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Started My Trailer Painting Project

partlowrpartlowr Member Posts: 119 ✭✭
in Trailer & Trailering Discussions
My trailer needs alot of attention. I just had all new vinyl graphics cut for my boat so I can't be hauling it around on a nasty trailer. 

This project will consist of changing the color from white to blue, new aluminum wheels and radial tires, new wheel bearings, new bow roller(blue), silver pin stripes, aluminum diamond plate on fenders and steps and all new LED marker and tail lights. 

Today we got the boat lifted off the trailer. My best friend owns a trucking company and has a lift that is wide enough to lift a semi so we backed the trailer in and adjust the arms out and lifted it up. After we got the boat off the trailer we removed all the glued down rubber step pads, removed the carpeted boards and hardware and then removed all of the lights. The paint is in such poor shape we are not going to even bother sanding it, we are going to apply aircraft stripper and take it down to bare metal, he has a super heated pressure washer that will get evwryting off, he does semi chassis this way. Then we will prime and paint it using a single stage automotive enamel which will not require clear coat. Hoping to have this project done in a week.




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    mattiemattie Member Posts: 1,254 ✭✭✭✭
    Great project. Piece of advice - use good quality wiring & lights. Grote makes some nice stuff. Their commercial line of products is awesome. Do it right the 1st time....saves a lot of grief later on.
    246BR, 276BR, H310BR current
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    partlowrpartlowr Member Posts: 119 ✭✭
    Project update.We painted the trailer on Saturday. I recarpeted the bunks in blue bunk carpet tonight as well as installed the new aluminum wheels and radial tires. Tomorrow night I will be installing the new LED lights and re-installing the bunks and installing the new bow roller and winch strap. The only thing left after that will be the pinstripe tape and diamond plate on fenders and step. It already looks night and day different from what I started with. 
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,555 mod
    Looking sharp!
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    Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Beautiful! 
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    Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looks great!
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
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    jme097jme097 Member Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    Looks great man. Hard work but so worth it in the end
    Boat Name: Knot A Worry
    2007 280 Rinker Express 6.2L B3
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    rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,243 ✭✭✭✭✭
    sweet! Wish I could do something with mine- I just hide it after I launch!
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    halifax212halifax212 Member Posts: 553 ✭✭✭
    Partlowr, I'm doing mine as well this Spring. Should have been a galvanized trailer for the salt water but boat came from Cinci as painted steel. She's pretty rusty. Regarding the bunks, are you using stainless steel staples to fasten the carpet?  Hey Ras, I hide mine too after launch lol
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    randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You just extended the life of that trailer, I dont live that far from Naperville, can I bring mine over. nice of your buddy to let you use his shop.
    Boat Name : 

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    frodo13056frodo13056 Member Posts: 212 ✭✭✭
    Wow - looks fantastic!
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    partlowrpartlowr Member Posts: 119 ✭✭
    Halifax212, yes I used furniture upholstery grade stainless staples. I also switched out all the brackets and hardware and lag screws to galvanized, the old ones were rusted terribly. Another thing I did was rather than wrap the entire bunk 360 degrees around I went about 7/8's of the way around so water can escape out rhe bottom and not sit up there and promote rot. I also sprayed the boards with rubberized underdecorating before wrapping them in carpet, I also sprayed the inside of the fenders with the undercoating. I went with higher grade 20 oz carpet so I spent a little more and could have spent about half as much, I have $70 into the carpet, $32 in lag screws and brackets, $100 in all new LED lights, $60 in stripper, $20 in DA sand paper, $20 for bow roller, $25 for new 4000 pound winch strap, $120 on primer, paint and undercoat, $60 in aluminum diamond plate, $20 for pinstripe, and the big nut was $640 for new wheels and tires. 

    So for about $1000 and maybe 15 man hours I have pretty much a brand new trailer. The finish is not quite oem perfect but still looks great and 100% better than it looked before hand. 

    I will post up some more pics once I drop the boat back on it in the next day or two.

    ....next project, new rub rail insert and apply my new graphics. I ordered 60 ft of rub rail insert from Barbour yesterday.
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    Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    FWIW I think you did an amazing job. I have never seen a trailer transformed like that unless it was done by a custom specialty shop.  I can hardly wait to see what you do with your boat! 
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    partlowrpartlowr Member Posts: 119 ✭✭
    randy56 said:
    You just extended the life of that trailer, I dont live that far from Naperville, can I bring mine over. nice of your buddy to let you use his shop.

    I can ask, he owns a couple race cars so I know the lift is going to be tied up for a couple weeks as soon as my boat comes down with one of his cars.
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    randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I was kidding, you owe him a couple case's of beer, then you have to help drink em.
    Boat Name : 

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    partlowrpartlowr Member Posts: 119 ✭✭
    Here are a couple more photos of my trailer with the re-carpeted bunks, bow roller and lights installed. All that's left to do now is to cut and rivet on the diamond plate and do the pinstriping. 
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    partlowrpartlowr Member Posts: 119 ✭✭
    Back on the trailer, getting ready to install new rub rail insert and then the new vinyl graphics.
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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very nice work. Lucky you have the facilities. 
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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Oh, where is the electric tounge jack and electric winch? Can't have a new trailer with out them!
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    partlowrpartlowr Member Posts: 119 ✭✭
    Handymans342 said:
    Oh, where is the electric tounge jack and electric winch? Can't have a new trailer with out them!
    I toyed with the idea of an electric winch but at $230 I took a pass. I can usually get on nice and straight and just kiss the bow roller on most ramps and conditions so I really didn't need it. Now the electric jack is another story. I am eyeing one that appears to be a great buy on ebay. The trailer "updates" cost me exactly $1120 thus far. The new graphics going on the boat cost me $630, the rub rail cost me $100 and the new stereo, satellite radio, subs and speakers that is going in is costing me another $750 so I have to draw the line somewhere I can't keep dumping money into a boat of this age. My plan is to use and enjoy this boat another season or two and then upgrade. Hopefully I can get a portion of the money back out when I go to sell. On the plus side I bought the boat for a steal, thousands under the NADA boat guide retail price so putting this money into it now to make it nicer dos not sting quite as much.  
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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Can't keep dumping money into a boat this age???? We all do that!! LOL
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    NavyCTRCNavyCTRC Member Posts: 303 ✭✭✭
    Boats are great investments?  How about I have some land to sell ya...
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    rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,243 ✭✭✭✭✭
    it's an investment that only pays in enjoyment....that's for sure!
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    halifax212halifax212 Member Posts: 553 ✭✭✭
    anybody installing the plastic sliders on the bunks?  I am thinking about putting some on mine in a couple weeks. Less water needed to launch and load with less fatigue for the operator. White composite with 2 ridges for me. Gimmick or do they really work?
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    randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've seen them at boat shows, but do not know any one that has them.
    Boat Name : 

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    frodo13056frodo13056 Member Posts: 212 ✭✭✭
    Halifax - I put the plastic sliders on my trailer bunks (I trailer my Rinker 320) and they do work quite well for launching and retrieving the boat. 
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    halifax212halifax212 Member Posts: 553 ✭✭✭
    Thanks frodo, I am ordering a set this week,
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