Trailer repaint, looking for ideas.

M

Mark13

I'm so much cooler online
I'm looking to redo the paint on my trailer and I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to get all the deck boards off. Seeing as how the fasteners are all rusted unscrewing them probably isn't an option. Torch them off and push the screws back through the boards once their off the trailer, reuse the boards and new screws once the trailer is done?

The trailer isn't terrible but not as nice as I would like it to be. I'm thinking only part of it needs to be sand blasted and the rest just cleaned off good then painted over. Would sand blasting the tongue, outside rub/frame rail, front and rear of the trailer, and just cleaning up the main frame work along with all the cross members before paint be fine or just spend the money and have the whole trailer sand blasted?

Some pictures to show what I'm working with, open to any suggestions.

Deck screws.
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Worst area's of the trailer.
Front:
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Side Rails:
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Rear:
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Area's I'm considering just power washing, maybe wire wheel and painting over.
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Crappy picture of the trailer.
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We have redone a bunch of trailers. Your right them screws wont come out we either take a grinder or the plasma and cut the top off and take a pry bar and pull the board up and usually you can take a hammer and knock the remaining bolt out. And as far as prep and paint powerwash them wire Wheel
And a orbiting sander then roll or brush on rustolem rusty metal primer then black rustolem. Then new wood then treat it will good deck treatment. It will look new for years unlike the **** job some trailer companys do on new trailers
 
at work we go under the trailer burn off the screw then portapower the board up and then grind all the cross members clean then off set the new screws . them old ones will act as hole plugs dont bother to try drilling them it dont work out well
 
The rust really doesnt look all that bad. Could you save yourself the hassle and just leave the boards on there? I know you wont get paint under the edges but you can work a little extra in with a brush. Just my $.02
 
If you want to leave the boards on and make the work easier I usually flip trailers over to work on them. Sure makes life easier than laying under them eating dirt. On there top or on the side. A decent size tractor loader will handle that size trailer.
 
I've been trying to find a place anywhere around her that can powdercoat a 24" stock trailer. To hell with wire wheels and sanding. Sand blast and poweder coat it. :D

Sweet looking trailer but that salt sure is eatin' it up.
 
Extreme in Columbia, mo. Has a big enough booth I think Jory, take a drive! I second leavin the boards on it, flip it on it's side & paint the bottom.
 
Thanks for all the responses, been busy the last few days. Been spraying the deck screws with PB Blaster and most seem like they will come loose. Also discovered I need at least 2 tires on the trailer. The two bad tires are on the same corner of the trailer, both have sidewall defects and their on opposite sides of the tire so that rules out something getting stuck between the duals. Debating to keep running duals (several other tires are getting worn down) or swap to 17.5's and run singles.
 
4x4dually said:
I've been trying to find a place anywhere around her that can powdercoat a 24" stock trailer. To hell with wire wheels and sanding. Sand blast and poweder coat it. :D

Sweet looking trailer but that salt sure is eatin' it up.
Click to expand...

Wow, 24 inches of trailer. What are you hauling? Mice?
 
If that was the case, shouldn't that measurement have been in centimeters???

There are some pretty good rust converters on the market, all you need to do is hit it with a handheld brush to knock the loose stuff off and then apply the converter. The rust then becomes a coating that is bonded to the metal. For the screws I would use an impact, you will either remove it or break it.
 
I always leave the board on if there still good. Its just to much work to pull the boards if your not replacing them. Just get a roll of plastic from lowes or home depot and tape off the deck.

If you do pull the board spend the extra money when you reinstall them and get the star bit screws. You can usually get those in/out eaiser.
 
Swamp Star said:
I always leave the board on if there still good. Its just to much work to pull the boards if your not replacing them. Just get a roll of plastic from lowes or home depot and tape off the deck.

If you do pull the board spend the extra money when you reinstall them and get the star bit screws. You can usually get those in/out eaiser.
Click to expand...

Luckily mine has the star bit screws in it already. I'm hoping with several applications of PB Blaster and a good impact that most of them will come right out.

I considered leaving the deck boards on but there's more rust under them then I would like and if I'm painting it I'd rather do 100% of the trailer instead of just whatever I can reach.
 
I have talked to quite a few guys who have used an aftermarket spray on bedliner to re do their trailers and they look great after 4 to 5 years of hard use. They said if you have the gun its really not that expensive to do but you could probably rent one somewhere. That's probably the route I'm gonna go with next time I do mine, I'm tired of spending a Saturday every year or two with a can of rustoleum and a paint brush.
 
I've got a pile of this flooring waiting to be put into my stock trailer. I thought about the spray on liner but opted out.

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Made in Comanche, OK.

shelbytrailer.com

They grind old tires and make it right there in the plant and load it out the back door to ya. They also make non-cleated smooth ones for flatbed traielrs. Pretty neat stuff.
 
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