Looking for pointers on painting HF trailer

[pjo129]

How has everyone painted their Harbor Freight trailers? Looking for pointers for a rookie.

[les45]

Rustoleum in the rattle can works as well as anything. On a new trailer, lightly sand to knock the glaze. On an old trailer, sand any powdery, flaking, or rusty areas and prime any bare spots.
The original red powdercoating on the HF trailers will turn pink when exposed to sunlight over time. That is why I painted mine.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

I scuffed up the red finish with sandpaper, then rolled on Rustoleum High Performance Enamel. Rolling on the paint was a little safer option for me since I was doing it in my basement. Still has fumes, but not quite as bad as spray paint.





I didn't bother with painting the inside of the channels, or the top of the frame. Spray paint would have made that easier, but my main concern was anything that would be exposed to chips from road debris (outside face and underside of side rails) or direct sunlight (the tongue and tongue extension).

[pjo129]

Thanks, Zach and les. That's what I was thinking, but wasn't 100%.

[gwtrike]

I used rattle cans to get closer to the color of my Goldwing trike.

[Lgboro]

Rattle cans will initially look good but fade relatively quickly when exposed to the elements. Automotive paint with clear coat will last a long time but can be cost prohibitive unless you can do it yourself. Would probably pay to use the highest quality rattle can paint you can find.