Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

[Dave K.]

I started a thread on buying a boat approximately 400 miles away. I'm in NY and the seller is in Maryland.

A couple of guys mentioned some concerns about the trailering part.

I'm looking for any and all precautionary steps to take, what to look for when I go see the boat as far as the trailer is concerned.

TY..... Dave

 

[lrak]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

I live in MA and have picked up two trailers in MD in the last couple of years. I brought -

Two jacks and a bunch of random blocks of wood from 2x4 to 6x6.
SAE and Metric wrenchs, socket set, vice grips, needlenose pliers, variety of screw drivers
A valve core tool and spare valve stems. Tire patch kit. Crank strap to reseat tire bead.
Automotive wire and quick splice connectors.
Spare bearings (Water pump pliers, hammer, punches, homebrew bearing driver, emory cloth, and grease to do a roadside swap)
Trailer Parts Superstore's hours, address, and phone numbers in Delaware. Trailer Parts Superstore - Shopping Index
BoatUS Trailer Club, Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, and ATM cards

Next time I would add a roll of quarters. The only problems we had was a broken tail light and safety chain (fixed in TSC parking lot within 10 miles of trailer purchase) and leaking dry rotted valve stems (fixed in a random gas station parking lot when trailer tire started looking squishy in rear view mirror). The guy inside the gas station gave me all sorts of grief over wanting $5 worth of quarters to feed back into the station's air machine!

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

this forum you will find can save you thousands.... as for your potential trip.. gonna be 45-55 degrees this weekend.......... there's your window to move it.... as for the trailer the boat is sitting on,, lights work? last time bearings changed? tire condition?, if any dry rot at all replace them BEFORE you trailer it anywhere. What's the boat you are considering? is it heavy? does the trialer have breaks? do they work?. Older boats and trailers that "in the day" state law did not require breaks, now do.. It's not to say you wont be able to get it home in one piece if it's around 3000lbs, it's risky.. you'd have to check the laws on current break requirements.. When you get the trailer registration in hand, take a look at the listed gross trailer weight limit.. I bought a 2500-boat with a #2500lb GTW reg on trailer,,, GTW includes the weight of the trailer, so I was clearly over weight.. ie- the boat should not have been on that trailer set up, no wonder I was blowing bearings all the time,, I learned the hard way, I ended up replacing it with a 3500lb axle.. funny after I did that my problems stopped. I trailered about 10 times this past summer on the new axle, ALL incident free. best of luck on your journey.. there are a bunch of smart people on this forum... happy holidays

 

[Brian 26]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

I did this once, Ohio to MN. And when I say "I", I mean I paid my retired step father to pick it up. It's nothing to be worried about just plan ahead, the right tool will be worth a million bucks in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere.

I did the following:
Verified with the seller the bearings had been serviced recently
Verified the tires were good and it had a good spare
Verified the lights work
Asked him about 5 times if it was ready for long haul back to MN, he actually had his mechanic come by and give it a once over (or said he did anyway)

Packed the following items:
Jack
tools tools and more tools
spare light bulbs
Trailer wire harness plug extension
First aid kit

Everything went great with the trip.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

I would just make sure the seller gives you full disclosure on the condition of the trailer, specifically tires and wheel bearings. If the tires are shot, I'd just plan on towing it to the nearest tire shop and getting them replaced. If the tires are good, I'd just make sure you have a spare tire with the correct bolt pattern to throw on there should anything happen. If the trailer has bearing buddies, then a small grease gun should be able to ensure you have enough grease packed for the trip. As far as tools, I'd just bring your 4-way lug wrench, a jack, the grease gun, and possibly some electrical tape/twist-style wire caps/wire strippers. I wouldn't be trying to plan for every possible mishap on a 400-mile tow, but having the tools to repair a tire, grease the bearings, and rig up a temporary electrical connection should be adequate. Just keep your speeds down (60mph or less) and stop periodically to inspect the trailer/tires and feel the wheel bearings to ensure they aren't heating up too much.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

Bring a jack and jack up every wheel and give them a spin to see if they spin without noise or rocking. I would bring enough tools so that I could change out bearings if needed.

Bring a meter to diagnose light issues. Know what type of light plug the trailer has and bring adapters if necessary. have the owner take a picture of the plug.

Bring jackstands, paper towels and trash bag, good flashlight and spare tire if the boat doesn't have one.

I just did exactly what you are doing 3 weeks ago. I bought a boat/trailer remotely and towed it home.

 

[alldodge]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

If you want to be absolutely sure nothing will happen with the axles, I would suggest
One Spare tire on rim
One set of wheel bearings for each wheel
Pre-pack bearings before leaving
One axle seal for each wheel
Replace the bearings before you leave

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?



As you can see from general consensus, the most important consideration is trailer wheel bearings. This year I picked up a boat from Rehoboth Beach Delaware and trailered it to Pennsylvania near Philadelphia.

When I/we got there, the trailer bearings were so bad, I couldn't move the boat more than 50 feet. Ran out to a local Wal-Mart and bought bearings and grease. Changed the bearings right there on the tailgate. The tools we brought with us were: A couple of jacks, a hammer, a set of punches, an adjustable wrench large enough to handle the bearing nut, a couple of pliers, and a roll of paper towels. I also brought both drawbars with 1 7/8 and 2 inch balls. Bring a grease gun in case the bearings are in good condition--then just top them up for the drive home. Oh, yeah! I forgot. We also took along a small compressor --cigarette lighter plug in kind.

In reality, there is nothing to get excited about because you are not in a third world country. There is sure to be an auto store, Tractor Supply, or Wal-Mart within driving range for any supplies you may need or may have forgotten.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

if you find the tires are suspect, two boats ago, that was case with me,,, I jacked up the trailer at the sellers home, removed the tires and drove to nearest tire shop- put two on rims, back to boat and off I went...

 

[Dave K.]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

Very MUCH appreciate the responses. This Forum is a Life saver! Things I would of never considered either.....

I have a couple of those 1 ton jacks, jack stands and plenty of 2x6 pieces, grease gun and 40 years worth of tools but i'll just bring a nice set.

Need to contact the seller regarding tire condition and bearing replacement. He said it's a flat 4 attachment and a surge brake trailer, 2" ball.

Really do appreciate the help. I'll chime in from time to time as it looks like I can't make the trip until the first week of January.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

Just to be clear . . . you are buying boat & trailer as a combo, so the trailer has some unknowns to it?

Assuming the tires check out OK visually . . . I would:

Bring a spare tire (or get one locally before you head back with the boat)
Bring wheel chocks and 2 jacks (scissor or hydraulic)
Grease gun
Basic wiring kit & tools
Air Pressure gauge and portable tire inflator (12volt)
Extra straps/tie-downs
Dock Lines

Then check/set tire pressure
Jack each wheel up and check the bearings
Grease bearings
check the brakes for good operation
grease the coupler
check lights for proper operation.
Add extra tie-down straps as needed.

Got registration & title paperwork?

I towed my first boat from The Atlantic City NJ area back to the Boston MA area . . . 325 miles . . . but it was with a new trailer. I did bring most of the stuff that I mentioned.

This time of year, you need to plan around the weather . . .

Also, strap any canvass down and remove/stow securely any cushions or loose items that could fly out . . . secure outdrive /outboard. Here is my boat & new trailer all secured, ready to go NJ --> MA.

 

[Dave K.]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

Yes, this is boat/trailer combo. Thankfully a couple guys mentioned the trailer part as i've been pretty excited about the boat. The trip will be 380 back, half highway and half high speed roads that go thru towns and so on.

I'm calling the seller possibly tonight and talk about the trailer.

tpenfield.... That's one hell of a boat!

TY everyone, Dave

 

[limitout]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

- tires may look new but if you see hairline or spider web type cracks between the threads and on the sidewalls they are dry rotted and should be replaced. not saying you need to do it just to get home but if cracks are there I would take it easy and not push the speed limit, just cruise along about 5 mph under and you'll be fine to get it home so you can replace the tires at a convienient time for you.

- secure a chain to the bow eye and winch post as many boats don't have them, a winch strap can fail and looking at it tells you nothing about how weak the stitching is.

- bring a small wire brush to clean the wiring connections in case they are oxidized and stop every 50 miles to stretch your legs while you check that the bearings aren't overheating.

- bring the usual onside the road repair kit:

wd-40
screwdrivers 2 Phillips & 2 regular
a couple of different type pliers
med-large crescent wrench
if you have a spare trailer light laying around it would be good to bring with you or at least some spare bulbs
4 way lug wrench
trailer jack
wire cutters, electrical tape, and butt connectors with crimp tool (to get you home in case your trailer plug or wires go bad)
extra spare tire if you have one (in case both tires on the trailer fail on the way home) (on a 400 mile trip, stuff happens)
don't overlook the truck so check all your fluids and tires are good and filled and bring a cooler with food & drinks in case you find yourself making repairs on the road it comes in handy.

 

[Dave K.]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

Yes thx again for the ideas on my tow vehicle and food/drinks..

Stuff does Happen.

Dave

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

The boat that I bought didn't have stern tie downs. Fortunately, I brought a set with me.

 

[izoomie]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

Do all of the above, and go slow. It's less wear and tear on a trailer you don't know and it's safer if you run into trouble.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

make sure the trailer tires are inflated to the pressure marked on the sidewall.... under-inflation is by far the biggest cause of trailer tire failure

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

Let me see if this works...

http://forums.iboats.com/trailers-towing/embarrassing-photos-trailer-wheels-622714.html

It was a thread where I exposed my own trailer failures. Lots of good suggestions here. I learned with the Starcraft trailer that I did not have the equipment in the truck to change one tire, let alone a dual failure on the same side. I lucked out there in that the flat tires happened in the carport (tire stems).

I ended up replacing the backing plates a the Starcraft trailer as well. For most of that trailers life, it had never traveled more than a football field between the house and the ramp. The trailer's brakes never really dried out and the shoes and backing plate were completely rusted out and shot.

With the SeaRay trailer, I was lucky since the dry rotted tires had to be delaminating on the highway before I first noticed it when the trailer was parked in the backyard.

One good tool I was thinking about picking up was one of those thermo gauges to check bearing heat during gas/rest stops. A friend told me it gave him a heads up that one of his wheels was over-heating. It saved him a roadside bearing change.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

Trailering in the northeast is no different than anywhere else.

I am assuming it is weather that you are worried about

What is the year make and model of the boat, and what are you using as a tow vehicle?

If the seller is unsure of the maintenance on the trailer then do a few things.

Visually inspect the trailer for rust and holes.

Inspect the tires for rot and dry rot (explained earlier in the thread)

Bring a grease gun loaded with marine grade grease, lube the bearings.

Plug the 4 way into your truck make sure all trailer lights are working ( taillights, Brake lights, left and right turn signal independently, and marker lights).

Go to Harbor Freight spend $25 for a set of magnetic towing lights. They are great to have as a back up.

For a 400 mile road trip I would stop after 20 miles get out and feel the tires if they are hot you have a problem further diagnosis is required.

I would stop every hour there after and feel the tires just to make sure they aren't getting overly warm.

 

[Dave K.]

Re: Trailering 400 miles thru the northeast. Ideas/Suggestions/What to look for?

Got some news on the trailer:

It's a 2002 ESPO carrying a 2002, 19' Bayliner Capri. BTW/ I've never heard of an "ESPO" and couldn't find it on Google. Could it be a partial name or Initials for a different longer name?

The tires are 4 years old and show no signs of dry rot according to the seller.

NO spare so I'm buying one. I will carry a 2 ton jack, 2x6 pieces, jack stands and all the tools mentioned along with a grease gun.

New bearings last year and he just greased them last week as they have the grease buddy fitting.

All lights and lighting works.

I'm using a 2010 Ford Explorer, V6 with the tow package. Flat 4 harness, both trailer and the truck.

Any ideas on this ESPO trailer?

Thank YOU for ALL the responses!