Thread: Trailer WOF upcoming. What to expect?

Bought this old Sea Nymph, nice tidy boat. Trailer is a far from new though, shall we say. It has surface rust and some pitted areas here and there, though no actual holes. I wire brushed and sanded, then painted on some black KBS rust encapsulator stuff. It's come up good and looks the part, but the old pitted areas are still visible through the paint obviously. Before I take it for a warrant and potentially waste my time, what are the rust tolerances WOF places are looking at for trailers? If I have to get something welded, I will. What else would they pick on that I'd prefer to get fixed beforehand?

Vtnz are cunts so dont go there. We had a customers trailer failed by them last week for rust on the springs, not bad just the normal surface rust they have all had for a hundred years.....

The virm is free to use on the nzta website
Look for in service wof then general trailer and have a read

It will depend on how deep and bad the rust actually is. They are quite nervous about it now.

If you paint over it now some places that's an instant fail.

If the trailer is old and in need of major work maybe think about replacing it with a new one. Pouring money into a knackered trailer is a waste of time.

To be honest mate it all depends…
If it’s structurally sound then it will be fine but without seeing it I can only comment on the obvious.
The axle needs to be up to it as does the drawbar.
You could possibly weld flat bar along any lengths that need ‘tidying’ ?
As I say, rust can hide a real weak point and or it may look worse than it actually is.
I had a tow ball on a Ute ‘fall off’ and it didn’t look bad at all.

Jack the trailer up, turn the wheel, shake it and if it rattle or make a noise
highly likely bearing need replacing.
obviously check the lights and stuff.
light surface rust is ok and will pass wof but not at VTNZ thou.

Having just given my small boat trailer an attitude adjustment, I've come to the conclusion that it won't get a WOF because the hubs have some surface rust.

They're still solid and only carrying a 12 foot tinny.

As the hubs are not made anymore, new hubs and axle $900.

I'm thinking a Warrant ticket once a year or so, might be a better option.

Originally Posted by MarkN

Having just given my small boat trailer an attitude adjustment, I've come to the conclusion that it won't get a WOF because the hubs have some surface rust.

They're still solid and only carrying a 12 foot tinny.

As the hubs are not made anymore, new hubs and axle $900.

I'm thinking a Warrant ticket once a year or so, might be a better option.

Had a quick trawl through NZTA website.
They bought in demerits for us motorcyclists not registering all our bikes especially older seldom ridden one.
May pay to check because the fine wasn't to bad but the demerits along with the usual speeding ones made loss of licence a probability.

Another vote to say avoid VTNZ - they are populated by relaives of Wayne Barnes

[fine wasn't to bad but the demerits along with the usual speeding ones made loss of licence a probability.]

Just be aware that at FAL renewal time this may well be a topic of discussion, at least it seems to in Marlborough/Nelson area. Twice now this has come up at referee question time for me. “Do you believe applicant is a law abiding individual?” then referenced demerit points/traffic offences. Fuken little hitler cunts.

Originally Posted by woods223

[fine wasn't to bad but the demerits along with the usual speeding ones made loss of licence a probability.]

Just be aware that at FAL renewal time this may well be a topic of discussion, at least it seems to in Marlborough/Nelson area. Twice now this has come up at referee question time for me. “Do you believe applicant is a law abiding individual?” then referenced demerit points/traffic offences. Fuken little hitler cunts.

Really?? Thats hardly relevant. Anyone can get a ticket for a couple of kays over the speed limit. That isn't an indication that the have criminal tendencies or are dishonest and shouldn't have a FA licence.

Thats an extreme view.

Originally Posted by MarkN

Having just given my small boat trailer an attitude adjustment, I've come to the conclusion that it won't get a WOF because the hubs have some surface rust.

They're still solid and only carrying a 12 foot tinny.

As the hubs are not made anymore, new hubs and axle $900.

I'm thinking a Warrant ticket once a year or so, might be a better option.

You may be able to take them off Mark and give them a wire brush up and galv paint them. They dont seem to pay too much attention to the hubs as long as the bearings are good. What sort of hubs are they?/ I have a selection here if you need a new one

Or sand blast them

Zinc it spray paint. Cures a world of ills re painted rust repairs... Wire buff the old galv and rust off, chemically treat the steel and remaining corrosion and then hit it with the treatment coat and allow to dry. Then zinc-it with two or three coats, and if VTNZ fail it it will be due to them disliking all galv finishes. Which is not out of the question...

x4 on the Avoid VTNZ advice. Total arses. Not only are they ridiculously pedantic but also charge like a wounded bull. $69 for a trailer warrant and the local ~garage did one for $40 in ten mins while I waited.