Extreme Trailer

Has anyone had any problems with premediatated rust found under the diamond plate foot steps on an Extreme Trailer. My Trailer has only been submerged in fresh water and wiped down after being taken out of the water

wow. i too have only used it real freshwater(not even brackish) and i'm sure that's what mine looks like underneath as well. i can see where the paint is chipping/bubbling around the SS. i can only recommend scraping, sanding, repainting with black rustoleum, then reapplying the ss steps.

George, I think what you're seeing is from some sort of chemical / electrical reaction between the two types of metal. There are other threads on this - sorry, I'm not a mettalurgist, so I can't give a detailed analysis. You might consider going back with one of the rubberized grip materials, like deckdots.com or gator grip.

My trailer is starting do same thing. It's 03 , fresh water only.......they really need to do something about there paint process.....the one they have now SUCKS

Just call Extreme up and let them know they will fix it. They are a great bunch of guys. Also any bare steel will rust when not covered with some type of paint. Are you sure that when you pulled the plate off you didn't pull the paint too? That amount of rust could occur in about two days on un-painted steel.

Extreme trailers are built tough as hell. But the paint almost jumps off it's so bad.

Rich is correct. It is caused by dissimilar metal galvanization. (steel versus aluminum)

Thanks for the responses guys. When I was drying the trailer I noticed some rust underneath the diamond plate, I couldnt get to, so I pulled on the diamond plate and it came off with ease, That really surprised me, and even more when I saw rust all under the plate. I sent an email to EXTREME already now I'm just waiting for their response to see what they plan on doing for this problem. I want to say thanks for the help to everyone.

How do they bond the diamond plating to the trailer?

I agree with Ryan, the rust looks very superficial, and I'd be willing to bet that it's like that all over on the inside of the steel that makes up the frame, you just can't see it. It doesn't look like the integrity of the steel is jeopardized in any way.

I had my trailer fenders sprayed with line-x when we had it made. It has held up great and still looks new. never gets really hot and it's non slip.

I'm still stuck at what exactly "premediatated rust" is.

I feel like I'm reading an old In Living Color script.

If chemical / electrical reaction between the two types of metal is a problem then why do they sell the trailers that way?

My trailer is rusting BAD. Around the edges of where the diamond plate is on the steps. I suspect the diamond plate traps water in there and is causing the rust.






(Message edited by sdub on September 09, 2005)

They use diamond plating because it looks cool in the showroom. I wouldn't want it because of the potential corrosion problems.

previous thread with fender rust picture...When I saw this I decided to do preventative maintenance and pulled my fender plates (only pop-rivoted). They had signs of rust due to plate edges cutting into metal, galvanization and they held water. I sanded, painted and covered with gator grip.

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/226249.html?1115092432

Hey George,
Let us know what Extreme Trailers have to say. Keep us posted.

The difference of metals is the problem, as was previously stated; it's actually a pretty easy fix. If you put a thin layer of just about anything (rubber, plastic, anything) between the two metals, their chemicals won't mix and galvanize like that. Some trailers (My ziemann, for instance) have that built in, it's not a shortcut that manufacturers should be taking.

With that in mind, however, that just gives me another reason to rhino-line or line-x my entire trailer.

I've had two Extreme trailers do the same thing. On my street there are four boats with Extreme trailers and they have all rusted the same way. I called Extreme about the problem and they told me it was normal, yea right! The trailers may be strong but the paint sucks!

Wouldn't the paint and/or galvinizing and adhesive holding the plate keep the two metals from touching each other? I agree that it shouldn't rust like that, but I'm finding it hard to believe that it's caused by two different metals touching each other when they pretty much don't. Can that reaction go through paint and glue or do the metals actually have to come in contact with each other?

actually dave i belive the seperation of the paint would enhance the "electrolitic properties" of that sort of thing... i may be wrong but thats what my highschools chem has me remembering

I agree, but if the trailer is properly painted and there is some sort of caulking or glue between the paint and the aluminum diamond plate, isn't it impossible for this to happen? Tony stated above that you just need a "thin layer of just about anything between the two metals." Wouldn't paint and glue count?

Obviously, if the paint gets chipped or peels off, there is the possibility of this happening (although is seems like all of it would have to come off for there to be actual contact between the two metals), but at that point, good old fashioned rust is going to take it over as well. So it seems to me that blaming it on this "electrical" reaction is putting the cart before the horse. In order for it to take place, something else has to have gone drastically wrong first.

If you touch a car door in the winter, you sometimes get a static shock. The metal door has several layers of paint and other coatings. If you had on a rubber glove - no shock. I think the trailer mfgs should put a barrier under the diamond plating. This plating is used on all types of commercial vehicles. Go look at a firetruck.

Rich hit it right on the money with the firetruck example. It really comes down to quality of paint and the paint job.