Trailer Leaf Springs

[John Jones]

Repairing the trailer is only worth it if you can sell it.

I learned the hard (expensive) way.  It's easy to drop $1500 on parts, 2 gallons of sweat, and 1/2 pint of blood rebuilding a trailer and you still have a trailer when you are done.  If everything else is good then fine, slap an axle and springs under it and go fishing.  If it has rust cancer, rusted out brackets, hard or flat rollers, roller axles nearly rusted out then put some cheap springs under it and sell it.

[Circle Hooked]

put some cheap springs under it and sell it.

Exactly and on the new one torsion axles all the way  

[seabob4]

Sage advice has been spoken here...  

[czizza]

So the rebuild process has started ... it was a rush because Sally is on her way and I wanted to move the boat away from the trees. I have moved her in front of the garage and hope the trees don't fall the wrong way  

Here is a comparison old leaf on the left (just in case you cannot tell):


Here is how bad the old bolts looked, I was only able to remove one with the impact gun ... WOW:


Here is how it looks replaced:


And this is the completed installation ... I still have to fix the fenders and replace the back steps.


The other fender - OMG:


I am also thinking about Tie Down Engineering brake systems to replace the lines, any like'rs on this?
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=11151&partNumber=8749368&langId=-1&searchKeyword=brake+line+kit

[pigbike]

While it is true that rollers offer an easier launch and retrieve where ramps are very gradual and one would have to submerge half the tow vehicle to dunk the trailer, the down side is they do not support the boat where it should be supported, i.e. the stringers or the chines.  This is where the glass is the thickest, this is where the hull needs to be supported.

Rollers "straddle" the stringers, and, thus, the hull resting on the rollers is in an area we call an "unsupported panel", and area with no stringers or b/heads.  Thus, purely from the downward force of gravity, the hull will deform because of said lack of support. Proline used Loadmaster trailers, WC/Aquasport used EZ-Loader.  When we had a new model, the trailer factories would send down a trailer "close" to what the model would take, along with a couple techs.  Everything on the "test mule" was easily adjustable...winch stand, bow stop, bunks, both in and out and height.  They'd do their adjustments and measurements, off they'd go, fab a prototype, fit check, make minor adjustments, then a boat/trailer package was born.  Always with bunks, never rollers...

When I see a roller trailer down here, I say damn, must be a northern trailer...and I'm from the north!  Go with bunks, your boat will thank you!

Bob,  How about the old Holclaw blue and beige trailers from the 1960/70's. They had a bunch of little rollers. Weren't galvanized, just painted, and didn't last long if you dipped them in water.

[czizza]

Phase II of the rebuild. I went to a friend in Wyndanch that makes my u-bolts and leaf springs for my 79 Camaro that I race and he made me Grade 8 U-bolts. We used his 100 ton press to straightend out the bent fender steps and I used my 2 ton press and vise grip for the fenders.

Here is the old left fender:


Here is the fixed left fender:


Here is the old right fender:


Here is the fixed right fender:


Here is how the right fender looks from the front:


-Melo

[pete]

Nice job!Now go to All-American get a double and some of those great fries!

http://allamericanhamburger.us/