Can Aluminum Trailers Be Painted?

[1sicknautique]

There's a nice SAN for sale on here but has an aluminum trailer that comes with it. My buddy is really interested in it but he said that ugly trailer is almost a deal breaker. I was telling him I think they can be painted. Wondering if they can be painted and if so would the paint last or is it more of a pain than what it's worth. Thanks

Here's a link http://www.planetnautique.com/vb3/sh...-edition-items the boat and trailer.

[jrz1]

I believe they can but think your buddy is a little nuts (just an opinion). Take a trailer with no maintenance and spend $$ to paint for sake of looks. It actually doesn't look bad on that boat given the color scheme. Back braces look galvanized though from the pic. Maybe only main rails are aluminum?

[Nordicron]

I agree with ZR. Who cares what the trailer looks like??? I'd love a alum trailer, no maint and I think it looks kinda cool. Not to mention the added benefit that it's probably several hundred pounds lighter than a steel trailer, meaning easier on your tow rig.

[nyryan2001]

My Wakesetter I just traded had an aluminum trailer... I loved it. looked great. However it is a discriminator for sale and trade it. Many folks assume that because its not painted it was used in salt. you can paint or powder coat one... but for how much? at $5000 for a new trailer and $3-4k for used ones, he'd be better served selling it off and getting a painted trailer.

[FLY6584]

With all due respect your buddy is nuts. I'm actually thinking about selling my black steel trailer and having a custom aluminum trailer made for my 210. I prefer everything an aluminum trailer has to offer over a steel trailer including the looks. But even then looks aside, the weight savings and low maintenance are wayyyy more important to me. Tell your buddy I'd be happy to trade him for his aluminum trailer if he buys that boat. I'll even throw in $500.

[2001SAN]

With all due respect your buddy is nuts. I'm actually thinking about selling my black steel trailer and having a custom aluminum trailer made for my 210. I prefer everything an aluminum trailer has to offer over a steel trailer including the looks. But even then looks aside, the weight savings and low maintenance are wayyyy more important to me. Tell your buddy I'd be happy to trade him for his aluminum trailer if he buys that boat. I'll even throw in $500.

problem solved!

[1sicknautique]

I told him the exact same thing!!! He's just weird about his stuff.

[1sicknautique]

My Wakesetter I just traded had an aluminum trailer... I loved it. looked great. However it is a discriminator for sale and trade it. Many folks assume that because its not painted it was used in salt. you can paint or powder coat one... but for how much? at $5000 for a new trailer and $3-4k for used ones, he'd be better served selling it off and getting a painted trailer.

That's what he said about the re-sale of it and the idea that usually those trailers are for salt water rubs him the wrong way. I told him somebody would trade I'm sure, so don't let a stinkin trailer stop you from getting a good deal on the boat!

[1sicknautique]

With all due respect your buddy is nuts. I'm actually thinking about selling my black steel trailer and having a custom aluminum trailer made for my 210. I prefer everything an aluminum trailer has to offer over a steel trailer including the looks. But even then looks aside, the weight savings and low maintenance are wayyyy more important to me. Tell your buddy I'd be happy to trade him for his aluminum trailer if he buys that boat. I'll even throw in $500.

I'll let him know for sure.

[FLY6584]

I am in central georgia as well. I just picked the boat up from TN. I bought the boat from the original owner who bought the boat and trailer new in 2004. The trailer has maybe 500mi on it. It has never been in salt and the disk brakes look perfect and work perfect. I was considering selling it and having a guy build me an aluminum trailer who has built me aluminum trailers for my offshore boats and one Mastercraft in the past, but I would be more than willing to set up some sort of trade if your buddy wants an original black Nautique(Ram-Lin) steel trailer. It also has a swing away tongue which allows me to store it in my garage.

[toddrswenson]

Not to jack the thread, but I also prefer aluminum. Salt water boats have trended towards aluminum for a while now. I noticed at the boat show that there were a lot of black aluminum trailers. I don't think they were painted. They looked to be black anodized aluminum. Looked pretty slick. NO MAINTENANCE.

[1sicknautique]

Not to jack the thread, but I also prefer aluminum. Salt water boats have trended towards aluminum for a while now. I noticed at the boat show that there were a lot of black aluminum trailers. I don't think they were painted. They looked to be black anodized aluminum. Looked pretty slick. NO MAINTENANCE.

havent seen those yet. sound sweet.

[jrz1]

I just ordered aluminum Load Rite for my G25. Was at least a few grand less than the popular painted steel ones sold along side many wakeboard boats and it will last a long time while potentially also being lighter.

[FLY6584]

I just ordered aluminum Load Rite for my G25. Was at least a few grand less than the popular painted steel ones sold along side many wakeboard boats and it will last a long time while potentially also being lighter.

I'm not sure if it's too late to cancel your order, but Tim Noble of TNT Trailers makes some of the best trailers around. He made one for my Mastercraft and it was really nice trailer and cheaper than all of the major trailer manufacturers.

[DanielC]

Aluminium can be painted. After all, they paint airplane bodies, don't they?

The metal need a proper cleaning, and then a pretreatment, before applying a primer.
The problem with aluminium is that the surface oxidises almost immediately. But with aluminium, the oxide is very thin, but very tough, continuous, and non porous, and the thin layer of oxidation actually stops further oxidation.