Rust on our pretty Escape!

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Your alloy rims should never rust. PIT... yes and they will unless waxed and taken care of. Alloy doesn't mean maintenance free. It just means less maintenance over steel. Besides... they're pretty

Yup the rims are mighty pretty . They also match our truck . Wasn't going to get them at first but Linda and Kim convinced me . Glad they did . Pat

[CoolCampingKid]

POR-15 is pretty forgiving if you just remove some of the rust (don't have to remove it all since it is only surface rust) and then use the disposable paint brush to dab some on those spots. It will almost match. It will also stop the rust. You don't have to do the extensive prep as stated for spot touch-up on the camper frame .... and no over spray!

[Losangeles]

great thread. thanks everyone.

[freespirit]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Was waiting to see if anyone out there was going to tell Fred the truth. You will see rust sooner or later in other places as well unless it stays in a garage. Coupler, the front box latches, alloy rims, chrome lug nuts and on 2016 back the door hinges. Kinda like weeds in spring- no stopping it.

wonder if a bolt that is smooth and only threaded at the end would help in that picture...
although not sure if even a powder coat or two part polane would help with the wdh in the pic if its rubbing and moves. It might help though with the rest of the trailer. Inquired some time back about ETI paint process, how many coats, primer and paint mfg. Never got a reply..even if they outsource the paint job they might consider something better if there truly is something better.
perhaps the 2018 Escape's will have an aluminum frame!

looked at some aluminum frame trailers recently, some very well constructed....

[War Eagle]

I'm not a card-carrying metallurgist, but for the sake of argument, I draw a distinction between surface oxidation of exposed metal and sure-enough corrosive invasive rust. In low humidity, minimal precipitation (think Colorado where I grew up), simple surface oxidation doesn't necessarily spread or weaken the metal. Little to no moisture to promote the corrosive process. The affected area just looks unsightly. But in high humidity, high precipitation locations (think Alabama where I've lived the past 30+ years), the constant moisture continually feeds oxidation to the point of corrosive rust that can penetrate and physically weaken the metal over time. So, if I lived and camped primarily in the high plains and mountain west and saw scraped off paint and surface oxidation like that, I'd pay little attention. But if I lived and camped primarily in the Pacific "NorthWet", I'd get the exposed metal prepped and repainted as soon as possible. Opposing viewpoints are always welcome?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by freespirit

wonder if a bolt that is smooth and only threaded at the end would help in that pici...
although not sure if even a powder coat or two part polane would help with the wdh in the pic if its rubbing and moves.

Sure, but in the fantasy world of the designers of this bracket (and the similar but even more challenged Andersen No-Sway bracket) the bracket doesn't move so the bolt never touches the frame. I agree that if it moves enough to smash the bolt into the frame (which is not suitable as a shear pin anyway), it's also tearing the paint off of both sides of the frame rail.

Originally Posted by freespirit

Inquired some time back about ETI paint process, how many coats, primer and paint mfg. Never got a reply..even if they outsource the paint job they might consider something better if there truly is something better.

My understanding is that Escape's frames are built by a local steel fabrication company, and arrive at the Escape factory complete, painted, and ready to use.

Originally Posted by freespirit

perhaps the 2018 Escape's will have an aluminum frame!

looked at some aluminum frame trailers recently, some very well constructed....

Yes, nice things can be built in aluminum. Very bad things can be built in aluminum, too, and without a good surface treatment an aluminum frame could easily suffer corrosion and related cracking, which would be harder to notice than rust problems, and harder to fix. The frame represents so little of a travel trailer's weight that I find it hard to see a justification for aluminum on the usual weight-saving basis, but I suppose an argument could be made for it on appearance or corrosion grounds.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by freespirit

... looked at some aluminum frame trailers recently, some very well constructed....

Aren't Lil' Snoozy trailer frames hot-dip galvanized post-fabrication? Seems like a good thing.
We have a single-axle 10' FeatherLite (all aluminum) open utility trailer with ramps for sides and back. Great little trailer for hauling anything up to 1,000 lb.

[Greg A]

Yes, I had rust pushing through in about 6 spots on the rear bumper by the time I got home from picking up the trailer. I'm assuming these sit around for a bit outside before they're put under a trailer and in the PNW it has begun to rust in spots.
I'll be wire brushing and doing the brush on rust preventative this spring at wax/maintenance time.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Yes, I had rust pushing through in about 6 spots on the rear bumper by the time I got home from picking up the trailer. I'm assuming these sit around for a bit outside before they're put under a trailer and in the PNW it has begun to rust in spots. I'll be wire brushing and doing the brush on rust preventative this spring at wax/maintenance time.

Road salt in winter can wreak havoc on exposed metal, too.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

Aren't Lil' Snoozy trailer frames hot-dipped galvanized?

Yes; from their FAQ:

The trailer is manufactured by Wesco Trailers. They have been building quality trailers since 1954. The trailer is made from galvanized steel.

The Lil Snoozy people come from background of building boats (the Lil Snoozy is their first and only travel trailer), and they get the trailer from a boat trailer builder. The unusual features of the Lil Snoozy chassis - galvanized frame, straight tongue, surge braking - come from the boat trailer world.

[gbaglo]

I gather galvanized steel is not all roses. Apparently paint doesn't stick.

PaintInfo | Caution Notes | Paint Colorants and Problems with Tints

[freespirit]

so if rust is inevitable on a painted steel trailer frame , then perhaps spray foam underneath the trailer may not be a great idea as it would not allow the owner to check for rust nor fix it...

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by freespirit

so if rust is inevitable on a painted steel trailer frame , then perhaps spray foam underneath the trailer may not be a great idea as it would not allow the owner to check for rust nor fix it...

We have the spray foam and really isn't covering the frame . Even found a few area's that didn't get covered when I was crawling around under trailer . Pat

[padlin]

Originally Posted by freespirit

so if rust is inevitable on a painted steel trailer frame , then perhaps spray foam underneath the trailer may not be a great idea as it would not allow the owner to check for rust nor fix it...

FWIW, when I repainted the frame last summer I didn't SEE any rust going up into the foamed parts, it looked more like the foam stops any moisture from getting to it. On my trailer it's only the inner surface of the frame that has any foam on it, roughly the upper 2 or 3" of it. The under and outer surfaces have none.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by padlin

FWIW, when I repainted the frame last summer I didn't SEE any rust going up into the foamed parts, it looked more like the foam stops any moisture from getting to it. On my trailer it's only the inner surface of the frame that has any foam on it, roughly the upper 2 or 3" of it. The under and outer surfaces have none.

You said that better then I did ! Pat

[Patandlinda]

While we are talking about the spray foam . What paint is safe to touch up the foam and won't dissolve the foam ? Pat

[freespirit]

ok ...perhaps the early settlers got something right..wood trailer frames!..as long as the pest critters don't get hungry...

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I gather galvanized steel is not all roses. Apparently paint doesn't stick. ...]

So, why bother painting it at all if the metal is already protected from rust by the galvanization process- other than personal taste in visual appearance?

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by CoolCampingKid

POR-15 is pretty forgiving if you just remove some of the rust (don't have to remove it all since it is only surface rust) and then use the disposable paint brush to dab some on those spots. It will almost match. It will also stop the rust. You don't have to do the extensive prep as stated for spot touch-up on the camper frame .... and no over spray!

I've never used POR-15 but I can say that Corroseal is some amazing stuff. It is a water-based industrial rust converter and primer in one that dries flat back. Maybe for spot treatment it is overkill but it is fantastic if you are ever doing larger sections or a complete frame. Top coat with your favorite paint and you are done.

http://www.amazon.com/Corroseal-8233...p?ie=UTF8&th=1

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Yes, I had rust pushing through in about 6 spots on the rear bumper by the time I got home from picking up the trailer. I'm assuming these sit around for a bit outside before they're put under a trailer and in the PNW it has begun to rust in spots. I'll be wire brushing and doing the brush on rust preventative this spring at wax/maintenance time.

So has anyone tried applying automotive-type protective film (example from quick web search below) to areas of the frame that suffer stone chips like the front face of the rear bumper?
DuraShield Titan XT™ Paint Protection Film
We purchased a strip of similar 2" wide film from a bicycle shop to protect the paint on the door jam of our car where we mount clamp-on roof racks for our kayaks. Seems the same stuff would work well for areas of the frame and bumper subject to road stone damage.