Prevent rust

[Usmarinecorps05]

Anyone here have any tips or tricks to keep your travel trailer tongue along with the chains from rusting?

[marinerjoe]

Hi Colonel. Retired Navy 05 here. And us squids know a bit about rust.

Although my trailer is only about six months old, I’ve only had any rusting where I’ve drilled into the tongue to mount my battery box and WDH brackets and not been meticulous about removing the shavings. No rust even appearing on the chains, and I’ve done nothing to them.

My plan for the rust spots on the tongue is to hit them with a wire brush, blow them off, put on some Ospho or Corroseal and recoat with the Rustolium primer and the gloss black when the temperatures are solidly above 60.

Semper Fi from a former NGLO.

[Usmarinecorps05]

Originally Posted by marinerjoe

Hi Colonel. Retired Navy 05 here. And us squids know a bit about rust.

Although my trailer is only about six months old, I’ve only had any rusting where I’ve drilled into the tongue to mount my battery box and WDH brackets and not been meticulous about removing the shavings. No rust even appearing on the chains, and I’ve done nothing to them.

My plan for the rust spots on the tongue is to hit them with a wire brush, blow them off, put on some Ospho or Corroseal and recoat with the Rustolium primer and the gloss black when the temperatures are solidly above 60.

Semper Fi from a former NGLO.

Thank you Sir!!

[brookstone345sa]

Try POR15. Old car guy here, many uses, floorboards etc. It brushes on and will stop any rust from forming. I think Walmart has it now.

[KyDan]

Folks approach this different ways.
Are you having a rust issue now or are you trying to be pro-active for later?

My chains are 3 years old and exhibit very little rust. I have painted the tongue with oil base rustoleum black. No prep or primer other than to wash and dry before hand. One coat lasts a long time. Minor touch ups as needed but it works pretty good. Since it's such a small area and we're not going for a new car sheen I just use the cheapest brush I can get and toss it afterwards. "chip brushes" are a buck.

Now if your in a salt environment that changes thing a bit I suppose.

[AZ Pete]

My trailer frame front member gets rock chips, which then rust. I plan to prep and spray it with bed liner, as soon as the weather is warmer.

[Chief T]

Reminds me I need to tackle the surface rust on my hitch.

[card16]

Another car guy X2 on POR 15 (POR = Paint Over Rust).

[Briyoung]

Originally Posted by Usmarinecorps05

Anyone here have any tips or tricks to keep your travel trailer tongue along with the chains from rusting?

I'm a huge fan of this stuff called Fluid Film. It's great for prevention and after rust starts, even gives everything a nice shine to it. I spray it on everything like the frame, nuts, bolts etc. then lightly wipe off. One place NOT to use it would be any slideout mechanisms because it will attract dirt after a while. I've even used spray wax on sets of chains, spray it on and leave it.

[wlstroud]

I use Boeing T-9 on rust spots on my RVs and on my shop tools and equipment. It neutralizes rust/oxidation and does a great job of prevention especially on machined surfaces. It has worked great on my safety chains and hitch coupler.

[guyster]

Another user of Fluid Film.

[TitanMike]

If you can apply it to clean, shiny, bare metal, like freshly ground, LPS makes a product called "Cold Galvanizing Spray". It's a high zinc contact product and when the zinc powder in the spray hits the bare metal it bonds through electrolysis. Leaves behind a matte finish that provides a good bond to any over-coating paint.

For a top coat I've found Rust-Oleum to be as good as anything.


If you already have rust, then use one of the "rust conversion" products like POR or even Naval Jelly. They use Phosphoric Acid to convert the iron oxide to a phosphate coating much like Parkerization on gun barrels. The coating stops further formation of rust from the existing coating and provides a surface that fresh paint will adhere to.

Personally I like the Rust-Oleum Gloss Black Epoxy paint that comes in aerosol cans. Stocked at Home Depot and it yields a near factory gloss and durability for trailer tongue and frame.