Once rust takes over your trailer truck, it gets harder and harder to stop it from spreading. Every time it rains or you have excessive moisture in the air, the rust will grow. Salt on the highways fuels it to spread faster in the winters. Add a beach trip or lakeside cottage holiday and the rust builds up even more! How do you take control and curb the growth? It’s simple; catch it early.
To stop rust growth, you need to know what causes it in the first place. Rust finds a home when steel comes in contact with water. There are two types of rust that affect trailer trucks. Rust that forms inside out is incoming and rust that starts outside the vehicle and creeps in is incoming rust.
Incoming Rust: Paint touch up on chipped parts on the hood of your vehicle works well but to retouch your entire vehicle takes time and effort.
Outgoing Rust: Outgoing rust is harder to curb. No matter how well you look after your vehicle, outgoing rust will eat right through the metal because it is spread from deeper inside the trailer, caused by dirt and moisture trapped inside the metal seams. One way to prevent rust buildup is to keep moisture away from the metal. Clean the parts with a rust prevention solution. Here are a few more tips.
DIY Ways to Stop Rust in its Tracks
Clean Thoroughly: Cleaning rust is not a job for the faint-hearted. Wear protective clothing, gloves, sunscreen and a hat to keep the summer sun from burning your skin. Roll up your sleeves, flex your muscles and get down to it. Start with the exterior of the vehicle. Wash well with a hosepipe; clean off the dirt on the surface with a wide brush. Spray off the lumps of mud and debris from under the trailer; don’t miss the nooks and crannies that trap finer grime and moisture. Leave it out in the sun to dry completely. Inspect your trailer for rust damage in the steel panels or metal undersides. Cracks are a sign of structural damage that needs welding. If you find any, call your trailer repair shop.
Paint Touch Ups for Rust Outside: Now you need to paint over the chipped, rusty bits. Try to find the right shade of rust paint for your vehicle before you start your artwork. Brush a layer on the affected parts. Dry it out over a day or two. You will notice that the paint dries up to a different shade. Paint matching is not easy, so it’s best left to the professionals. If the rust is excessive, it may take several layers of paint to cover the area. Sanding helps but once again, it is best left to the professionals. An aggressive, unskilled hand may damage your trailer.
Rust Preventive Solution for the Inside: Once the car is cleaned and dried, the crevices where dirt and moisture get trapped will be more visible. It’s hard to keep dirt and moisture out. It requires you to caulk (waterproof filler and sealant) up the seams with sandblasting (sanding the metal), priming, painting before caulking, all of which is tougher on the inside.
Rust Check is a reliable rust preventive that you will find in superstores like Canadian Tire that you could coat on the crevices. A few days later, wash the car well again. Do this once a year at least to stop rust in its tracks and increase your trailer’s lifespan. DIY will save you money and looking good for a few more months, but if you find holes or cracks, call a professional at once.
Beothuck Trailers
If all this is too much work for you, drive over to Beothuck Trailers in Edmonton. We are a complete trailer shop with comprehensive trailer service facility at affordable prices. We are happy to repair your vehicle and replace damaged parts with full commitment to a quality finish.
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