Posted 2011-01-01 5:31 PM (#128415) Subject: Preventing rock damage
New User
Posts: 1
Location: BC
I just did a road trip on snow/slush roads and discovered a lot of rock chips on the front of my almost new trailer. I was moving a horse for someone who is going through a lot right now and I don't want them to know about the damage so will pay myself to have it fixed. However, I need to make one more trip and would like to prevent further damage. Any suggestions that I can use for now, and should I think about having some kind of rock guard stuff put on later. I have a Trails West and the bottom front is done in aluminum, but I sure wasn't expecting rocks to fly up so high. I do have mud flaps on my truck.
Posted 2011-01-01 6:23 PM (#128418 - in reply to #128415) Subject: RE: Preventing rock damage
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Welcome to HTW...!! Not alot you can do to keep it from getting rock dings other than let it sit in the yard. I really broke mine in several months ago when the State of N.C was doing one of those "Cool Hand Luke" paving jobs where they spray tar then sling pea gravel across the tar. Front of my BP trailer looks like it's been shot with #9 bird shot. I don't mind using it so bad now that it's kinda messed up!!!.. In your part of the world I would be more concerned with the road salt damage on the outside and especially underneath. Get that salt off as quickly as possible. It would have to be an end of the world armageddon emergency for me to pull any of my trailers in the salt on the roads....
Posted 2011-01-02 12:42 AM (#128428 - in reply to #128415) Subject: RE: Preventing rock damage
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
MY son, for a 4-H project made a rock guard that fits in the reciever hitch of my truck. It goes the full width of the truck starting at the bottom of the bumper to about 1" above the ground. He used pieces of round baler straps bolted to an angle iron. It works much like the ones you see on RV's that are like big brushes.
It has saved my trailer and also my pickup tailgate. On a previous truck/trailer combo I had to leave the tailgate off and the box would be full of small rocks before he made me the rock guard.
Posted 2011-01-02 8:01 AM (#128436 - in reply to #128415) Subject: RE: Preventing rock damage
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
The simplest solution is a Rock Tamer type of mud flap to prevent gravel from being thrown up. If you drive on gravel roads or roads with fresh chip seal, You will throw stones at what ever is behind you.
The Diamond plate will provide a tough steel plate across the front of the trailer. But it will be expensive.
The LineX, Rhino Liner type of stuff, is a spray on bed liner, that will tolerate the rocks bouncing off it, But the front of your trailer will look like a spray on bed liner.
The 5th wheel and travel trailer companies often sell mud flaps that attach to the bumper trailer hitch and go all the way across the back of your truck and stop flying gravel. It attachs to your hitch, So it goes on and comes off easily. Use it when you need it.
Posted 2011-01-02 10:12 AM (#128441 - in reply to #128415) Subject: RE: Preventing rock damage
Member
Posts: 22
I can relate to this.. We have twenty miles of gravel roads no matter whitch way we travel. I've found with the big trailer lowering my speed on the gravel roads helped and like the others said on my little trailer that I use for small trips I use the spray bedliner on the front and over the wheel fenders. Luckly the black looks great with the trailer. Why couldn't ya build something to snap onto the front when your going to be on gravel? Would canvas be heavy enough to withstand the abuse of rocks? Or a material used in houses??? I've given this alot of thought and I think a person could make something simple and easy to cover the front.
Preventing rock damage
