Boat Trailer Maintenance Tips | Keep Your Trailer Rust-Free

Boat Trailers: How to Keep Yours from Rusting Away

There’s nothing like a weekend on the water — until your trailer starts complaining after one too many salty dips. Boat trailers cop it tough, and if you’re dunking yours in the brine every time you launch, a bit of extra TLC goes a long way. Here’s Brent’s no-nonsense advice to keep your trailer rolling smooth and rust-free.

1. Don’t Dunk Your Boat Trailer While It’s Hot

After a long haul to the marina, your hubs are hotter than a chip fryer. Dunking a hot hub straight into the drink creates a vacuum that sucks water in — especially salty water — straight through the seals.

Tip: Have a cuppa, unload your gear, and wait for things to cool before reversing in.

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2. Quick Dips Only — No Soaking Sessions

Boat in, trailer out. Simple as that. Keeping your trailer sitting in the water is just asking for corrosion. The less time it’s submerged, the better. Once your boat’s floating free, pull that trailer straight back up the ramp.

3. Rinse the Salt Away

Salt water is the silent killer. After every launch, give the entire trailer a solid hose down with fresh water — hubs, brakes, frame, everything. It’ll keep corrosion at bay and save you from nasty surprises later.

4. Don’t Leave the Handbrake On

Got home and parked up? Don’t leave the handbrake fully on — especially if the hubs are still damp. The brake shoes can seize, leaving you stuck. Instead: Chock the wheels, or just ease the brake off once parked.

5. Service Every 3 Months (Seriously)

Even if you’re not clocking up many miles, salt water means you should be checking things more often. Every three months, get the brakes stripped down, bearings cleaned and re-greased, and all moving parts inspected. Prevention is way cheaper than replacement.

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6. Know Your Bearings

Got unitised bearings? They’re tougher and more resistant to water but not bulletproof. Once water gets in, even slowly, it’ll cause trouble. Let them cool before immersion, and remember — they’re not waterproof.

7. Cable Care

Those Bowden brake cables? Don’t pack them full of grease. It just gums everything up and can contaminate your brake linings. A light spray with WD-40 or thin oil, especially over winter, keeps them sliding freely without drama.

8. Follow the Maker’s Guide

Always check the maintenance instructions from your hub and brake manufacturers. They know their gear best, and following their advice will keep your warranty — and your wheels — safe.

Final Word

Salt water and trailers will never be best mates, but following this advice will keep the relationship civil. Rinse, rest, and service regularly, and your trailer will last longer than most weekend promises.

Need a Better Boat Trailer?

If yours is already more rust than metal, it might be time to upgrade.

👉 Explore Boat Trailers on Brent — the easy way to buy, sell or hire one online.

-Captain Brent