Galvanised Trailer Guide: Understanding and Maintaining Your Galvanised Trailer

There are few things in this world that have to put up with as much potential wear and tear as a trailer. They’re pulled along various terrains, they’re forced to carry increasingly heavy loads; there are naturally going to be a lot of things that can lead to trailer damage at the best of times. Because of this, trailer manufacturers, such as us here at Big Man Trailer Co, need to go to great lengths to ensure that our galvanised trailers are as sturdy and durable as possible. With that said, no matter how well-designed and high-quality your galvanised trailer may be, they still require care and maintenance over time to avoid major damage.

At Big Man Trailer Co, we have dedicated ourselves to providing our customers with the highest quality trailers available, with a full range of single-axle and tandem-axle galvanised trailers to choose from. So, here’s just a quick guide on how to take care of your trailer, and what you can do to ensure its longevity.

What is Galvanised Metal?

In short, the galvanisation process involves coating the metal in a thin protective layer of zinc. This is primarily to help the metal avoid oxidisation and corrosion whilst out in the elements. This is quite a durable coating in terms of rain, wind, and such, however, there are certain cleaning methods that will be required to ensure that it isn’t removed over time.

How to Clean a Galvanised Trailer

Knowing how to clean a galvanised trailer is about knowing how to clean galvanised metal. This particular coating will allow your trailer to withstand a considerable amount of the elements, but there are certain ways in which it must be taken care of to be as effective as possible. To begin, you need to choose the right type of cleaning product, and it needs to be one that is known to work well with a galvanised coating. Luckily the American Galvanizers Association has considered this issue and has recommended a specific list of products that weren’t shown to impact the galvanised metal coating:

• Comet®
• Bleach
• Goof Off®
• Simple Green®
• The Must for Rust®
• Stainless Steel Cleaner

With all that said, for our purposes of a simple clean, you’ll only require:

• Dish soap
• A large bucket
• A cloth
• Metal polish
• A soft brush
• Water

From there, you can mix approximately seven litres of water with around half a cup of dish soap. Once your bucket of the mixture is ready, you can use your soft brush to apply it to the metal in circular motions. After you feel you’ve appropriately scrubbed the entire thing, you can rinse and dry off your trailer. Then, simply apply a little metal polish with your cloth, and you should be good to go with a shiny new-looking galvanised trailer.

Can You Paint Galvanised Trailers?

The answer to this one is a tentative yes, as there are certain types of paint that are specifically good for working with galvanised metal. If you’re thinking of painting your galvanised trailers, just make sure that you’re specifically seeking out galvanised metal paint, such as the Australian Hammerite variety. With that said, if you’re just looking for an aesthetic enhancement of your trailer, acrylic paints are likely to work on the galvanised surface.

Can You Spray Truck Bed Liner On a Galvanised Trailer?

This will once again be a product-by-product answer, as there are certain truck bed liners that are formulated to work well on trickier surfaces, such as galvanised steel. With that said, speak to the manufacturer of your galvanised trailer, and they should be able to provide you with information on which specific products they recommend for enhancing the trailer after galvanisation.

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The way in which you take care of your trailer will inevitably have a large impact on its lifespan and durability. So, if you’re someone who wants to get the best of the best out of the products they purchase, then knowing how to clean your galvanised trailer, and how to take care of it after purchase, will be enormously beneficial for both you and your trailer. If you have any more queries or simply want to learn more about trailers, why not explore the Big Man Trailer Co galvanised trailer blog today? With more information being put up monthly, there’ll always be something new to explore.