trailer leaf spring corrosion

Since none of y'all have to dunk your trailers in salt water, I figure you don't worry about this, but for those that do, how to you reduce rust on your leaf springs?

Seems I have to replace mine about every 2 years as large flakes of rust start falling off them.

Rinsed after every salt water dip, and I spray PB blaster and/or WD-40 on them every month or so. Tried axle grease, too but to limited effect. Wondering if painting them would help, or someone's suggestion of melting toilet ring wax (melts around 160 F) and painting it on the leafs.

Yes, I must be cheap since a leaf spring set is like $30 USD each (every other year)...

Rubber torsion axles. No more steel springs.

I had no idea torsion axles had rubber torsion bars....

There is a product out there for painting leafs, mostly to make them slide on each other better. But yours should go much longer than 2 years IMO.

That's an expensive conversion but the ride is also much better since it behaves like independent suspension even though the wheels share an axle.

Are you using galvanized springs? Have them on the speed boat that goes in the water every weekend for about 6 months of the year, lasts 10-15 years.

Interesting input. Thanks!

I am almost sure they aren't galvanized leaf springs given how fast they corroded. I thought they were painted, but if so it obviously didn't work very well.

I'll dig around the inner-net for galvanized leaf springs as well as that torsion bar.

My ony question regarding that torsion bar is how to detect it is nearing the end of its service life. I, for one, am not a big fan of catastrophic failures on interstate highways?

I don't believe they fail catastrophically. The interior tubing is large enough that it can't rotate inside the exterior tubing. The triangle shaped rubber pieces just provide cushion between the two and last a very long time. I'm nearly certain that the failure mode is that your trailer ride starts bottoming out steel on steel as the rubber deteriorates - but they have a reputation of lasting for a very long time.

If it were only this easy.... but I'm not sure I believe everything I read.

Still, if $22 USD buys me another year or two of salt water use...

and would that salt-a-way crap they sell at West Marine do anything that fresh water (or soapy fresh water) wouldn't?

I have a manual garden sprayer I hose off the non-galvanized trailer parts (disc, calipers, leaf spring) after driving up the boat ramp...

I recently used this on a trailer (not this brand) - It looked good - help sell the trailer - I have no idea if it's worth it but a guy I sail with uses it all over his trailer. He does back his trailer in often to get his gcat - he recommends this stuff

I've owned several salt water trailers. A painted one was left along side the road with the tag pulled, the id# had already rusted off.

The problems with springs is that the rub together and remove any coating. There are also little crevices between the u bolts, plates and bolts. The spray galvanize could trap salt water.

A liberal application of Ospho on the steel surfaces would help. Apply liberally and often. Put it in a spray bottle.

I've never tried the Salt A way, but it probably can't hurt.

A natural anti rust coating is a mix of pine tar, turpentine and linseed oil. Apply liberally on a hot day.

Start a sinking fund for trailer parts.

My Hobie 16 trailer is a 1978 E Z Loader. At the time it was the first galvanized trailer that B & E Marine in Michigan City, IN sold. It has never been in the water, fresh or salt. I have never felt the need to float the boat off. The 2000 Rocket trailer for the flats boat needs constant attention.

My dual axle power boat trailer has torsion axles. The original pair lasted 24 years.

It's very obvious when it's time to change them.

I got mine here, Redneck Trailer Supply

Here is a better pic.


[img]http://catalog.redneck-trailer.com/pdf/Rubber%20Torsion%20Axles.pdf[/img]

Yes, I've tried various coatings (grease, etc) on the springs and aside from the nasty looks and hard questions I get from Marine Patrol when they see that rainbow develop the minute the trailer touches the water, I only get so-so results.

So I guess the torsion axle may be the most prudent way to go...

Next is to get the dang disc calipers to keep from sticking. No corrosion that I see on piston... must be the actuator (hydraulic surge brake) not returning all the way? How do the calipers adjust for pad wear?

Jay,

Check out this web site. They have a shop a block off 75 in Bradenton on Hwy 64. Great folks with tons of stuff. Here is a waterproofing corrosion spray. They also have the other stuff you are looking for.
http://www.sturdybuiltonline.com/Bo...Waterproof-Lubrication-Spray_p_1136.html

Fluid compensation. Just like a car. As the pad wears, the piston extends further (actually, it just doesn't retract back as far) and it holds more fluid in the caliper with the increased volume of the extended piston. Your fluid level in the reservoir will drop as a result. When you change the pads and press the pistons back into the caliper, you need to watch that the fluid doesn't overflow the reservoir if you have ever added any.

You get ANY moisture (including air-born humidity) into the brake fluid system and it will pretty quickly lead to internal corrosion. The hydraulic brake fluid readily absorbs that moisture and, though not practiced by just about anyone, it's a good idea to change the brake fluid occasionally.

Thanks Jake. I flush the fluid annually and usually have to change the pads about then, too... I'd bet there might be something going on with the actuator in the tongue that's setting me up for failure and causing those calipers to stick. The seal between caliper body and piston is still intact so as you said it may be the fluid causing the issue.

And Forrest I'll have to try that stuff, too. Being that I drop the boat on a ramp in the everglades, they get really hyper about any petrochemicals in the water. Even bearing buddies cause frowns on the faces of those dudes with guns and badges (although they probably have a chip on their shoulder anyway...)

I show them I use food grade grease which doesn't work as well as Red tacky #2, but I learned that from having to deal with the same issues on farm irrigation pumps dripping grease in the water canals..

T-9 may work.

Sam is talking about Boeshield T-9 which is probably the best product available to protect raw metal surfaces (It's THE product to protect cast iron tool surfaces). It dries to a tacky film and you may give it a whirl - that whole suspension environment, though, is just brutal on any coating or finish you can put on it.

like the galvainized trailer frame?

And where does one score this mystical T-9?

West Marine has
it.

Jay,

Read my post. You can order it and your other trailer stuff at Sturdy Built Trailers. http://www.sturdybuiltonline.com/Boeshie...ray_p_1136.html

Same stuff as LPS-3 fyi.

I think it'll help, but it's not a solution unless your hosting out down on the regular.

Good to know...but none of it is cheap. Was hoping the LPS-3 was going to be cheaper than the T-9.

Should be easier to find though. A good auto parts store should have it, the local Ace Hardware does here as well.

Don't put that stuff on your tools unless you're planning on storing them long term. Use straight paraffin wax, and Bostik glide coat. Keep the AC on and your grubby hands off and it'll be fine. Why the hobbyists on the forums rave about that **** is beyond me.

Agreed - That stuff is definitely too tacky for tool surface use. I usually apply it after a project but I clean it with acetone and buff on a standard furniture wax when I'm getting ready to make something serious. I haven't heard of Bostik glide coat and will check it out. The AC stays set at about 82/84 degrees this time of year so it comes on a few times a day to just knock the humidity down a little in the garage.

Reading this I am wondering if the salt water in FL is different than the salt water in CA....

I've had a steel non galvanized trailer last me many years, with many miles, and many a salt water dunking.... But, I will say when I got the trailer home, it did get pressure washed and rinsed with soap and hot water....

The gulf is way salty-er I think. Or at least the handful of times I've been in the Pacific, I thought where the f did the salt go?



It's a Teflon spray basically. A little hint if you do get a can, store it upside down. For some reason the diaphragm at the top of the can where the nozzle goes in will crap out if stored upright.

Zep used to have a product called Zepalon that kicked butt. I don't have access to it any longer. But then I look and I can get it on Amazon. Thanks Google!

That is an interesting point... I would suspect the salinity varies a bit between ocean and Gulf. Perhaps the biggest reason would be the ambient temperature of both air and sea? Higher temps would accellerate the attack on the spring steel?

Checking the mattress for enough dollars to switch to a torsion bar...

I'll be damned. I guess it makes sense but I never even considered that before.

I guess the east coast is saltier than the west, that might explain a few things over the years...

Jake is right that any lube doesn't do much good in a leaf spring. I can also tell you that my leaf springs on my Trailex, which I replaced a few years ago, started rusting a few months after I installed them, and I coated them with WD-40 and didn't move the trailer, and they were never in saltwater or any water other than rain. Clearly I didn't get the galvanized variety (I think I ordered direct from Trailex), anyway, oh well.

Don't use Boesheild T-9 on anything that will be exposed to dirt. I see to use it to lube my traveler (before McLube came along), based on rave reviews by my dealer and a fellow sailor. All it did was trap sand/dirt/road grime, which the traveler ground into a fine paste, and made the traveler stickier than if I'd done nothing...

WD-40 is similar, in my experience. I ruined an electric train engine when I was a kid by spraying that on the wheels and motor.

Mike

From my experience I wouldn't use any of this stuff... for that very fact... it is a sludge magnet.

I had always made it a point to hose off my trailer after sailing as much as the boat... having a pressure washer with the hose to the hot water heater helped Understandably, you won't keep the rust from coming, but maybe retard it some...

I get the fact the being exposed to heat and humidity plays a roll here, but... I think being exposed to the salt air is worse... where my boat a trailer are is right on the ocean..

crap... that too. I guess torsion axle it is then.... I wonder how hard it would be to retrofit the torsion axle on (single axle) without upsetting the balance/ alignment?

probably something best left to a trailer service business?

I was looking at this on eTrailer last night... does not seem like it is that involved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDv4o83T4cg