Campertrailer renovations

[justins]

Hello one and all. It is time I restored the trailer of our Customline campertrailer. It was bought new in Dec 2010, but our lap around Oz in the second half of 2012 did most of the damage - it's the paintwork that is the problem. Perhaps I should have paid the extra for the galvanised finish - ahh, don't we all love hindsight!

And so to the issue at hand. I want to get the drawbar and anything else that faces forward fixed. The paint has gone, and there is surface rust in its place. At the same time, I will tidy up the wiring. To me, the best option would seem to be removing the camper top (I think two hinge pins should do the trick) and then finding someone to strip back and repaint the trailer.

1. Does anyone know where I could get the strip and repaint done in Melbourne? Surely not just your average panel beater? (My personal experiences have not been good with panel beaters...)
2. What sort of paint / surface coating should I request?

In advance, I thank you all!

Justin

[Azamagnum]

Gday Justin,

Ive had boat and box trailers for years.
Ive lost count on the number of rusted out box trailers ive seen. My current "box" trailer is an 8x6 one tonner ally tray mounted on a galvanised boat trailer chassis. Great trailer that one.
If your camper canvas is in good nick I'd seriously consider getting your trailer sandblasted and hot dip galvanised. It might be a bit more than your paint job but it will come back like new, bright and shiny gal.
For example, a boat trailer weighing around 500kg, would cost around $1000 to get hot dipped. That's from memory which is pretty bad sometimes !
Wouldn't hurt find a galvaniser and asking for an estimate.

my 2 bobs,

cheers,
Aza

[justins]

G'day Aza, and thanks for the reply. Yes, the canvas bows, kitchen etc are all in great nick. So it's just the trailer and chassis that need a tidy-up. From my research on-line, I thought hot-dip galvanising a box trailer will lead to unacceptable warping and distortion of the trailer. Not true?

Thanks again for your input. I'll commence some investigations pending any replies on this forum!

Justin

[Azamagnum]

Justin,
I think the warping depends on how thick the material is and how its constructed.
Our camper trailer is hot dipped and all looks straight apart from a few waves in the flat floor sheet. I have seen this before in hot dipped trailers tho.

Another advanatage of hot dipping is that if your thinking of adding other mods or mounts or brackets, bike racks, boat racks, jerry can holders etc, you should get them welded on before you dip. Then everything is nicely encapsulated in gal.
There are some imortant considerations when preparring for dipping tho, particularly where you locate the drain holes in box sections.

cheers,
Aza

[robcaz]

Hi Justin,

If you want to do a DIY job you only need to put a rust neutraliser on the rust & then use hammertone paint either by brushing or spraying. The hammertone hides any imperfections well. Just practice on part of the trailer that is not in full view to get the right amount of paint to have the desired hammertone effect.

As you know our trailer is hot dipped galvanised & has stood up to the salty environment well here on the coast & despite being well stone chipped underneath & on all forward facing surfaces there is not one bit of rust.

Sandblasting is quoted on surface area & you may need to have the trailer blasted before being hot dipped.

The underside may be preserved with a coating of sound deadener & perhaps forward facing surfaces like the front of the guards etc plated with aluminium checker plate.

[justins]

Hi Rob, thank you. I have tonight emailed GB Galvanising here in Melbourne - I await their reply for an estimate of costs and timing. Perhaps some photos and a story for the website would be in order!

Justin

[robcaz]

You can see the stone chips under the trailer & no rust despite living close to the ocean. The hot dipped gal is bonded with the steel surface & hard for stones to get right through, unlike say a painted coating.


As is the front face of the guard. The two marks on the guard is where the 240volt battery charger sits.

[justins]

GB Galvanising and Ian at Customline basically put a nail in the coffin of the hot-dip galvanise option. GB directed me to their website which showed how every enclosed space (e.g. trailer chassis box sections) must have suitable vent holes to allow the super-heated steam to escape when any moisture present in said enclosed space instantly boils...long sentence but I trust it makes sense. Ian at Customline explained that the trailer wasn't constructed for galvanising - I had hoped that the trailers would be constructed the same, whether their destiny was paint or galvanising. But no. So back to the painting option. A good friend of mine has offered to help, but he recommends 2-pack over hammertone. Does anyone have any opinions on the relative benefits of each?

Thanks again...

Justin

[robcaz]

Hi Justin,

Usually notches are placed in locations to allow the air to escape from hollow sections during fabrication, but holes can also be drilled for the same purpose.

I painted a bullbar with hammertone once which chipped badly when hit by rocks. Perhaps aluminium checker plate can be pop riveted to forward facing surfaces on the trailer like the mudguards.

[TinkCT]

To galvanise an older trailer would require holes drilled in all box sections (not hard) but you may run the risk of the tub floor buckling with the heat. That is why Customline now add the floor after.

Tink