Trailer restoration

So I want to paint my trailer this weekend, it's a little rough and pretty rusty. I have a couple options

Option 1) sand all the rust off to bare metal, use a good primer, and paint.

Option 2) use a chemical rust remover like Eastwood products and prime/paint like option 1

Option 3) use a product like por 15 and paint it over the rust and then paint over that.

Would you suggest I remove everything and painting it, including the springs?

I typically do option 3.

For the leaf springs I load them using a scissors jack and use a good fish oil-based anti-rust silver paint, then spray them liberally with typical OB fogging oil. Works like a charm! Just don't spray any surface with the oil you'd ever want to paint again ...

So you don't remove the springs? What about all the bolts and whatnot on the trailer

what degree of "pretty" do you want to achieve ??
yes, you can just "arrest" the rust with de-rusting agent,
prime and paint . . . will be a little bit rough.

Rust-Oleum Rusty Metal Primer . . . works well if you follow
the directions on the label. Will be a little bit rough.

You can sand, prime and paint..... will preserve the metal,
look good and will cost you more time.

POR-15 is awesome . . . but, it can NOT be sanded smooth
if applied over a rough surface. It is not UV stable, so it
must be primed and top coated.

some people are just plain anal about "self etching primer".
this is good for bare aluminum or car parts that have been sanded smooth.
But, for raw steel with some rust, IMHO, is not necessary. Just a good bare metal primer will be fine.

this comes down to - - - your time, your budget and the finish you want to achieve. Your Call.







.

I have done a few trailers the last being this year. I have disassembles all of them and then cleaned up all rust with an angle grinder with a flap disc. and different sized wire brushes. Then primed everything before painting and reassembly. I have left the springs and axles together as those are not normally rusted the way the frames do.

This is the one I'd done this summer.




The Sea Nymph in the background will be having that trailer done next. This is the Rustoleum paint that I've been using and have been having good results with. The only drawback to the paint is that it being latex paint it takes it a few extra days to cure hard.

I take everything apart then I sand, wire brush, wire wheel every part. Then I treat the bare steel with Klean Strip's Prep and Etch followed Rustoleum Rust reformer. Then Rustoleum clean metal primer followed by several coats of Rustoleum Professional series paint.

Myself If I were doing it I would take it down to a sand blaster,, probably around 100 bucks and it will be a lot better job then you could ever get with chemicals, wire brushes, sanding pads and paper,,, unless you have the tools to do it by hand going to spend nearly as much to get all the tools and supplies together and you will have it a back in a hour or 2 from a blaster,,myself I would spray it with a spray galvanizing compound https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/industrial-brands/high-performance/specialty-products/7000-system-cold-galvanizing-compound and then prime and paint

I seem to keep mentioning this stuff, but look up "Implement Paint" on a search engine. That's not a brand name, but a category of paint

Pretty basic colors, but it spreads thick and well, is UV treated, and is made for farmers to touch up or repaint their machines and equipment...which sit out in the hardest weather.

Few pieces of steel equipment see more dunking than trailers.

Best wishes.