# Sand Blasting a Trailer



## Brine

Anyone know how much it should cost?

Anyone done this?

Feedback?


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## ben2go

About $200 to $250.You don't wanna sand blast it.You wanna media blast it.It'll have to be stripped down as far as possible.


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## Brine

ben2go said:


> About $200 to $250.You don't wanna sand blast it.You wanna media blast it.It'll have to be stripped down as far as possible.



Thanks Ben.

Sounds like I will be pressure washing this thing instead. I was expecting half that. After looking at my current trailer that I painted about 3 years ago, I don't know if it's possible to keep them from getting beat up.

Has anyone tried putting rhino liner on a trailer?


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## ben2go

You can rent or purchase a kit that pumps baking soda through a pressure washer and strips the paint off and surface rust.
https://www.universalminerals.com/library/soda-blasting-overview.shtml

I have a friend that has a car hauler sprayed with Line X and it works great.Rhino should be just as good.Just make sure to prep and sand everything by the instructions.


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## Brine

thanks again Ben. I've never heard of the baking soda. I posted the question about the bed liner in my mod thread. Thanks for your help


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## 2007NNBS

i had mine sandblasted by a friend for free but he said it would be a $175 job...it was worth it mine looks brand new...then i had it powdercoated black


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## ben2go

Brine said:


> thanks again Ben. I've never heard of the baking soda. I posted the question about the bed liner in my mod thread. Thanks for your help



You're welcome.I help when and where I can.





2007NNBS said:


> i had mine sandblasted by a friend for free but he said it would be a $175 job...it was worth it mine looks brand new...then i had it powdercoated black



That's a good deal.Getting it done free was a great deal.


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## Brine

Ben, why wouldn't I want to sand blast?


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## Waterwings

Brine said:


> Ben, why wouldn't I want to sand blast?



I'm thinking the sand/silica may be too "aggessive". I know a retired Air Force Colonel that helps restore old military planes, and they use the baking soda for stipping the old paint from the planes.


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## ben2go

Waterwings said:


> Brine said:
> 
> 
> 
> Ben, why wouldn't I want to sand blast?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm thinking the sand/silica may be too "aggessive". I know a retired Air Force Colonel that helps restore old military planes, and they use the baking soda for stipping the old paint from the planes.
Click to expand...



Bingo and it can over heat and warp thin metals.If it warps a trailer frame it won't tow correctly and may become dangerous to use.I have experience at warping metal with sand.It takes someone with extensive knowledge and experience to keep it from happening,but there are those that get lucky.I'm just not one of those.Sand can also blast holes through thin spots in the metal,which become bigger as the blasting continues.A lot of places that do "sand blasting" actually use other media such as soda,walnut shells,glass beads,and other media.All are way less aggressive.It's always a good idea to ask about the media being used on your stuff and request something less aggressive.I have resorted to using a $20 side grinder from Northern Tool and flapper wheels for stripping paint on trailers.I strip a section,wipe it clean with denatured alcohol,and prime,until I have the entire trailer finished.Takes me a couple weekends working 4 to 5 hours a day to do a 14' boat trailer.I guess I should have mentioned this earlier.


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## bassboy1

We are talking a steel boat trailer here, not an aluminum foil statue. You will have no issue of it wearing through or warping due to the dimensions of the steel. Trailers are stout enough that you don't have to worry about that. 

As Waterwings mentioned, you don't want to sandblast aircraft. The thin aluminum skin will see trouble with the high heat and pressure. You need plastic media blasting beads, coupled with low pressure (say under 25 PSI), for any blasting of aluminum. 

Would I recommend sand blasting your boat? Absolutely not. 


Would I recommend sand blasting your trailer? Absolutely, if you can afford it. It does get pricey though.

I have also heard lots of good results on Rhino lining trailers. Seems it is about the best way to keep a steel trailer from chipping and rusting. Not sure how it compares to a hot dip galvanization (my first choice for a steel trailer) but it does seem to hold up well for many.


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## Brine

Thanks BB.

Yeah, it's a steel trailer. 

I've decided to bypass the sand/media blast. Some folks on a different forum suggested Herculiner and had lots of pictures and feedback for me to no longer consider anything else. I called the manufacturer today and was assured no problems. They said to scuff it up a bit and I would be good to go. Autozone sells the kit for about $90. 

Done.


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## ben2go

bassboy1 said:


> We are talking a steel boat trailer here, not an aluminum foil statue. You will have no issue of it wearing through or warping due to the dimensions of the steel. Trailers are stout enough that you don't have to worry about that.
> 
> As Waterwings mentioned, you don't want to sandblast aircraft. The thin aluminum skin will see trouble with the high heat and pressure. You need plastic media blasting beads, coupled with low pressure (say under 25 PSI), for any blasting of aluminum.
> 
> Would I recommend sand blasting your boat? Absolutely not.
> 
> 
> Would I recommend sand blasting your trailer? Absolutely, if you can afford it. It does get pricey though.
> 
> I have also heard lots of good results on Rhino lining trailers. Seems it is about the best way to keep a steel trailer from chipping and rusting. Not sure how it compares to a hot dip galvanization (my first choice for a steel trailer) but it does seem to hold up well for many.



True but rust is the problem on trailers.It causes deep pits that can blow through,heat up, and warp.While this is a long shot it could be an issue on really rusty trailers.


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## bassboy1

ben2go said:


> True but rust is the problem on trailers.It causes deep pits that can blow through,heat up, and warp.While this is a long shot it could be an issue on really rusty trailers.


I am not trying to argue with you here, but if a trailer is so rusty and pitted that it cannot take a sandblaster, I do not want to share the road with it. That is an accident waiting to happen, and in the instance somebody happens to have one that bad, it should be destined for the scrapyard. 

I would like to see the results once you are done with the bedliner. I may see you at one of Russ's tourney's or I will try to fish on a lake that you are one weekend. That seems like a very viable option for future trailers. Plus, it ads a nice nonstick coating, so I don't slip into the lake when doing the catwalk from the boat to the truck on real shallow ramps.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls

I striped my trailer with 3M abrasive wheels in my drill. I used 4 of them about $8.00 each on a small trailer.


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## ben2go

bassboy1 said:


> ben2go said:
> 
> 
> 
> True but rust is the problem on trailers.It causes deep pits that can blow through,heat up, and warp.While this is a long shot it could be an issue on really rusty trailers.
> 
> 
> 
> I am not trying to argue with you here, but if a trailer is so rusty and pitted that it cannot take a sandblaster, I do not want to share the road with it. That is an accident waiting to happen, and in the instance somebody happens to have one that bad, it should be destined for the scrapyard.
> 
> I would like to see the results once you are done with the bedliner. I may see you at one of Russ's tourney's or I will try to fish on a lake that you are one weekend. That seems like a very viable option for future trailers. Plus, it ads a nice nonstick coating, so I don't slip into the lake when doing the catwalk from the boat to the truck on real shallow ramps.
Click to expand...



I agree.There is a guy in my area that has a truck with the frame rusted in half.I don't know what's keeping it together but he still drives it, even tho the bed has busted out the back window.If I see it coming,I turn off,if I can,before he gets close to me.


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## Waterwings

ben2go said:


> bassboy1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ben2go said:
> 
> 
> 
> True but rust is the problem on trailers.It causes deep pits that can blow through,heat up, and warp.While this is a long shot it could be an issue on really rusty trailers.
> 
> 
> 
> I am not trying to argue with you here, but if a trailer is so rusty and pitted that it cannot take a sandblaster, I do not want to share the road with it. That is an accident waiting to happen, and in the instance somebody happens to have one that bad, it should be destined for the scrapyard.
> 
> I would like to see the results once you are done with the bedliner. I may see you at one of Russ's tourney's or I will try to fish on a lake that you are one weekend. That seems like a very viable option for future trailers. Plus, it ads a nice nonstick coating, so I don't slip into the lake when doing the catwalk from the boat to the truck on real shallow ramps.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> I agree.There is a guy in my area that has a truck with the frame rusted in half.I don't know what's keeping it together but he still drives it, even tho the bed has busted out the back window.If I see it coming,I turn off,if I can,before he gets close to me.
Click to expand...



Seems like law enforcement wouldn't allow him on the road (with it being a safety issue) if the frame is that bad.


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