Re-siding a car trailer.
 

Hi. I need to update my trailer for next year. I bought it new in 1994 and no matter how much I tried to prevent it from happening the entire trailer except the side door has turned to "chalk". Obviously, the door was made with better material. It is, or was, a bright Red and is now a dull pink! Question is, has anyone ever just torn off the aluminum panels and replaced them with new? I would want to go with bright Red again. What is the best material to buy and from whom? Any idea on price doing the labor myself? Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Jay

Re: Re-siding a car trailer.
 

I never replaced all of the panels on a trailer, but I had to replace two due a bad driver backing his truck into the trailer. It was not hard to do but getting the panels was not that easy in my market. You may want to call the maker of the trailer and see if they can ship you the replacements.Have you considered sanding the panels down and painting it yourself?

Re: Re-siding a car trailer.
 

I replaced two panels also for a bad driving incident and it wasn't difficult. A better option would be to have a body shop give you an estimate to refinish the trailer. The original paint is a baked enamel finish, a more long lasting procedure would be a base coat/clear coat procedure.

Re: Re-siding a car trailer.
 

Check with any local Ryder, Hertz, Penske, or large trucking companies.
They all use larger Truck body shops or have they're own in-house repair center that might cut you a deal on a scuff & paint job or replacement panels!

OR if you want to be "creative", get the trailer wrapped!

Re: Re-siding a car trailer.
 

Buy a few quarts of Rustoleum and a cheap spray gun, That stuff is great!

Re: Re-siding a car trailer.
 

Thanks for the replies guys. I used to paint cars for a living many moons ago and I have thought about painting the trailer but I honestly think it would be easier and look better if I re-skin it. Painting a 28 foot trailer and achieving a acceptable, to me, result would be asking for trouble. I can just see it now. Me wet sanding and buffing a house! No thanks. I am going to look into wrapping it though. I bet that will make re-skinning look cheap!
Jay

Re: Re-siding a car trailer.
 

You might consider contacting the manufacture and ask about the cost of having them re-skin your trailer it will look like new and maybe you can get another 16 years out of it.

Re: Re-siding a car trailer.
 

Contact T&E auto Haulers 815-426-2634 .They do repairs and they use premium stuff and in this day and age they do anything to keep busy. Todd manages the trailer side. Website is tande-autohaulers.

Re: Re-siding a car trailer.
 

A word of caution alot of trailers use 49'' metal instead of 48'' so watch out for that if you reskin it,I bought metal for one 7 years ago from place in Chicago,I think Wrisco or Wisco maybe was name,still setting on pallet was shipped on hopefully this will be the winter I get to fix my trailer I bought 7 years ago.
I think United trailers sells the Stainless screws
Mike Taylor 3601

Re: Re-siding a car trailer.
 

you can talk to Steve at SCS Fabricating in Ankney Iowa. He helped me build my 30 foot trailer a couple of years ago, He can get what ever you want as far a color and thickness. You just need to know how many and how thick.

515-965-0767

Patrick