As a result of a posting about applying a liner to aluminum floors, I have been asked by several people about my comment of cleaning the bottom of the trailers.

I live in the north east where road salts during the Winter and Spring months are prevelant. Anyone living in a snow belt or coastal area will be familiar with the effects of salt on most metals. We watch our vehicles rust from the bottom up and the inside out.

Urine will seep throughout your trailer floor structure, through the smallest gaps just like water. Over time is will attack the metals it has reached under your floor, even though you may clean the floor surface.

The combination of road salts and acids will play havoc on the undercarriage and cause corrosion on the the various metals.

Washing this off is very simple and costs nothing, using the items you probably already own. Before you unhook your trailer from your last trip, or have it attached in anticiation of your next journey, park it close to where you can reach it with your water hose. Fasten the hose to your lawn sprayer, oscillating or fixed it doesn't matter, and place it under your truck behind the front wheels.

Place two pieces of wood, one on each side, beside and parallel to the hose to protect it, where the wheels of the truck will run over the hose. Turn on the water and slowly drive the truck and trailer ahead until everything underneath is flushed off. You may have to make two or more passes, pushing the sprayer further under the truck each time to reach the entire floor areas.

Now if someone were clever, they could adapt a soap dispenser like you use to wash your cars, onto the hose so  you could then both wash and rinse the bottom of your rig.

Hope this helps     Gard

And if you get a hose that is long enough,you won't even have to run over your hose.Just set it under the truck and drive it until the   sprayer is behind the bumper,then,turn it on and drive straight over it.That's what we've done in the past,altho we don't live where the roads are salted.We live on gravel where mud and rocks coat the bottom of the trailer and need to be rinsed off from time to time,too.

Gard,you sound like a real trailer maintainence pro!

Your supposed to put them away so they don't freeze.  Then you can use them, drain them and but them away again.

Gees, even I knew the answer to that one and I'm from S. Tx where it only freezes onece every 1000 yrs or so!!! 

It gets so cold here a garden hose will freeze in seconds.  Then the nozzle freezes to yer hand.  Then you get ice all over the drive.....

Regardless, it's a great idea.  But it looks like I'll just run to the truck bay and wash it the old fashioned way during the cold months.

Thanks for the help Terri. This ownership maintenance thing can be pretty tough sometimes. We need all the help we can get.

BOL Gard

Hank, the effects of salt corrosion are much less when the temps are below freezing. The most damage is done when your vehicle is covered with salt and it turns out to be a beautiful, sunny, warm day. You can almost hear the metal hitting the ground. That's the day to wash your rig.

If you go to a commercial facility, make sure they DO NOT recycle their water. That salt water will eat up the bodywork very quickly, and completely negate the very reason you went there in the first place.

BOL  Gard

Yeah, I know.  Just funnin.

This I did not know.  Sure would be counter-productive.