Need paint or coating options for car trailer

[campbellcj]

I have a 16' steel Carson trailer (open bed) that is in need of some surface rust cleanup and either a repaint and/or perhaps a Line-X type of coating.

It is currently a medium gray. It is stored outdoors and I do not see that changing anytime soon, so a durable and weather-resistant coating is highly desirable.

Anybody got recommendations of what to use (POR-15?) and/or any shops in SoCal that could deal with this for me?

Theoretically I could do it myself, but free time is always scarce and I'd rather do other things than prep & paint my trailer, given a choice.

Thanks!

[Racerbvd]

Strip it down (to just the bare trailer, no axels or wiring exc.) & have it powder coated..

[URY914]

Get it chrome plated.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

POR-15 will work great, but you'll need a top coat to protect against UV (especially in CA)

[porsche4life]

Powder is neat idea but pricey. Sherwin Williams Chem 4000 holds up well on a trailer.
The only problem with line-x is no dragging something on the bed like with steel and its a ***** to clean up if you have a leaker.

[VincentVega]

Rustoleum works fine for my trailer. Spend a few minutes with a wire wheel on a grinder then roll on the paint.

[Tim Hancock]

Best way IMO based on how a we used to repaint heavy equipment at a place I used to work, would be:

Blast it
Epoxy prime it
Paint it with Imron


If it were mine with it being simply an open utility car trailer, I would just powerwash it, scrape/wirebrush the worst spots, then slop some paint on it with an oil based enamel as Chris suggested above.

I have a dirt bike trailer that I painted with this type of "tractor" paint many years ago and it still looks fine after sitting out a good portion of the time.

[KaptKaos]

Friend of mine took a wire wheel to his, and shot it with rustoleum thinned so it would flow through a gun. Ain't pretty, but its a trailer and he can touch it up whenever he needs very easily.

[911boost]

I have a 5x8 Utility trailer that I put my 4 wheeler and dirt bikes on and haul behind my camper. We do a lot of driving on gravel so the whole front of it had the paint worn off along with the fenders.

I hit it with my grinding wheel till it was shiny metal (took about 15 minutes) then POR15'd it. Used the top coat, then just a small call on the linex type liner. Its held up great.

It sits outside in snow, rain, etc.

Bill.

[campbellcj]

Thanks for the tips everyone. Since it sits outside, I'm thinking that for now I may just hit it with some POR-15 or rattle can on the rusty spots until I deal with a more major refurb (or sell it).

Here is a pic from last weekend. It is not too bad considering 6 years of use and outdoor storage, but I definitely need to nip the rust worm in the bud.

[lm6y]

I wouldn't LineX it. On a trailer that size, I think it would add a bunch of weight. And +1 on being a ***** to clean after a leaker.

[porsche4life]

If you are just going to spot rattlecan rust use cold galvanizing compound. It won't look pretty but will stop/reverse the rust.

[Tim Hancock]

Hell, that thing is not nearly as bad as I was expecting. Just buy a gallon of oil based equipment enamel (rustoleum or whatever brand the local hardware sells) and brush/roll on a coat or two and be done with it. The oil based equipment paint is not the shiniest "show car paint", but it covers light surface rust pretty good and lasts a long time. I did what I thought would be a quicky temporary repaint on my old 1941 Ford 9N tractor 10 years ago after only a good powerwashing as prep and while it is not glossy, the paint has not come off. The tractor is abused and sits outside much of the year here in Ohio.

[trekkor]

That rust barely qualifies. Scuff and shoot.

If you have a compressor, you can get a cheap gravity feed or siphon spray gun and a gallon of Rustoleum for under $200.


KT