Rusty boat trailer help

[scouttster]

I have a boat trailer that has a bad case of rust.. Lots of flaking rust and chipping rust, but still plenty of steel there to keep and use the trailer.. I got all the loose stuff off with my pressure washer and then started hitting it with full strenght muriatic acid.. I dont want to work to hard at this.... Anyway, I read somewhere applying muriatic acid will do something to the rust and turn it black and turn it into iron... Any truth to this? Will this process save the trailer? I intend to paint it over the backened out area. Am I wasting time and money?
Thanks
Scout

[Petros]

The acid just helps dissolve the loose rust, so it makes it easier to clean off. I would wash it with something to neutralize the acid, like a mixture of baking soda and water, than wash with soap and water, and rinse with water. A pressure washer would be a help, or at least a hose nozzle type dispenser. I suspect if you do not get all the acid off any paint you put on it would not stick to it for very long.

Than prime it with several coats of Rustolium primer, and color coat it. It should hold up pretty good with that kind of treatment.

[scouttster]

petros, always there when you need him... Thanks...
So, now after some wire brushing and applying acid and rinsing - I am left with an orange driveway, and a blackened up trailer.. Looks pretty good...

Next question: I happen to have a quart of krylon oil based paint ( hard to find for sale nowadays ) that can be applyed to anything.. Steel included.. Should I prime first with a spray primer and then paint it OR forget the whole priming part and just go for it with paint alone? I'm leaning towards no primer.. I figure the paint will grab at that steel better without the primer