Time to start trailer rehab

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

sphelps

Prepping C channel for welding make sure you bevel end at a 45 degree angle since you'll have to make several passes welding it. Cleaning the weld after each pass. I double plated my joints on the two main beams when I built my 24 ft. trailer. Welded the butt joint on both sides then ground the weld down level and laid a small plate of 3/8 thick steel across the joint overlapping each side by about 1 foot and welded them all around and both sides of the C channel. It was over-kill I know, but I'd rather be safe about it since it was a custom home-made trailer.
I'll be building a custom low-profile trailer for the Crestliner in my Sig at some point. It's going to be designed like Bass trailers are where they ride low to the ground.

Thanks for the tips RL ! Not quite sure which way I,m going with this yet . I,m hoping I can just modify using mechanical fasteners .
Btw , your right about the square tube rusting . The one trailer I have has it,s share . I did start grinding the spots down and luckily it did not go very deep before I hit good metal ..

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Welp I pulled the trigger on this one . 350 bucks I think an ok deal . He through in 2 new rollers and galv fenders .

May be a tad bigger than I need but way better than I had . Did I do ok ?

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Ok I need some opinions . Here is the trailer with rollers . I don't think I can raise the rollers high enough without adding some type of support angle to bolt it to . Should I just go with all bunks ? I like the idea of rollers but if it doesn't work then I guess I can adjust to using bunks . How would you guys set this up keeping in mind the lapstrake hull I have .

Also adjusting the winch post back to fit the boat I will have approximately 4 to 5 ft of tongue in front of the post . Do you think that will be a problem ?
Thanks for your input ! SP..

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Here is another idea . I can raise the roller height with some vertical angle . U-bolt angle to frame then thru bolt roller bracket to angle . Or just use angle for the bracket .

I really don't have much adjustment on the very front roller so the rollers will have to be raised to make it sit level ..

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Is this a problem ? The spring on the bottom appears to be a little bent or flat compared to the top one .

Also the po installed these threaded eye bolts on the ends of the trailer frame . Have any clue what they are for or what I could use them for ?

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

:bump:

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Nice job, thanks for posting.

The threaded eye bolts have been used for the transom tie downs to keep the straps from rubbing or wrapping around the transom when the boat ends up all the way back.

Also to hold the end caps on, but they were 1/4-20 thread not the 3/8 or 1/2 you have.
hope that helps
huts

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Thanks huts ! That makes since . I will look around and see if I can find some end caps ..

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Will I have the trailer taken apart I wanted to check the bearings out for wear . As you can see I kinda mangled the the inner bearing trying to remove the inner seal . Is there a trick to removing the seal ? I will go ahead and buy new bearings but it would be nice to know how not to tear things up in the future . :facepalm:

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Sometimes after you take out the outer bearing, you can screw on the nut and pull the hub off and the inner bearing and seal will pull out. Otherwise, I just pry off the seal with a prybar. You always put on a new seal so damaging it is not an issue.

When you replace the bearings, you also need to replace the races.

 

[I_5320]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Just finishing up my trailer. You may want to consider replacing the hubs with the Sure Lube type (Tie Down Eng) with the grease fitting in the back. They're really not that much and bearings are included. ($38 each for 1 1/16) The come pre greased but I wanted to see how well they worked and I flushed out the stuff they used with the blue marine. I was really impressed how evenly the grease pushed out the front. Next best thing to a Sure-lube axle. Good-by Bearing Buddy's

Search on Google "1985 Sylvan boat part 3" I have a video posted on Utube .. Also be sure to clean up your Seal race good with emery cloth. If it's scored you may want to consider seal sleeves .

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Thanks Bruceb , 5320 !
The sure lube sounds great but I have spent so much on my rebuild that I am going the cheap rout and just reinstall the B/B ..
BTW your trailer rehab looks nice . The hammered paint is kinda cool !
OK I have pretty much got the painting done and need some advise .

I assume that the keel rollers ,if I go with them , need to all be horizontally on the same plane .
Should I give up on the idea and stay with bunks only . I would have to jack the roller brackets up somehow on the middle and back support bars . Otherwise the boat would sit bow high and look kinda silly .

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated .

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

I got the hubs and new bearings installed .

The races were a little bit of a challenge . I used this magnetic stub nail punch to seat the races .

Once I started using the punch it went fairly well .
The bunk boards are pretty new so I will reuse them . I may cut a small bevel on the edges and round them over some. It looks like they used contact cement to glue the carpet on .Whatever they used it did not hold very well .

 

[SWD]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Looking good. Was there myself a few weeks back, rebuilding my trailer. Well at least we should'nt have any breakdowns this year getting to the water.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Next time you do races get a set of these:
10 Piece Bearing Race and Seal Driver Set

and throw the races in the freezer overnight before you install.

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

. Well at least we should'nt have any breakdowns this year getting to the water.

Hopefully I can get mine in the water soon .:facepalm:

Next time you do races get a set of these:
10 Piece Bearing Race and Seal Driver Set
Not something you would need everyday but definitely a good tool to have around . I didn,t think about the freezer trick ..
.

Do you guys think the tongue length will be a problem ?

Still need to set the winch post .

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

How long is that thing?

Something I hear often!

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

^^^:facepalm: :lol: ^^^
I,m gunna set the post and see what I have . I could always cut it shorter and install a new hitch coupler .. Kinda hate to though ..

 

[treebound]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Is this a problem ? The spring on the bottom appears to be a little bent or flat compared to the top one .

...

Probably too late to the party, but if it were mine I wouldn't trust the lower spring since it looks like it was over-stressed. I broke a leaf spring on a utility trailer full of concrete chunks, no fun at all trying to get that off the road at the time. (strapped and braced wood blocks between the axle and trailer frame and drove very slowly to get it all home where I later replaced the springs on both sides.)

But I'm no expert so listen to someone else.

 

[sphelps]

Re: Time to start trailer rehab

Thanks Treebound you are the only one that responded to this ? It seems to be taking the weight of the boat ok but I will look at it again when I install the motor . I guess the safe thing would be to replace it ..