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Old 05-22-2008, 12:42 AM   #1
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Trailer tongue strip and Por 15 treatment

With the price I paid, surprisingly low(upgrade from our Starcraft pop up was only $800) and the quality I've found, I've resigned myself to making this a really nice custom. I've gotten some wonderful ideas off these boards to adding special amenities. I have a lot of mods floating around in my mind!

Here's my starting supplies for the most part. I ended up not using the denatured alcohol and the laquer thinner at all.



Picture before the new jack was ordered.


I started by pulling everything from the tongue frame including the propane tank carriage. I quickly ditched the battery drill and grabbed my Bosch hammer drill and hit all the rust spots with various shaped wire brushes... wear eye protection.


I used toss away paint brushes to hit the paint with Jabso Premium Paint Remover, it worked as any gel stripper I've ever used, no better, no worse. It did take 3-4 coats of the stripper to remove three coats of paint/primer that was on the frame. Once I had nearly all bare metal I used the stripper with some coarse steel wool and some tiny wire hand brushes to get into the nooks and corners of the frame and the hitch mechanism. Very tedious. Wear durable long cuffed rubber gloves and eye protection with this stuff, if you get it on your skin it will instantly burn you. Also lesson also learned when I was about 19... make sure you go to the bathroom before you start handling this stuff. Use in a well venilated area or make sure you've got a respirator, there's heavy toxic fumes.


I used a cut out of cardboard to catch most of the paint from getting on the concrete. When I was to a point where I wanted to quit I just made sure all the stripper was removed from the frame. I then sprayed it with water and wiped down with a paper towel. The paint on the cardboard and floor I just let go till the next day and vacuumed it up when it dried. Cleaned up just fine off the cardboard to the point that I used the same 2 pieces the whole stripping process.

Hitch


Stripped to bare


New Jack-Atwood Deluxe 2500lbs capacity. -Southwestern Wheel Co out of TX. Quick shipping and the best rate I could find. $205 delivered to PA. I went with this one because I didn't feel the extra 70 bucks was justified for such a small tongue weight. Heck, the 2500lbs is way overkill, I just hated cranking the thing up and down, especially to the height I need when I back up a small incline into my garage. It leaves the ball very high to get off of when dropping... and the light is a bonus I like as well.(I'm sure I'll change it out to LED at some point)


The only quirk in this was the packing of the jack before it hit the rumbling trucks of the UPS.(My father drove for them for 34 years )
The result was an offset hat cover and seat cover that now sort of prevent easy insert for the emergency hand crank.


I haven't gotten to painting yet as I'm waiting on the right weather but I'm finished stripping everything from the hitch to the face of the frame in the front... about 6-8 hrs of work so far on this project. The propane tank carriage should take alot less time as I hit it with stripper while working on my work bench instead of stooped over or lying down for a few hrs at a time.

Coming soon... the Por 15 experience. I'm pretty excited about this stuff and it's my 1st time using it. I've read about it for years and its applications in the marine/boating world. Great reviews. I can't say so much for the company I got it from. Stoprust.com I ordered over $200 of product from them to use on the undercarriage of my truck before I bought the camper.(I quickly decided the trailer would get the testing) almost 3 weeks it took to ship and deliver and they shorted me a qt. of clear... about $40. When I called them they directed me to the tiny b/o statement at the bottom of my order. back ordered, no call, no email. Ordered April 23rd and it still hasn't gotten here. I sent an email a week ago, no response.

Hope you enjoy checking out the project start, more to come.

Take care,
Jason
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Old 05-22-2008, 05:10 AM   #2
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lookin good jason,definately keep us posted on the progress,good choice on the por15,you probably have seen in other posts that i'm a diehard por15 user,it's great stuff.congrats on the new jack your gonna like it.
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Old 05-22-2008, 08:50 AM   #3
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Looks good, nice work.

I've heard some rumblings that POR-15 doesn't handle UV exposure too well, otherwise it's great stuff. You may wish to look a little further into that and consider topcoating it with something.

- Frank
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Old 05-22-2008, 09:47 PM   #4
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Thanks all.
Frank, I appreciate the heads up. I'd read the same and I'm planning on top coating the Por 15 on the tongue and amenties and rear bumper.

Take care,
Jason
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Old 05-25-2008, 10:45 PM   #5
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More progress on the project.

"Metal Ready' sprayed on, dried, and rinsed, ready for por 15.


Put the 3rd coat on and then carefully installed the propane carriage. I'm estimating it will bond on the meeting surfaces with the tongue to add stability.


All in all I'm very satified with what I've seen so far, applies nice and conforms to all the information I'd read on the product. I'm very impressed with how far a qt of this stuff goes. I opened one qt thinking it'd all get used and I'm left with a little over 1/2 to seal and refridgerate.

I'm going to let this set up and then top coat it... anyone have any suggestions on what brand top coat? I'd prefer to brush rather than spray coat it.

Thanks for taking a look.

Take care,
Jason
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Old 06-01-2008, 06:27 PM   #6
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Jason

Nice job and thanks for posting the progression along with pics.

On the normal public market, I have used and have had good luck with. http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=130 Rustoleum Professional. It is the higher end grade you can buy in I think at Lowes, or Home Depot. I cannot remember which one I got it at. I was able to get it in quarts.

I have found that using good paint is good but the under-treatment is where it all starts. If you can stop the corrosion progression, the paint on top stands a chance.

Hope this helps

John
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Old 06-01-2008, 06:54 PM   #7
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Thanks John,

Here's the final product with everything back on... I finished it with a spray paint metallic gray to top coat prevent UV expose to the Por 15.


Along with the new jack I added a 4 way power block off the battery and cleaned and respliced all my wiring connections along with changing the ground, added the proper length and rated safety chains with hooks, new emergency brake disconnect pull that wasn't 12' long, and added an 'acme' hand turn connector on the side of my propane 'T' that had the 3/4" wrench nut. (One had been done already...I love it when a project I work on that's been 'worked' before that only has 1/2 the job done)

I couldn't agree more that your success is dictated by getting to the metal surface. The tongue had obviously been top painted before by someone and I bet it looked good for a month.

I'm truly sold on the Por 15. I opened one qt I used 3 coats on the tongue, painted a 4'x12' spot on my concrete shop floor under a storage shelf with 2 coats and did 2 coats on a 3' rail road rail I have as an anvil and there was still about 2" of paint left in the quart.... much more reasonable @ $40/qt if it goes that far.

My personal dilema is giving a company money who's customer service dates to the stone age. My qt of clear still isn't here. I called this week and the lady told me it'll ship to them from NJ to TX and then back to me here in PA sometime this coming week. It took 3 weeks for the 1st 3 qts to show up after ordering on Apr 23. They've never called or emailed me about any order status. I'd go elsewhere to get it but I'm pretty sure I'm dealing with the wholesale company of the product... going anywhere else I'll just pay a middle man mark up.

I'm working on a diamond plate stone guard right now and just finished the window guard in the front... pics to come.

Thanks for looking,
Take care,
Jason
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Old 06-01-2008, 07:34 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lode
I'm working on a diamond plate stone guard right now and just finished the window guard in the front... pics to come.

Thanks for looking,
Take care,
Jason
Jason

YES please make a post of this. And how you attach it to the TT an if you lift the siding to put it on. I have been pondering this upgrade, but it will be off in the future list of things to do but I'm taking notes now.

Thanks
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