TRAILERS and TRAILERING

[Instigator]

Ronnies post illustrates just part of the risk to others by improperly towed/maintained trailers.

I always thought when we moved to Fla that we’d see how the real boaters/trailerers do it.
Boy was I wrong.

I guess w/water everywhere, every idiot is a boater.

Had a neighbor try to tow a free, 28’ twin inboard fish boat 150 mls up the coast from the Keys, on a borrowed 23’ trailer!
Towed behind his handicap controlled, 1/2 ton van!

1/2 way home the van blew a rear tire (2000 lbs tongue weight??), barrel rolled, launched the unstrapped boat across 4 lanes of I-95 before jumping the guard rail and rolling down an embankment!

He actually laughed while telling me that story!
Almost killed his buddy in the passenger seat!

Told him my wife could have been in a car beside him, then walked away!

[OnPad]

Remember to tighten those balls every now and then.
I learned that lesson at 17, when my buddys bass boat was whipping around by the safety chains, behind his pickup.
I will admit I have had to leave my boat at the lake, limping my trailer to the local tire shop for bearing repair.
Since then I jack em up a couple times a year and check for noise or bearing slop, and also stock bearings in the tool box.
I could go on for days about all the logging truck trailers I've seen flipped over. One feller worked for us, flipped his pup and just poured the coil to it dragging it 150 yards down the road. Another was being pushed up a muddy road, flipped pup off the side of the mountain, broke the pintel hitch, safety chains, and didn't stop for some distance. Here's a pic of a couple of our drivers that were talking to each other on cb radio trying to figure out where that wide spot was.

[XstreamVking]

I drill every trailer ball stud I have just below the nut and insert a cotter pin. It cannot come completely off, no way. Put the nut on and drill a 1/8'' hole. Remove nut to clean threads. Just that easy.

[Instigator]

Here’s a cool lil gadget for those of us w/o back up cameras.

Basically an old school antenna w/a magnet on one end and tennis ball on the other.

Stick on the ball, the other on the coupler and line the balls up while backing up.

When you knock the one off the ball, you’re there.

Have used them for yrs.
$10. at Harbor Freight.

Again, for single handing, which I do a lot of when testing.

[LakeFever]

I’ve had plenty of trailer issues almost all ( almost ) because of the lack of maintenance by the previous owner. Nowadays if I buy a trailer I always repack the bearings before I hook it up and I make sure I have a good spare. I also carry a cheap set of flat four magnetic lights. Along with jack and electric impact and assorted tools this has brought them all home since I started doing this.

Once I freshen everything I too through bolt bunks and carry the stuff some of you mentioned spare hub makes a perfect spare tire mount too btw. Weld a spindle on the trailer and your good to go. I’ve also reached the point where 8” wheels are simply a no. Crap size that spin way too fast on the hwy. 12” is the minimum usable wheel size imo

[OnPad]

Another little trick, drive your flat tire (tow vehicle also) on something you can remove=Less jacking. Or better yet get yourself something like a Overtons Easy lift trailer jack.

[Noah Burns]

Something very similar happened to me. My parents bought a new house about three years ago. The house has a steep grade driveway leading to the road. I was moving at the same time, and they had not moved in yet so I was keeping my STV in the garage there. Fast forward to about the third trip to the lake that summer, wife and I load up all the necessary equipment and hook up the trailer. I backup while she guides. She hooks the ball up and safety chains. She did cross them, thank God! We head out and at the top of the driveway when the truck hit the road and was at a different angle than the trailer I hear a pop and the truck jerks backwards. OH SH!T!!

Get out and run back and the trailer is laying on the chains about two foot behind the truck.

Went to the garage and got the wheel chocks and chock the trailer wheels. Wife gets in the truck and I sit on the tongue as it tries to lift up and she backs it back up under the tongue.

Biggest OH SH!T moment of my life!

Life lesson:

Buddy was helping me hook up my first Sonic to my Suburban to pull to the local pond for the day.

He did safety chains, coupler and lights.

There is a bump at end of driveway at road.

We hit that bump as I watched in the mirror, the tongue bounced up, dropped down on road, safety chains still pulling it!
I hit the brakes, still watching the mirror as boat rolled forward and the bow of the Sonic blew out both back windows of the Burb!!

Friend was sick to his stomach until I assured him it was my fault.
Told him you can help me do whatever you want but is my responsibility to double check your work.

[PanRonnie]

Speaking off boats going walkabout by themselfs
When i got this boat i had a chance to construct my own new trailer setup
I googled a lot of catamaran trailer setups, this included pictures of expensive high performance catamarans laying on the highway
So i figured i would have non of that
All the supports are cross brased front to back and side to side
With the cross straps welded over the original weld
And have front brasing so the boat can never fly up and over the towing vehicle

[dgscroggs]

Been there done that and won’t do it again lol ….. blew a bearing in cocoa bch on i95 a couple yrs ago on the way back from river ranch , tire came off rode next to the boat and then behind the boat so I just kept dragging until it finally rolled off the road , 400 dollar tow bill and a wrecked axle , I towed it to my shop and it never left until I cut it up and added a 2nd axle , I still bring a spare tire and hub ….. and for those that think there bearings are new enough, that whole hub and bearing we’re only 2 months old maybe 5 dunks in the water

[Tango]

For the past seven years, I have transported every possible marine trailer and in every conceivable condition. It boggles my mind how people can own a $300K boat and not invest $3000 to maintain the trailer... especially when today, a decent weekend investment costs than much in travel, fuel and preparation.

So let me tap a few points in this first response based upon the experience I have and a few responses I have read here.

• DO NOT use through bolts to secure your bunks to the trailer. This is a really bad idea. ALWAYS use Stainless Lag bolts, starting with a 5/16" Lag. If you use a through bolt, as the wood deteriorates, you have virtually no indication until it fails... now you have a gelcoat or paint repair. If you use UNTREATED PINE, the 5/16" Lags will eventually loosen if no lock washer is used on a mounting flange and when they do loosen up beyond tightening, you can then step up to a 3/8" lag bolt. When these begin to loosen up, and they will... it is a great indicator that the bunks are beginning to deteriorate and replacement is necessary. I run over 100,000 miles per year on my transport trailers, sunking them and mounting multiple boats... this practice has proven true.
• Do Not Completely SEAL/Carpet the Wood of your bunks. If you MUST use a sealant, realize these products do not 100% keep water from permeating the wood as your fasteners will undoubtedly give access to the water as will the staples holding the carpet do... so now that you've sealed the wood, where does the water go? Always leave the BOTTOM and top of the bunks unsealed if you must. This will allow the wood to dry out when sitting over time. The flat vertical sides can be sealed but it honestly helps in no way at all to preserve the wood.
• NEVER use capped lug nuts. You know the ones... they have that shiny outer stainless shell that spins when you hit it with the Impact. Never use OPEN lug nuts where the nut threads on and leaves the rest of the stud exposed. This corrosion makes the lug nut damage the threads each time you remove and install the wheels.
• Goodyear's Endurance tires are junk. In an independant test I conducted transporting a Boston Whaler 285 from South Carolina to Blaine, Washington and back... the Carlisle Radial HD tires were worth a 1.2mpg increase in fuel economy as well as a huge gain in lateral stability. Furthermore, Carlisle is the ONLY trailer manufacturer that stands behind their tire failure to not only replace the tire, but anything the tire damages if said tire fails. That means they pay to fix your boat and trailer if it explodes due to a tire manufacturing issue.
• ALWAYS balance your trailer tires. ALWAYS REBALANCE your trailer tires if you have brakes on the trailer, every six months. Trailer tires have a tendency to "spin" on the wheel under heavy braking, which shifts their balance. Discount Tire stores will do this for free!
• Always make sure your load is balanced. An easy way to do this is to visit any truck stop scales. Drop the trailer jack on one pad and the axles on another. It takes 30 minutes or less and costs only $12. You want at least 10% on the hitch and if you do not... move the weight around the boat or if you can shift the axles... do it.
• Check your axle alignment if you have tandem axles. Use an 8ft fluorescent lamp tube as they are perfectly straight. Tape the tube on the middle of the front & rear axle tires to see if your axles are tracking straight. This kills your fuel economy while towing.

Never under-estimate the costs of being prepared. Having a spare hub as a spare tire mount is worth GOLD the one time you need it. Have a trailer service box with emery cloth and a grease gun that works. Lucas Red & Tacky is the best grease to use as it will give you a clear indication of your bearings' condition. It will mix with water without losing it's protective properties. I have several videos on my YouTube channel that address every possible aspect of trailer car & maintenance. Let me know if I can help!! Anyone ever towing through Florence, SC in need of assistance or wish to drop their boats for a safe overnight stop is welcome!

I never judge a trailer by the boat... check this out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOSOOq8hVFw

If you want to know more about your hubs and the signs of tires before the failures... watch this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx3woWjLQ_Y

[rgsauger]

Been there done that and won’t do it again lol ….. blew a bearing in cocoa bch on i95 a couple yrs ago on the way back from river ranch , tire came off rode next to the boat and then behind the boat so I just kept dragging until it finally rolled off the road , 400 dollar tow bill and a wrecked axle , I towed it to my shop and it never left until I cut it up and added a 2nd axle , I still bring a spare tire and hub ….. and for those that think there bearings are new enough, that whole hub and bearing we’re only 2 months old maybe 5 dunks in the water

SWEET Shop! Nice job on the trailer

[PanRonnie]

Gunslinger boat almost became Highway slinger
If a second tire would have blown the third would have been innevitable and that beatifull boat would have been laying on the highway
And why not have that lightning properly fixed especially side lights would do wonders to keep somebody from side impacting the trailer
Big thumbs up for fixing the braking system but would that not be the owners responsibilty!?

[Tango]

Gunslinger boat almost became Highway slinger

Big thumbs up for fixing the braking system but would that not be the owners responsibility!?

It certainly is the responsibility of the Owner... AND the Owner spent several thousand$ that day on all new brakes, tires and I fixed most of the lighting. Each month, I run into this situation where a "Seller" is telling the "Buyer" from across the USA that the package they are selling is perfect for a 2000-3000 mile trip or in some cases shorter with the only experience is truthfully running a few miles to the boat ramp. As the "Middle Man" transporter, I have to deliver this Bad News to the buyer and let him/her know the limitations of insurance coverages and my potential billing costs should I have a breakdown on the road and their liability. This sometimes creates a battle with the Buyer & Seller but almost always ends up getting fixed or I simply will walk away. I am not putting myself or others in potential harm if I can control the situation.

In the case of Gunslinger, I knew the braking system of my truck could handle the lightweight boat and the trailer safely at slower speeds, so I took the back roads to Eastern Marine where I fixed the brakes immediately in their parking lot. I told the owner it needed tires... he swore up & down they would be fine but as you can see in the video, I am usually right. In addition to the repair costs, he had to pay a delay charge of $1700.00 for messing up my schedule.

[Dd24skater]

We went through our triple axel trailer last winter, both me and the wife, see attached pics, I was shocked how far the dimensions were off from the trailer manufacturer. I could be a critic, because I'm a fabricator turned engineer, but 3/8" off on the bunk supports was not irregular. The project took way longer that I thought, covid had me down for part of the winter and motivation was lacking.

Good news....boat went right back on the trailer, fits better that ever, and tows perfect.

Gator, I don't think this is the type of trailer story you were looking for but I couldn't pass it up.

Enjoy the pic's!

[Instigator]

Assuming that is your wife running the grinder…, you are a lucky man!

Bunks being off 3/8”??
That's where I ended up, doing the bunks from a creeper, under the trailer, w/the boat on it!

And I hated that 3/8” discrepancy!

We went through our triple axel trailer last winter, both me and the wife, see attached pics, I was shocked how far the dimensions were off from the trailer manufacturer. I could be a critic, because I'm a fabricator turned engineer, but 3/8" off on the bunk supports was not irregular. The project took way longer that I thought, covid had me down for part of the winter and motivation was lacking.

Good news....boat went right back on the trailer, fits better that ever, and tows perfect.

Gator, I don't think this is the type of trailer story you were looking for but I couldn't pass it up.

Enjoy the pic's!