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Chingadera
07-26-2014, 12:19 AM
My dad recently gave me a 25' robalo center console. It needs fixing up so I figured I would start with the trailer. I was told not to use stainless steel bolts for the springs and shackles? Any reason why? The old bolts were rusted bad. I bought new bolts and had them coated. I am having my springs galvanized and my axles. The previous set of axles broke due to not being galvanized all the way to the spindle. I cleaned these up, welded gussets at the weak point and I am having them fully galvanized too. I'm trying to make this last me a while. I will try and post a few pics.

Chingadera
07-26-2014, 12:38 AM
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t280/yoteehunter/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpse77d29dd.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/yoteehunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpse77d29dd.jpg.html)
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t280/yoteehunter/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5af41763.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/yoteehunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5af41763.jpg.html)

Chingadera
07-26-2014, 12:41 AM
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t280/yoteehunter/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpse30a74d4.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/yoteehunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpse30a74d4.jpg.html)
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t280/yoteehunter/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsbf728c6f.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/yoteehunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsbf728c6f.jpg.html)
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t280/yoteehunter/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsf90cdb0b.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/yoteehunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsf90cdb0b.jpg.html)

Chingadera
07-26-2014, 12:47 AM
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t280/yoteehunter/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsac8b1134.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/yoteehunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsac8b1134.jpg.html)
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t280/yoteehunter/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps026aa765.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/yoteehunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps026aa765.jpg.html)

I coated the spindles in high temp rtv to prevent galvanizing over the machined area

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t280/yoteehunter/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps2e2d190d.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/yoteehunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps2e2d190d.jpg.html)

new spring center bolt and shackle bolts coated with basically Teflon. I was wondering why they don't make these in a stainless? I also found and ordered stainless u-bolts.

Chingadera
07-26-2014, 12:56 AM
I also am running tiedown engineering stainless steel rotor brakes and the strongest bias ply tire I could find for my 14" wheels was a uhaul style good year 8 ply rated at 2040lbs. That was better than the 6 ply I had rated around 1800lbs. Anyone have any input on what I can do to make this trailer last me? I trying hard to do what I can to salt water proof it on a budget.

CharlieN
08-05-2014, 04:58 AM
Personally I would look at the Dexter Torflex axles, they do away with all the rust and wear problems and ride much better as well.

loop
08-09-2014, 10:07 AM
How far south in south Texas are you Chingadera? I have lots of family in the Rio Grande valley
McClain trailers in Houston has a nice selection fof stainless hardware at decent prices
Good idea on the hi-temp rtv for the spindles. Wish i had done that.
in 2003 i had my Boatmate rectangular tubing trailer galvanized.
I completely dis-assembled it
drilled 1'' vent holes top and bottom in the crossmembers and enlarged the drain holes (drop "v" style crossmembers)
ground smooth radii on all vent holes inside and out to give the galvanizing more surface to adhere to. very important i.
Had axle blasted and painted with Dimetcote (zinc)
re-assembled after galvanizing with all stainless bolts including 9/16 ss bolts for the shackles.Spent more on stainless than on galvanizing
dis-assembled springs. sprayed ith cold galvanize and re-assembled with marine grease and a couple of layers of cheesecloth between each leaf
As of today i have had to do nothing more than maintain wheelbearings and wash trailer inside and out after EACH salltwater use.I use a 20' length of 1/2'' nylon hose with one end capped off,other end garden hose female connection. abunch of 1/16 holes drilled in the last foot. feed it thru the vent holes for a trailer enema.

Chingadera
08-09-2014, 04:26 PM
I am out of Corpus Christi. I got my axles back from the galvanizer and my springs. Looks like if should have most of it back together next week.

loop
08-10-2014, 09:00 AM
Didnt intend to get so "wordy" sorry about that . I guess I just wanted to share my recipe for a truly low maintenance,long lasting saltwater trailer
back to your concerns, the stainless bolts work just fine on the shackles.
Who did your galvanizing and what did they charge?

Chingadera
08-10-2014, 03:47 PM
Southwest Galvanizing did it for me out of San Antonio. I think they are called US galvanizing now. They charged me 110.00 and out the door with tax was about 120 bucks. They said they wouldn't galvanize axles because they couldn't gaur ante the spindles to not get coated. I told them to just did them and let me worry about the spindles. They did and they came out just fine.