extending a trailer

[oops!]

hi guys....i gotta move the barge pretty soon....plus its allmost time to launch it....

ive been looking for a trailer...and cant find one.....

i have an old dual axle, steel trailer that is sound, but the fenders are falling off and other things

the trailer is good for a 20 footer...i need a 25 footer.....can i just have a peice welded in to the tounge section?.....

thanks oops

 

[Bondo]

Re: extending a trailer

Ayuh,.....

Show Us some Pictures,.....

Trailers can be pretty much Extended anywhere you want to do it,.....
Especially Steel trailers......

 

[oops!]

Re: extending a trailer

thanks bill...


ill get some tonight on my way to the boat.

 

[Bondo]

Re: extending a trailer

Ayuh,....

Do you have a Steel Warehouse around your parts,.....

Using fresh steel is usually easier than scrounging Scrap.......

 

[chicknwing]

Re: extending a trailer

I agree completely. A steel trailer can be extended by adding to the channels. My trailer was extended just over 2 feet by adding 3x3 square steel to the tongue. Do you need to add another axle to accommodate the additional weight of your extension? Your project is looking good!

TC

 

[redfury]

Re: extending a trailer

I doubt in the condition your boat is in, it'll weigh all that much more than it would have in complete shape with motor and full tank of gas. If you can support the extra 5 feet on the trailer as is, I don't see why you couldn't extend the tongue 5 feet to accomodate, or extend the back of the trailer. I don't think you'd have to mess with the axles until you were finished with the boat to find the right balance.

 

[BillP]

Re: extending a trailer

I had a welder guy convert an old 18' trailer to 22' once. It had a heavy duty frame already but he extended the tongue and welded gussets all around the frame to make it more rigid. It maxed out the weight capacity of the axle/tires and had more frame flex than I liked...but worked ok for a 10 mile round trip every couple yrs to pull out when hurricanes threatened.

bp

 

[oops!]

Re: extending a trailer

Ayuh,....

Do you have a Steel Warehouse around your parts,.....

Using fresh steel is usually easier than scrounging Scrap.......

right by my store...and they have the metal

I agree completely. A steel trailer can be extended by adding to the channels. My trailer was extended just over 2 feet by adding 3x3 square steel to the tongue. Do you need to add another axle to accommodate the additional weight of your extension? Your project is looking good!

TC

thanks.. the project is really speeding up now......the trailers a tandom....and a 3x3 is how i think im gonna tackle it

I had a welder guy convert an old 18' trailer to 22' once. It had a heavy duty frame already but he extended the tongue and welded gussets all around the frame to make it more rigid. It maxed out the weight capacity of the axle/tires and had more frame flex than I liked...but worked ok for a 10 mile round trip every couple yrs to pull out when hurricanes threatened.

bp

i think tha majority of the weight will be on the axels. 2 x 4500 lbs
so the axels will do it.....but i may need extra support on the tounge.

heres the pics....

just where the riser is for the hull lock is where im thinking of adding the strech.

if i add towards the rear it will be more work and materials

i want to loose the rollers in the center and just have a bunk style.....the center rollers rip up the keel..

i never power load...allways float on or off. the trailers so high ive gotta go far back into the water to load/unload

im going to have to add longer bunks. but thats no biggie...i think if i add a foot off the back (bunks) and a four foot section....the weight will be disperced evenly......

ideas/suggestions?
thanks
oops

 

[bassboy1]

Re: extending a trailer

I have extended quite a few trailers by installing a longer tongue. Seems many people want to use the shortest trailer they can for a given boat. Makes it a pain when you try to open the tailgate or launch in shallow ramps. Instead of adding a piece to the current tongue, I cut the old tongue completely out, and put a whole new piece on. Much cleaner look to it, and it isn't a "patch." If you have to ad a lot of length, and you mentioned needing a bit of extra bracing, I would go with 3 x 4 instead of 3 x 3.

EDIT: Just saw that your tongue goes all the way back. I would cut it off where it meets the first 90 degree crossbar, and put 3 x 4 forward of that.

 

[Bondo]

Re: extending a trailer

EDIT: Just saw that your tongue goes all the way back. I would cut it off where it meets the first 90 degree crossbar, and put 3 x 4 forward of that.

Ayuh,..... I'm inclined to Agree,....

I take it that the tounge is 3x3 box tubing now,..??
You could butt weld the tubes,+ carry the weld down onto the cross member with a 3x4,+ it'll be strong enough to go 6', 8', maybe even 10' longer(overall) than it is now.....
Then weld the winch stand back on where ever you wish,+ use the Extra long tounge for easier launching.....

I did darn near the same thing on my wagon,.... I took off a 4' long piece,+ put back a 10'er......

Btw,.....
Leave the keel rollers,.... They'll protect the hull from the Cross Members....Just mount'm Low.....

 

[BillP]

Re: extending a trailer

5' is a lot to add and it tends to twist/flex without extra bracing. Flex can somewhat be dealt with by using heavier wall thickness to match existing tubes and framing but adding the longer boat up front with it may make too much tongue weight...and require moving axles fwd. A friend of mine extended his sailboat trailer from 28' to 32' and the tongue weight went from 500lbs to 950lbs carrying almost the same boat weight (6000lbs). Axles had to be moved to make it safe.

bp

 

[oops!]

Re: extending a trailer

thought id show the picks of the semi finished project.

the bunks still need to be extended, wiring properly done, new fenders to be added....ect....ect

the axels will have to be moved forward, but to find the proper tounge weight, i need to have the boat finished and loaded...(motor....gas full ect)

the ideas here, worked well, after trailering the boat to its new temporary location, there was no issues at all. ....and it didnt even crack in half...

cheers
oops