think I'm nuts for washing my vehicle in winter. Guess who has no rust? I have an '04 titan, dad has an '05 with 20k less miles. It took half a day to do the brakes on mine, we spent three days on his, due to the rust. Half the brake lines on his were shot.

I lived in salt country. My old '89 nissan is known for frame rot. Mine is as solid as the day it came out of the factory. If you have an enclosed frame with openings, I would drill holes at the low points and flush the frame from the high point.

A little care goes a long way. If you're worried about doors and windows sticking, put some silicone spray on the seals. Wd40 the locks to get the water out, then put a good lock lube in them.


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