WD-40 For Brakes/Springs Life

[Swamp_Bear]

I got some advice from a fellow boater today: If you can't rinse your brakes and springs at the ramp, especially in salt water, bring a can of WD-40 and douse the springs and brakes after the trailer comes out of the water. Use half a can on an outing if you have to. It will force the water off the metal, and potentially buy you many years before corrosion sets in.

For those who don't know, the "WD" stands for Water Displacement, which was the primary goal of the formula before it was also discovered to be a good lubricant.

 

[OspreyVic]

As we stated in an earlier post.

The link below is to this sites "Articles" section. There we wrote about the launch procedure we use on our 210 CC.

We have added a step to our procedures. Using a garden pressure sprayer, we spray "Salt-Away" on the brakes after launch, after retrieval, and again at home when we clean the boat. Our trailer is all aluminum, including the axles, but we do worry about have good brakes. It just takes a few minutes, and it could help us avoid serious problem's on the road.

Hope this helps.

Launch/Recovery Procedure List

 

[Dave LeGear]

The WD 40 is a good idea however, I am not quite sure you want what is left on the trailer to get dunked again much less, what is hitting the ground for the rain to wash straight into our water ways, as being healthy for the fish and other aquatic life. Salt Away being a soap (for a better lack of terms) is more than likely a little easier on the environment if it makes it into our waters.

Now I am no tree hugger by any means, and I remind them how "Rivers" use to flame up years ago and how far we have come since those days... But I do try and be mindful of pollution and how it could effect this great fishing we have worked so hard to get back and try to keep petrol based products out of the water as best as I can

 

[Swamp_Bear]

Good points, folks. The advice did come from an older gentleman, and does seem to represent the old ways.

I have a garden sprayer, so salt away sounds like the one for the win.

 

[OspreyVic]

Swamp Bear, at Home Despot, they have a sprayer for less than $20.00 with a five year warranty. I just leave mine full of Salt Away solution. If it dies, I will take it back for a new one.

 

[HighTechRedneck]

Something tells me that wd40 a brakes dont play well together.

 

[Jim Jenkins]

Springs and brakes

I use the salt eliminator spray through the boating season. Pressure wash the entire trailer undercarriage when I get back home.

I have been using the WHITE LITHIUM Grease from the spray can on my springs and all other bolts and nuts I can get to under the trailer prior to the first trip of the year. With the pressure washer, a touch-up at mid season is not a bad idea.

In the "old days",('88--94) I used the recently drained lower unit gear oil applied to the springs with an old paint brush. This was not the cleanest or greenest praactice but my leaf springs did not show the dreaded rusty mass.

A walk through of a used boat lot observing trailers undercarriage will make us all keenly aware of what we should be trying to prevent.