*THE HULL TRUTH is the world's largest FREE network for the discussion of Boating & Fishing. Whether you're researching a new boat, or are a seasoned Captain, you'll find The Hull Truth Boating & Fishing Message Forum contains a wealth of information from Boaters and Sportfishermen around the world.
Is this normal for rust to appear on trailer wheels?
Notices
Welcome to the updated THT!
If you are having trouble signing in, please email feedback@thehulltruth.com with your username and we will help you. We thank you for your patience as we help you access the new site!
Is this normal for rust to appear on trailer wheels?
Looking at this '07 wellcraft and the trailer brakes look kind of rusty. Is this normal? The trailer has surge brakes.
Also this trailer is suppose to have a fresh water wash down for the trailer wheels or brakes. Can someone explain what this does/is? I'm not sure I understand the difference between this option and rinsing w/ a garden hose when I get home.
The day you dunk that trailer in the water is the day it starts to die. THERE IS A THREAD GOING ON RIGHT NOW ABOUT A 10 YEAR OLD TRAILER with a rusting cross member. This trailer is hanging on with its finger tips, it's begging to die. It's asking its owner to let it go, but the owner has emotional attachments to it.
bankmaggot, it sounds like you have drum brakes w/ fresh water wash downs for them. You hook up the hose and it washes all the salt out of your brakes................most the time. They don't mention that when you put your boat in, the salt stays there all day.
Peace. Cal
__________________ "Most of my money was spent on Motorcycles, Boats, Women, and Whiskey...The rest I just wasted"
Rust is normal.
A freshwater wash down attachment allows you to connect your hose to a fitting on the trailer that will direct the water inside the drums on the trailer where the mechanism of the drum brakes is located. This is all normally covered by the drums & backing plates, and completely inaccessible to be sprayed with a hose.
Freshwater wash down is a big improvement over nothing, but the water still doesn't seem to everywhere it needs to. I've never seen one that prevented the inevitable deterioration.
Look for some clear vinyl hose that runs from a hose fitting mounted on the frame to all of the backing plates on the drum brakes.
Bill
You should always rinse the boat, motor and trailer off after each use with a product called "Salt-Away". There are also other brands of essentially the same product.
Use it generously all over everything, including the brake wash-down line. Also, if your trailer has tube frames, be sure and flush the inside of the frame too. Most tube frames have an open end that you can spray the water in.
If your trailer doesn't have a brake flush kit, you can pick up an aftermarket kit at most boating stores. They are an easy DIY install.
My trailer was new 18 months ago. . . aluminum I beam construction.
I rinse it really well every time it gets dunked. I spray it really good with WD40 all over the axle, brakes and anywhere else there is steel or signs of corrosion every time I put the boat up. Still it rusts.
Like the poster above said, it begins dying the first time you dunk it in the brine.
For those where it is practical, back it in and out of a freshwater lake/river a few times after being in saltwater. I know it isn't convenient for most but I do it after vacations to the beach and it works well.
I also use cold galvanizing spray paint on rust spots. It is an older trailer so I'm not real particular with looks.
It is hard to tell from your picture, but it looks like you have TieDown disc brakes. Can you post a better shot of the brakes?
I got the picture from the owner who is 5 hours away. Therefore, I can't get a better picture. I'm going to see the boat tomorrow. However, when I saw the picture it looks like disc brakes to me as well but I wasn't sure as I have never owned a boat trailer before. I do know that the trailer is surge brakes and not electric. What can you tell me about the tiedown disc brakes and fresh water flush?
Thank you everyone for all the replies. The info has been very helpful.
Here is what the freshwater washdown did for my trailer brakes ('03 Wellcraft) with trailer wheels/bearings that looked the same.
The washdown tube is that thing sticking out just below and to the right of the top right lug bolt thing. I had 'free' water at the time and flushed them VERY well EVERYTIME they touched the water.
The washdown deal is junk on a drum brake, as far as I'm concerned. I took the brakes off (I only trailered it through my neighborhood to the ramp) and was going to replace them with electric over hydraulic discs had I moved with the boat.
Other than that, the Wellcraft/EZloader trailer was really great. Fit the boat well, pulled and backed nicely and was really easy to launch and recover with. Disc brakes just suck in the saltwater.
The best and simpliest way to take care of disc brakes is to get yourself a 1-2 gal pump garden sprayer. Fill it with water and few ounces of dish soap. Then spray the brakes with it every time they come out of the saltwater. The soap will wash the salt off and leave a coating on them to stop rust.
Drum brake in the picture above if they'd put the wash down hose at the top of the back plate it would have done lots more good. Wouldn't be hard to change it.. Then figure a way to hook the garden sprayer to the hose fitting on the washdown. Pump soapy water into them.. Drum brakes really have no place on boat trailers..
Since I have owned a Trailer Boat I have become an expert in trailer repair, it will rust the minute it hits saltwater. what I do to prolong the life of it is I spray corrosion X (green can) over the whole thing. good luck!
__________________ 28' Bertram Flybridge
22' Boston Whaler Guardian
Dodge Ram 1500 4X4, HEMI
USCG 50 Ton Master
If somone wanted to make some money, they'd put a 500 gallon tank in the back of a pickup truck, fill it with fresh water and charge to wash off trailers at the launch. I'd pay 'em.
The pump sprayer is a good idea....I built a brake flusher out of one of those tanks people use (mistakenly) to winterize IOs that West Marine sells....I found a livewell pump and plumbed it into the tank with a plastic line and that screws onto the brake flush port.I use a 12 volt battery jump pack to power it. Works well at places where there is no water because the tank holds 5 gallons.
__________________ 1988 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
4.0/NV 242 Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited
5.7 HEMI/Quadradrive II
I don't think your brakes look too bad. The washdown seemed to work. You will never keep everything rust free.
They may not have looked too bad...and technically, they worked....just too well. The brake in the photo was locked up hard...I was much happier without them!
Is this normal for rust to appear on trailer wheels? 
