Trailer Project (Project Complete, Pics Added)

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BassBlaster

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 27, 2010
Messages
668
Reaction score
0
Location
Grove City, OH
I started my trailer project over the weekend. I bought this trailer for $150. It is a 1972 Snowco tilt trailer. I have never heard of them and couldnt find anything online but it sems to be a well built trailer. It is in remarkable shape for its age. Everything seems to be original. It is starting to get rusty so I decided to do a complete restoration to it before I start my boat project. Its getting all new paint, all new bolts, new jack, winch, bunks, led lights, etc. Basically it should be like a brand new one when I'm done.

Heres what I started with
Trailer1.jpg


Then I completely disassembled it
Trailer2.jpg


A few parts that were completely stripped and reprimed
Trailer3.jpg


Unfortunately, I dont have the space to do this project so it is at my aunt and uncles house. I cant make it over to work on it everyday. Will make it back over in a couple days and post pics of my progress.
 
I used a wire wheel on my grinder. The wheel type, not the cup brush. The kind with the heavy twisted cable type wire. Peels the paint and rust off like a champ and dosnt harm the steel on the trailer. I bought the variety brush pack from Harbor Freight so I could try several to see what worked best. Definately wear eye protection because every so often one of those little wires will come loose and they come out of there like a little missle. I pulled several from my clothes and one from under my skin on my wrist. Could just be because most everything Harbor Freight sells is junk. I'm gonna buy a brand name brush to finish the stripping.
 
Made some more progress this weekend. I worked all day Sat and Sun. I am finally done with stripping the old paint. WOO HOO!! Man, is that a chore. I think I probably have somewhere between 12 and 14 hours total, just on the stripping. Everything was taken down to bare steel then got 3 coats of Rustoleum Self Etching Primer. Then everything was lightly sanded with 400 grit sand paper. The axle and springs got 2 coats of Rustoleum Gloss Black and everything else got 2 coats of Rustoleum Gloss White. I still have the bunk supports to paint and the latch mechanism for the tilt.

Heres where we are as I left today
Trailer4.jpg
 
Forgot to mention, the two things you see sticking up on the tongue is some bolts I welded on there. That's where my spare tire is gonna go. I used a fine thread bolt that mathches the wheel lugs so I'll use the same lugnuts to secure it. If I did my math correctly, it should be out of the way under the boat when its all done.
 
Made a little more progress today. Started putting things back together. The springs were a pain in the a@@ to get back on. Its lookin good though.

Heres where we are today
Trailer5.jpg
 
Thanks Perchin!!

I'm gonna try and get my lights wired up this weekend if I can find a complete led kit somewhere. Most everything I've found dosnt include the side markers. I gotta couple other places to check though. I have a question regarding the lights though. I completely disasembled this thing and painted EVERYTHING!! I think I'm gonna have a problem getting ground at my mounting locations now. I was thinking I could just run a drill bit or something through the mounting locations and clean the paint off to get back to bare metal but wont that cause another problem down the road with rust or is this something we just have to deal with beeing its gonna get dipped in the lake everytime I take it out?
 
Shouldn't be too bad. Just use a quality galvanized self tapping screw to get your ground. I also on a tilt trailer woud put a ground up front, and then at each light, this way you won't end up with the common tilt trailer lighting problems.

Cheers mate 8)
 
perchin said:
Shouldn't be too bad. Just use a quality galvanized self tapping screw to get your ground. I also on a tilt trailer woud put a ground up front, and then at each light, this way you won't end up with the common tilt trailer lighting problems.

Cheers mate 8)

Ditto.
 
I ran a ground wire from the front of the trailer to each light. I've done this on every trailer I own and on my brothers trailer.
 
I had planned on running at least one ground wire from the front to past the tilt point so I could get a good ground to the back of the trailer. I suppose runnig one to each light wouldnt be that big a deal since I'm gonna be pulling all new wire through it anyhow. I guess I'll pick up a extra roll of wire and some connectors and go that route. Thanks guys!!
 
I finally found my lights and got em wired up. The LED's are sweet, so glad I went that route allthough I think I probably burned 20 bucks worth of gas driving all over town looking for em. I ran a ground wire to every light so everything is grounded directly. Nothing has to get its ground through the trailer. Replaced all the grommets and put all exposed wires into that cheap plastic loom stuff. End result looks very professional and I'm quite proud of my work!! Forgot the camera today so I have no new pics but I'll get some soon.

The project has come to a hault after today. We are moving in 2 weeks so the wife said I can't spend any more money till we get moved. The new place has a big garage so I'll finally have my own place to complete my project and then start on the boat. All I have left to do is bolt on items, hubs, wheels, winch, jack, etc. I do still have to make bunks. The budget for this project was $350 and I am only pennies from that now and still have all of the above to purchase yet. Costing a lot more than I thought but it will be brand new and last a long time. More pics to come!!
 
The new place has tons of storage space so hopefully the only thing going in the garage is my boat and my tools. Thats the plan for now anyhow. The wife may change my mind come winter!!
 
Hey BB. Just wondering what's new with the trailer rebuild. Guess you are busy with the new house. Hope everything is going okay.

Cheers,
BC
 
Nothing new as of yet. Trying to get settled into the new place and Ive been working 12 to 14 hour shifts for the last couple weeks. Should be able to get going on it again real soon though.
 
BassBlaster said:
Nothing new as of yet. Trying to get settled into the new place and Ive been working 12 to 14 hour shifts for the last couple weeks. Should be able to get going on it again real soon though.

Thanks for checking in mate! Looking forward to updates. Get your priorities straight would ya!
 
BaitCaster said:
Get your priorities straight would ya!


Yeah, no kiddin!! As soon as everything in the garage makes it to where it needs to go so I have some room to work, I'll get back to it.
 

Latest posts

Top