Trailer - soft seal & crossmember drains
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: General Forums
Forum Name: The Boat Shed
Forum Description: Discuss all things boating.
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=137899
Printed Date: 06 Jun 2026 at 2:03am
Topic: Trailer - soft seal & crossmember drains
Posted By: Chris B
Subject: Trailer - soft seal & crossmember drains
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2023 at 7:14pm
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Hi, I've got a new boat and the trailer is getting on. It does have a new WOF. It will need replacing eventually but I want to keep it running for as long as I can safely. There's heaps of good information on the forum, my plan is to use CRC Soft Seal for the frame and Lanox for the hardware etc. With the soft seal I was thinking of spraying hard to reach places with an engine degreaser gun. Has anyone tried this? I've done it with fishoil before it worked well. Not keen on fishoil this time, from what I've read Soft Seal is a better option. My other question - the cross members have drain holes halfway vertically but not the bottom so any water in there will be trapped. I've not seen this before and it seems a bit weird to me. Any ideas on how to rinse and drain it?  
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Replies:
Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2023 at 7:40pm
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My old trailer had cross members like your,drilled a couple holes by the strengthening plate ,only to discover what looked good outside was rotten insde,rust from in to out Did a cross member repair only to have a axle fail,rust inside to out,passed a wof a week beforehand, went with new in the end as its only a matter of time before it all goes. Start tapping with a hammer and dont be surprised,thats what I did,bloody hammer  ------------- "Times up" |
Posted By: krow
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2023 at 8:06pm
| Me too been there and axle broke even with warrant (as above) rotten on the inside where you can't get to it. Just the one drain hole in the bottom of the V's on mine. I see yours won't have the same axle issue though as looks like Duratorque . Strange place to put the drains though. I do like the way the V is reinforced. |
Posted By: kimber7wsm
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2023 at 6:00am
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I suspect you'd be better off getting rust convertor in there somehow. Before you soft seal. Looking at the outside I'd be surprised if it's not rusting on the inside already. As said hit with a hammer. Bad news with a hammer is wayyy better than having the trailer fall apart at 90kmh.
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Posted By: Chris B
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2023 at 5:47pm
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Thanks, I will start looking at replacing it. It did fail its WOF and the front crossmember had to be replaced. Makes me suspect the others can't be in too great shape either. I will give it a spray to stop it getting worse quickly and keep a careful eye on it. Yes it has Duratorques. Although they're only as good as the metal they're bolted on too!
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