Fact or Fiction, Parking on grass/dirt speeds frame rust.

[padlin]

This is something I've been hearing since I first got into RV's, no idea if it's true or not.

Been parking on the side yard for 10 years, previous trailer didn't show frame rust for 4 or more years. The Escape however is rusting at 2 years. Of course I did take the Escape out in Jan, which I never did before.

Planning on painting as much of the frame as I can get to this week, with the underbody foam I'm a bit limited.

Wondering if it's worth putting down a thin bed of gravel where I park the trailer. I say thin cause the house downspouts are routed under the spot and only a few inches down.

 

[cpaharley2008]

The foam should protect the frame that is encased within so just the a frame and rear would need repainting. I'd put down some plastic with drainage, then gravel and then place some 2x6 where the wheels are located.

 

[padlin]

Hi Jim, only about the upper 1/3 of the frame is in the foam. It's all along the bottom surface of it that's starting to show surface rust.

 

[escape artist]

This is something I've been hearing since I first got into RV's, no idea if it's true or not.

Been parking on the side yard for 10 years, previous trailer didn't show frame rust for 4 or more years. The Escape however is rusting at 2 years. Of course I did take the Escape out in Jan, which I never did before.

Planning on painting as much of the frame as I can get to this week, with the underbody foam I'm a bit limited.

Wondering if it's worth putting down a thin bed of gravel where I park the trailer. I say thin cause the house downspouts are routed under the spot and only a few inches down.

Hi: padlin... Towing north in March Ohio used liquid ice melt on I75 due to freezing rain warnings. It did a real number on our 5.0TA. Never seen so much rust. Our 30 yr. old Boler was not so bad... but I used a large spray can of Krown Rust Protection on it, as there were too many places I couldn't get paint into. It's going on 40 & still being towed in eastern Canada. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[Ron in BC]

I don't think the parking on gravel etc. has anything to do with rust on Escape frames. I think the black paint on new Escapes is paper thin, about the same as if the bare metal was given a once over with a spray bomb.

My frame showed unsightly rust within weeks. I've wire brushed a fair amount of it and applied two coats of Tremclad which is holding up just fine.

I really wish more protection was provided to the frame. If powder coating was an option I'd have gladly paid for it rather than having to repaint the whole frame from underneath.

Ron

 

[Greg A]

I second Ron. We had rust spots coming through after we got home from orientation/pickup. Not doing something right on the spraying of the frames. Whomever, is doing that step, ETI definitely needs to change something.

 

[Rossue2]

Shortly after returning home from pick up the paint on the A-frame area near the coupler started peeling off. Bought some Hammerite paint and used the brush on gloss for that area then the flat spray-on for the rear bumper.

I too would have paid more for an "Earl Scheib" upgrade.

 

[Marry-ESC]

Did anybody contact ETI about this?

 

[Patandlinda]

I second Ron. We had rust spots coming through after we got home from orientation/pickup. Not doing something right on the spraying of the frames. Whomever, is doing that step, ETI definitely needs to change something.

Guess we join Gregg and Ron too. Need to take care of our frame too. At least this trailer keeps us busy . :ermm: Pat

 

[Greg A]

Did anybody contact ETI about this?

Even though, this would be a warranty issue on mine, it's not something I'd want a shop doing and certainly too far to Chilli. I would only trust myself to correct this on mine and it's mostly labor. Reace reads the forum and it's been discussed several times, so I'm sure it's an area he's already looking at. I heard he also hired a Quality Manager recently and I doubt mine would have made it past a QM with the rust spots and the drips from overspraying.

 

[Marry-ESC]

Even though, this would be a warranty issue on mine, it's not something I'd want a shop doing and certainly too far to Chilli. I would only trust myself to correct this on mine and it's mostly labor. Reace reads the forum and it's been discussed several times, so I'm sure it's an area he's already looking at. I heard he also hired a Quality Manager recently and I doubt mine would have made it past a QM with the rust spots and the drips from overspraying.

With hiring a Mr. QM Reace couldn't have done better.

 

[Brian B-P]

It wasn't an Escape, or a trailer at all, but our Triumph Spitfire noticeably rusted on the underside when parked on dirt for a year. I assumed that the soil stayed wet much longer than a paved surface, exposing the car to more humid conditions. Of course, it's a British sports car, so it would probably rust when stored indoors in a desert - I dread looking under it now (it's in the garage).

 

[Mike Lewis]

I noticed rust on my trailer bumper after my trip to pick up the trailer in 2014. I sprayed the problem area with Rustoleum, but I think I need to inspect the entire frame and fix any more spots. I don't have the foam insulation. What's the best way to repaint the frame, or at least the problem areas?

Yes, I know it sounds like a basic question, but someone might recommend better paint or technique that I'm not aware of.

 

[padlin]

I'm going to try POR-15 although I have no experience with it other then just using it on the trailers step. Supposed to be good stuff. Used Rustoleum on the step last year and it's already rusted again.

With POR-15 you need to top coat it if it'll be exposed to UV's.

Did find out that if you get paint around the cans rim, once you reseal the paint can it does not want to reopen. I bought a 5 pack of small cans as opposed to a cheaper quart for this reason. It's paint like thin tar.

 

[Ron in BC]

I noticed rust on my trailer bumper after my trip to pick up the trailer in 2014. I sprayed the problem area with Rustoleum, but I think I need to inspect the entire frame and fix any more spots. I don't have the foam insulation. What's the best way to repaint the frame, or at least the problem areas?

Yes, I know it sounds like a basic question, but someone might recommend better paint or technique that I'm not aware of.

If you crawl under to inspect the frame I think you'll likely find a difference between the front and rear of the cross members. The fronts could be in the worst condition from road debris. On the fronts I scraped and sanded until I had pretty shiny metal. On the rear in some places the rust wasn't too bad but the paint was flaking off. I used a putty knife and scraped the loose stuff off. The rears were less work than the fronts.

Lot's of folks building or restoring car frames use Por-15. Great stuff.

Ron

 

[Patandlinda]

If you crawl under to inspect the frame I think you'll likely find a difference between the front and rear of the cross members. The fronts could be in the worst condition from road debris. On the fronts I scraped and sanded until I had pretty shiny metal. On the rear in some places the rust wasn't too bad but the paint was flaking off. I used a putty knife and scraped the loose stuff off. The rears were less work than the fronts.

Lot's of folks building or restoring car frames use Por-15. Great stuff.

Ron

Ron, Tremclad or Por15 ? Found the rear of trailer needed paint when we got home after. The step have already painted twice . The Rustolum doesn't hold up . Pat

 

[vermilye]

Ron, Tremclad or Por15 ? Found the rear of trailer needed paint when we got home after. The step have already painted twice . The Rustolum doesn't hold up . Pat

I don't kow if there is a real difference between them, but I use paint with a brush Rust-Oleum. Considerable thicker than the spray stuff, and it seems to hold up better.

 

[Patandlinda]

I don't kow if there is a real difference between them, but I use paint with a brush Rust-Oleum. Considerable thicker than the spray stuff, and it seems to hold up better.

Yes I have found that using a brush is better then spray . Painted whole house using rollers and brushes and found it lasts longer . To spray they have to thin paint . Glad to know you have had good luck with Rustolum because I have lot's of it ,black. Will then just make sure where I need to repaint is clean and use brush . I guess unless frame is powder coated , this is a maintenance item on trailer . Thanks Jon . Pat

 

[thoer]

My '94 Tacoma had a lot of rust on the frame. The local body shop sandblasted and sprayed on Rust Bullet for me.

I had researched and purchased the Rust Bullet as the body shop was not familiar with it. He asked me to bring the Tacoma back in a couple times so he could see how well it was working. He said he had not had a lot of luck with other products, but was impressed with how well the Rust Bullet was holding up to our Wisconsin road salt attacks. I sold it after a couple of years so I can't say how much longer it lasted than that.

 

[grump]

I've been using chassis saver on my utility trailer frame and on my '66 f100 and anything else I want to protect from rusting out. It's like Por15 in that it needs to be top coated because it has no UV protection. Even without a top coat it's good for 4-5 years, it just turns grey. If you use Por 15 or Chassis saver or that type rust coating when you put the lid back on blow some propane gas or some kind of inert gas in the can and then put a piece of plastic (saran wrap or half of a baggie) between the lid and the can. The product will stay usable longer.