Slow Ride
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2011
- Messages
- 166
Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?
I live near and fish in salt water weekly! I have gone through severa trailers in the last 15-20 years and here is what I have learned, for what it's worth. Modern galvanization is not as good as it was 20 years ago do to restrictions to increase pollution standards, etc. If you buy and newer trailer it will not last the way they did back then. I cant remember the exact date when all this changed but I believe it was in the mid 80's or 90's. Second, if you buy galvanized try to find "I" beam or Channel Iron construction. The tubular kind will rust from the inside out and there is no way to prevent it. They are usually sealed when dipped and therefore do not get coverage inside the tube. Then several years later some knuckle head drills a whole for lights or whatever and voila, water inside! Even if you dont drill on them they will eventually leak and rust will start inside the tube.
As for me, I switched to Aluminum for both my bay boat and offshore boat about 8-10 years ago and I have had zero problems with the frame. You will still have to contend with axles and springs because they are all still made of steel and the springs usually aren't galvanized. As for stress cracks on aluminum, I cant speak on this issue because I have never seen one with cracks, but I assume it is possible. I will say this, I live in a tourist, fishing community and there is a broken trailer on the side of the road almost daily around here and I have never seen a broken trailer frame made of aluminum but I see galvanized ones all the time!
I say if you can afford them, aluminum is the way to go. I saw a post earlier that stated aluminum was cheaper. I'm nt to sure about that. I have found that they are a little more expensive, but not so much that I would risk a 50K-100K boat over a 1k trailer option.
Just my opionion!
I live near and fish in salt water weekly! I have gone through severa trailers in the last 15-20 years and here is what I have learned, for what it's worth. Modern galvanization is not as good as it was 20 years ago do to restrictions to increase pollution standards, etc. If you buy and newer trailer it will not last the way they did back then. I cant remember the exact date when all this changed but I believe it was in the mid 80's or 90's. Second, if you buy galvanized try to find "I" beam or Channel Iron construction. The tubular kind will rust from the inside out and there is no way to prevent it. They are usually sealed when dipped and therefore do not get coverage inside the tube. Then several years later some knuckle head drills a whole for lights or whatever and voila, water inside! Even if you dont drill on them they will eventually leak and rust will start inside the tube.
As for me, I switched to Aluminum for both my bay boat and offshore boat about 8-10 years ago and I have had zero problems with the frame. You will still have to contend with axles and springs because they are all still made of steel and the springs usually aren't galvanized. As for stress cracks on aluminum, I cant speak on this issue because I have never seen one with cracks, but I assume it is possible. I will say this, I live in a tourist, fishing community and there is a broken trailer on the side of the road almost daily around here and I have never seen a broken trailer frame made of aluminum but I see galvanized ones all the time!
I say if you can afford them, aluminum is the way to go. I saw a post earlier that stated aluminum was cheaper. I'm nt to sure about that. I have found that they are a little more expensive, but not so much that I would risk a 50K-100K boat over a 1k trailer option.
Just my opionion!