Keeping Your Boat Trailer From Rotting In The Salt

Don't do this on your lawn if you're using salt-dissolving chemicals; the grass won't thank you. A concrete driveway is best so you can see what's coming off.

Safety first. Even if it's hitched to the car, chuck some bricks or chocks behind the tyres. I've seen a trailer roll while someone was under it, not a pretty sight.

Before you get everything wet, do a lap. Look for fresh rust streaks or cracked welds. Rust is easier to spot when it's not shiny and wet.

Start by hosing down the entire frame. Use a salt-neutralising wash. I personally use a foam cannon for this because it gets into the box sections better. Pay massive attention to the inside of the frame members, that's where the salt hides.

If you've got trailer brakes, give them a proper flush. Salt loves to sit in the calipers or drums. If you've just come back from the ramp, wait for them to cool down a bit so you don't warp anything with cold water.

Jack up one side and spin the wheel. It should be silent. If it sounds like a bag of gravel, your bearings are toast. Give the wheel a wobble too, any play means they need tightening or replacing.

Pump some fresh marine grease into your Bearing Buddies until the piston moves out slightly. Don't overfill it until the seal blows out the back, I've made that mess on a black Commodore before and it's a nightmare to clean off the wheels.

Check your leaf springs. If they look like a solid block of rust, they're probably ready to snap. I usually hit mine with a wire brush and then a heavy coat of Lanolin spray.

Check every bulb. If one is out, check the ground wire first, 90% of trailer light issues are bad grounds. Rub a bit of dielectric grease onto the plug pins to keep the moisture out.

Unwind the winch strap or cable. If it's a steel cable, look for frays. If it's a strap, look for UV damage or rot. Grease the winch gears while you're at it. Nothing worse than a winch seizing when you're trying to load up in a ramp current.

Trailer tyres usually rot from UV before they wear out from driving. Look for 'spider web' cracking in the sidewalls. Stick 40-45 psi in them (check your plate, but most marine trailers like it high to stay cool).

Check the hitch handle moves freely. I like to put a tiny bit of grease on the tow ball itself. It stops that annoying 'clunk-clunk' sound while you're driving.

Once the trailer is dry, go nuts with the Lanolin spray. Spray it on the nuts, bolts, springs, and even the axle. It creates a waxy barrier that salt can't get through. (Just keep it off the brake discs/drums!)