Leaf Springs & Rust
Moderators: bman, Chalk, Tom Keels
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eat_mo_crawfish
- Posts: 233
- Joined: May 27th, 2003, 3:26 pm
Leaf Springs & Rust
Just replaced the leaf springs on my trailer. Royal pain in the you-know-what, but at least RMS made it cheap. I seem to recall a discussion on the other board about ways to slow the rusting of leaf springs, but couldn't find it. Any suggestions? I certainly appreciate it. Don't want to have to replace those things again any time soon.
Before somebody else gives you a wise a$$ answer I will ! Keep it out of saltwater 
. Seriuosly, after I rinse mine with fresh water I spray them occasionally with Fluid Film. I still get rust but it seems to help. If you can, take a can of a similar product with you and spray everything real good after launching ( be sure you are not blocking te ramp 
). I get the Fluid Film at Jacks in Perry but corrosion X and others will do the same thing. I believe that rust is just a part of it when talking saltwater 
. Seriuosly, after I rinse mine with fresh water I spray them occasionally with Fluid Film. I still get rust but it seems to help. If you can, take a can of a similar product with you and spray everything real good after launching ( be sure you are not blocking te ramp ). I get the Fluid Film at Jacks in Perry but corrosion X and others will do the same thing. I believe that rust is just a part of it when talking saltwater 
Yea, I think rust is just part of it. 
No matter if the springs are painted or galvanized as they wear and flex the surface will crack and bare metal will be exposed and they will rust. New springs should last a few years though, as long as you wash them down. I know alot of guys dunk their trailers in freshwater lakes or rivers on the way home. Specifically some guys dunk their trailers in the river right under the bridge when you leave the lighthouse. They even back in far enough to flush the motor out. Not sure if thats the Wakulla or St Marks. I believe it's 98 but I'm not sure the highway number. Spraying with corrosion x or the other before mentioned product couldn't hurt. I think one of the things that kills trailers is we dunk em in the morning and the saltwater bakes on them while there sitting in the parking lot all day. I just make sure I give mine a real good rinsing when I get home. Long enough to rinse away the dissolved salt from the morning and afternoon. I've heard of some guys placing sprinklers underneath and letting them rinse 10 minutes or so.
Hope this helps, but I think all you can hope to do is delay the inevitable.
No matter if the springs are painted or galvanized as they wear and flex the surface will crack and bare metal will be exposed and they will rust. New springs should last a few years though, as long as you wash them down. I know alot of guys dunk their trailers in freshwater lakes or rivers on the way home. Specifically some guys dunk their trailers in the river right under the bridge when you leave the lighthouse. They even back in far enough to flush the motor out. Not sure if thats the Wakulla or St Marks. I believe it's 98 but I'm not sure the highway number. Spraying with corrosion x or the other before mentioned product couldn't hurt. I think one of the things that kills trailers is we dunk em in the morning and the saltwater bakes on them while there sitting in the parking lot all day. I just make sure I give mine a real good rinsing when I get home. Long enough to rinse away the dissolved salt from the morning and afternoon. I've heard of some guys placing sprinklers underneath and letting them rinse 10 minutes or so. Hope this helps, but I think all you can hope to do is delay the inevitable.
Rust is indeed a part of saltwater boating. When you submerge a trailer, water gets in between the leaves of the springs, in the shackles, and every other nook and cranny. I'm convinced you can't rinse it out. That's not to say rinsing doesn't help. It's just a part of saltwater life.
Fishinfreak, you make a good point. You launch your boat in the morning, and the trailer sits all day with the salt on and in it. Saltwater never sleeps. Once it's on there the deteriation process begins.
Fishinfreak, you make a good point. You launch your boat in the morning, and the trailer sits all day with the salt on and in it. Saltwater never sleeps. Once it's on there the deteriation process begins.
What was I supposed to do today?
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FindingNemo
- Posts: 66
- Joined: April 15th, 2005, 9:24 pm
- Location: Tallahassee
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FUTCHCAIRO
- Posts: 6065
- Joined: December 26th, 2004, 2:36 pm
- Location: CAIRO,GA
LEAF SPRINGS
I HAVE POSTED THIS SEVERAL TIMES ON THIS FORUM. WHEN I PUT IN AT ST. MARKS, ON THE RETURN TRIP WE STOP AND BACK TRAILER IN THE FRESH WATER POND AND RUN THE GAS OUT OF THE KICKER. I BACK DOWN TIL THE WATER TOUCHES MY TRUCK TIRES. I HAVE A STEEL TRAILER, A GATOR, THAT IS PAINTED, IT IS A 1972 YEAR MODEL AND BY LETTING IT SIT IN FRESH WATER FOR ABOUT 10 MIN. THE TRAILER IS STILL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. I SAND BLASTED IT ABOUT 8 YRS AGO AND REPAINTED. I SPRAY LUBRICANT UNDER PRESSURE WHEN I GET HOME FROM FISHING SALTWATER AS WELL AS A SHOT OF GREESE IN THE BUDDY HUBS. THE SPRINGS AND HANGERS ARE A LITTLE RUSTY , BUT WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT AFTER 34 YEARS OF SERVICE.
PA
PA
FUTCHCAIRO
For what its worth, I bought a new boat, motor and trailer last July 1st….Since then had it in the water approx 25 times...Execpt for maybe four times, I’ve launched at St Marks at Shell Island ….I walked outside awhile ago and looked under the trailer at the springs…No rust at all.…None on motor…Only rust is on boat and especially around the stainless steel bolts that hold the front deck on….And some tarnish on the rails..
I figure running up and down the Wakulla and St Marks rivers in the fresh water has kept the motor rust free……and the fresh water at the ramp at Shell Isaland kept the trailer which is galvanized from showing any rust…
I always spend the night when I come down so my launching fee is included in my room charge….However, the fee is only three or five dollars..I forget which.
It’s a seven or eight mile trip coming and going from the ramp to the mouth of the river but I figure its well worth the trip to clean the motor out…
I always wash the boat when I get home but never do hose the trailer down….So far not a sign of rust on it…
I figure running up and down the Wakulla and St Marks rivers in the fresh water has kept the motor rust free……and the fresh water at the ramp at Shell Isaland kept the trailer which is galvanized from showing any rust…
I always spend the night when I come down so my launching fee is included in my room charge….However, the fee is only three or five dollars..I forget which.
It’s a seven or eight mile trip coming and going from the ramp to the mouth of the river but I figure its well worth the trip to clean the motor out…
I always wash the boat when I get home but never do hose the trailer down….So far not a sign of rust on it…
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nautigator
- Posts: 62
- Joined: January 20th, 2005, 8:12 pm
- Location: Gainesville, FL
Buy a block of parafin wax. Take the springs apart and rub the wax on all surfaces of the leaves. Pretend it's a surf board. Put them back together and install. I just heard about this right before I replaced my axels. Seems to be working better than if I did nothing. Long term, I believe (like always) the salt will win...