5.0 Pin Box Rust

[BILLB]

After all this discussion about pin box rust I decided to take a flashlight and have a look inside mine. Yes, I too have some old rust. However, to my surprise, I also discovered a huge mouse nest way down at the lowest point. As I recall, I believe that I also read of someone with birds nesting inside the box as well. Either would retain moisture and greatly expedite corrosion.
Appears that i’ll have to try to somehow either seal off the open end and/or routinely check this area for critters as well as rust.
As a side note, shortly after I bought the trailer I noted that the two open holes on the top of the box would allow rainwater to drip inside and probably cause some rusting. As a preventative measure , I installed a couple of plastic plugs in those holes. Must have helped since my rusty areas do seem to be dry at the present time.

[Centex]

Personally, the prospect of what we call 'yellow jackets' building a nest in the pinbox is much more of a concern than the IMO minor surface rust seen inside mine which has not dripped-out to stain anything else.

I'm very allergic to stings by those pervasive pests and that's exactly the sort of place they love for nesting; I have to be ever vigilant about such all through the summer here, 'bombing' nests and removing them immediately upon discovery.

As to the rust, in my case I might apply a 'rust neutralizer' and follow that with Rustoleum paint, All that with the pinbox in-situ.

I know I'll not be removing the pinbox to treat the un-painted mount interface that's sheltered under the trailer overhang, personally confident that'll long outlast and be structurally sound for my life of the trailer. I don't live in tropical Florida or a salty coastal zone.

YMMV, and as always - Have Fun!

[Rockhead]

Yellow jackets ughhhhh not good I’m always on the look out for them they’re the reason I have to carry epipins

[Jwinfrey]

Someone say birds in the Pinbox? This is 2 weeks after a trip. I’m going to make a removable screen to close this area off.

[Jack!]

Originally Posted by Jwinfrey

Someone say birds in the Pinbox? This is 2 weeks after a trip. I’m going to make a removable screen to close this area off.

In FL, those eggs would be hard boiled in short order. It's both wet enough & hot enough.

[oldwave]

Up here in the north coast I worry more about mice eating my trucks wire harnesses, yep

[Jack!]

Blasted the rust away on the inside and on the outside our pin box. We added "Express Blast" rust inhibitor to the media, so now it's ready for paint on the outside. Also ready for spraying the inside with Valugard on Tuesday to protect that space from any further rusting.

Also added new drain holes, so now both the upper & nose compartments inside the pinbox can freely drain and won't collect water anymore.

[splicer]

Looks awesome. I have rust inside my pin box and will do something similar.

[Jack!]

Upper pinbox joint now rust free after some angle grinder sanding. Plan to do a rust inhibitor treatment before painting. When we put the upper and lower pin boxes together thinking I will put some clear sealant on all the seams and around the bolts to prevent further moisture seepage at this joint.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Jack!

When we put the upper and lower pin boxes together thinking I will put some clear sealant on all the seams and around the bolts to prevent further moisture seepage at this joint.

Clear sealant doesn't stay clear. It turns kinda greenish brown. I'd use black sealant. YMMV

[Jack!]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Clear sealant doesn't stay clear. It turns kinda greenish brown. I'd use black sealant. YMMV

Will do....Thanks!

[Jack!]

Done deal. Won't be doing this work again.

Lower pinbox:
-Blasted to bare metal with Express Blast rust inhibitor added to the media.
-Drainage holes added so inside compartments fully drain and don't collect water.
-Inside treated with both
Valugard 101 military spec rust inhibitor
Valugard 160 military grade undercoat.
-Outside Sprayed with 7 coats of rustoleum black paint.

Upper pinbox:
-Connection point sanded to bare metal
-Sprayed with bare metal stop rust primer.
- Sprayed with two coats of rustoleum black paint
-Seams and bolts sealed with black sealant.

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by Jack!

Done deal. Won't be doing this work again.

Lower pinbox:
-Blasted to bare metal with Express Blast rust inhibitor added to the media.
-Drainage holes added so inside compartments fully drain and don't collect water.
-Inside treated with both
Valugard 101 military spec rust inhibitor
Valugard 160 military grade undercoat.
-Outside Sprayed with 7 coats of rustoleum black paint.

Upper pinbox:
-Connection point sanded to bare metal
-Sprayed with bare metal stop rust primer.
- Sprayed with two coats of rustoleum black paint
-Seams and bolts sealed with black sealant.

very nice job

[Doug2000]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

I wanted to ask Escape a question for their next monthly video. The link they provided took me to their company forum where I saw someone had asked about the rust dripping out of their new pin box. (I don’t expect that question to make it to the video)

Dustin blew him off by saying it was just surface rust. Doesn’t all major rust problems start with surface rust?

I am not impressed with either Dustin or the metal preparation.

It would be 50 years before the 1/4" steel rusts through. If it was me, I would just spray it with a rust inhibitor like Fluid Film or Krown. I would use a rust inhibitor over paint as the oil spray creeps into all the cracks and I find the paint doesn't last and flakes or peels. I get my car and truck sprayed every fall to prevent rust.

I actually drill holes in my Escape frame and sprayed Krown rust inhibitor inside the frame. The problem with my 35 year old Trillium was I found a hole in the frame. It had been neglected.

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by Doug2000

It would be 50 years before the 1/4" steel rusts through. If it was me, I would just spray it with a rust inhibitor like Fluid Film or Krown. I would use a rust inhibitor over paint as the oil spray creeps into all the cracks and I find the paint doesn't last and flakes or peels. I get my car and truck sprayed every fall to prevent rust.

I actually drill holes in my Escape frame and sprayed Krown rust inhibitor inside the frame. The problem with my 35 year old Trillium was I found a hole in the frame. It had been neglected.

I agree. I have worked on steel tugboats for 40 years.. Rust looks bad for dripping down on truck but no worry about structural issues

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Doug2000

It would be 50 years before the 1/4" steel rusts through.

You saw my rust collection didn't you? It spent most of it's life in or near the ocean.

[Jack!]

Originally Posted by Doug2000

It would be 50 years before the 1/4" steel rusts through. If it was me, I would just spray it with a rust inhibitor like Fluid Film or Krown. I would use a rust inhibitor over paint as the oil spray creeps into all the cracks and I find the paint doesn't last and flakes or peels. I get my car and truck sprayed every fall to prevent rust.

I actually drill holes in my Escape frame and sprayed Krown rust inhibitor inside the frame. The problem with my 35 year old Trillium was I found a hole in the frame. It had been neglected.

Looked at both those products and found better options for inside of the pinbox in this case. Both are dirt collectors and make a bit of a mess. Will be doing some dusty dirt roads. Opted not to go from a rusty mess to a gooey, greasey mess covered with dirt, keeping in mind this is a brand new 5.0 we picked up weeks ago. Valugard is not paint, nor does it need to be reapplied yearly. It's a one & done product, particularly inside a pinbox.