Rusty Chassis on trailer

Storminateacup

Storminateacup

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How much rust is acceptably safe, and how much is not good?
Anyone got any tips on how to check what is ok and what is not?
My trailer is pretty old but newly refurbished with new floor etc., but chassis looks a bit rusty overall.

comments and tips please
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Please, please, please get a second opinion different from the person who refurbished it.

It is not worth having an accident with horses on board.

My first trailer which I bought when I was 19, was checked over and given the all-clear. A few weeks later a wheel sheered off, when I had my horse on board... I ended up all over the road, coming to a halt jacknifed, if the road had been busier it could have been so much worse.

Don't risk anything.
 
Should the chassis not have been brushed back and repainted when the floor was done? When I refloored my old trailer we checked the chassis, cleaned it all back to the bare metal and welded in new bits as appropriate. Almost ended up rebuilding the whole chassis but at least we knew it was 100% safe.

I am sure surface rust is ok but anything more is not. Get your local mechanic to have a look. They will be able to tell you.
 
There are some new welds at the front in the triangle bit, but no new welding at the back. OH says its all sound because he is a crane/haulage ex lorry driver come engineer, so in a way I would expect him to know, but with trailers not requiring MOT s as such I do have some concerns as the trailer is quite old.
Where did yours need welding and approximately how old was your old trailer, and what make?
I am not wishing to make any direct comparison but anything is helpful. OH says he will get mechanics at his work to check chassis for me. I don't think I will be happy to put my precious boy in it until I 100% sure its 100% safe!!!
OH despairing at how precious I am about the whole thing!! But we are ar'n't we.
Needless to say his Harley has a £2000 shed to keep it safe!
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To check a chassis for rust take a sharp pointed heavy cold chisel or pointed axe head and wack it hard into the rusty steel, that will tell you if rust is a problem or not. New steel is cheaper than timber, find a good honest local welder and have a new chassis made, that is the only safe way. Myself it would only take 2 days work to make and replace a rotton chassis right up to the coupling.
 
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