Putting an old boat on a upgraded trailer

[RickK]

Well, I mentioned that I was going to rebuild my torsion bar suspension trailer (1970), so I ordered the new axle and picked it up Friday and Saturday a buddy, Dave, helped me do it.  Took the boat to a boating club that Dave belongs to, dropped it in the water, tied her off to one of the "slips" and took the trailer back to Daves house.
I ripped off the bunk carpet and snapped this shot of the old support arms - after talking to the new axle guy, he thinks maybe that the guy who I bought the one I'm replacing from sold me an axle for a storage trailer or something that wasn't galvanized - turkey!!  The cross pipe was galvanized but the support arms were not.  Oh well,  won't ever replace it again - this one is guaranteed for life.

This axle was only about 8 years old too.

Probably would have lasted me a few more years but I couldn't stand to see it decay in front of me.

So we got the old axle off ok but I had installed some solid aluminum spacer blocks (2") the last time around to drop the axle a little for the fenders and they were a b%tch to get off - we tried several things to no avail and finally Dave had to use a cutting wheel on a grinder to cut off the heads of the stainless bolts - 1 cutting wheel per bolt.  Cut off the heads and used a punch to knock them through the hole drilled in the trailer.  Finally ready to measure and mount the new axle.
This axle is very nice, all aluminum with stainless hubs and lug nuts.  You also see some aluminum spacers, right behing it, I bought from the axle guy in case I needed to drop it down a little for the fenders like last time.


No more rusting away  8)
We measured (twice   ), drilled and mounted the axles - pretty slick setup - didn't have to use the spacers after all.


Then put the wheels on and put new bunk carpet on

A buddy of ours used to have an upholstery business and he let us use his "mack-daddy" stapler that had 1 1/4" wide by 1" long aluminum staples - very nice tool.  That carpet ain't going anywhere.

Put the reflectors back on to finish her up.

Headed back to the club, took the boat for a couple hour cruise and then put her on her improved ride, which BTW, rides as nice as the torsion bar did.

Jim, there's the new chariot I'd mentioned.  Capable of pulling much more now - thinking forward  

Took us about 3 hours - not too bad.
Thanks for ALL the help Dave - would have been no fun without you man.
Here's a bigger pic of the setup - didn't want to post a big pic here.
http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2006&title=larger-pic-of-truck-and-boat&cat=500

[Miguel]

RickK:
Very nice.... The new stainless axle should outlast the rest of the trailer.
Im curious, tough.  Why the extra long bunks?
It also seems like you could move the whole boat about 18 inches forward in the trailer, and make a shorter tow.  Do you set your boat in the water in very shallow gradient ramps?

[JimCt]

Nice when you can get a job done and over with in three hours. That axle will see all of us in our graves.  

Paint on the bottom looks great!

[John Jones]

I broke the bottom spring leaf on one side my flats boat trailer yesterday afternoon.   :cry:   I'll have new springs here waiting on you when you get off work tomorrow.  

just kidding.  Mine shouldn't be too bad of a job.  The u-bolts look like new stainless so hopefully they will come off okay.

Nice job Rick.  I would like to switch to that setup and do away with eternally rotting springs but that would seriously cut into my stash I have been building for the power pole.  I spray my trailer with citrus cleaner and hose off after every trip.  The last owner didn't even rinse as far as I can tell.  Maybe the new set will last until I can upgrade from galvanized to aluminum trailer.

[warthog5]

Im curious, tough. Why the extra long bunks?

Those babies would have been cut even with the transom if it was me.

It will look much cleaner if you do.

[RickK]

Thanks guys.
Miguel and Wart - The trailer was originally for a 22ft boat that my mom had.  After her death, I inherited the boat which needed a new motor and other work.  I gave it away but kept the trailer and I kept the trailer in it's original length in case I got a boat the size it was made for.  I ended up buying the 170 which didn't have a trailer and putting it on this one.  I moved everything toward the back as much as I could, wanting to keep the tonque weight low (about 100lbs) and that is where it ended up. I guess I could have moved everything forward, like to the end of the frame but that would have increased the tongue weight - she pulls beautifully with the amount of tongue weight now.  I left the bunks long, I guess because I could, and I use them as a step into the boat - much easier than climbing over the side.  I also think there was something in my mind hoping I was going to use the trailer for a bigger boat someday although she's been hauling the 170 for 18 years.   I might cut them off one day - who knows.  Miquel, one of the ramps I use a lot is pretty shallow but it still takes about 3 ft of water to float the boat off the trailer.
JJ - so you can plan, the aluminum axle and stainless spindle/hubs ran about 6 bills (a little under half the 8ft power pole ) - company is in Plant City.

[John Jones]

If the long bunks do not bother you, don't worry about it.  I cut my bunks on both trailers leaving about 1" sticking out but that's because I have Bennett trim tabs on both boats and don't want to wreck the tabs if I forget to retract them.

Update on my flats boat trailer.  A buddy and I pulled the broken spring yesterday.  I was pleasantly surprised to find well greased stainless bolts holding the old springs on and was able to pull them off with just a 3/8 rachet.  No hammering or cutting at all!  The "good side" spring fell apart when we took it off.  Two leaves were broken on that one but they were broken inside the U-bolt so it stayed together.  We ran over to www.sturdybuiltonline.com and I picked up a new pair of springs for <$20 each (it's only a 1500# trailer).  I soaked the new springs with CRC Marine Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor.  It leaves a thick waxy coating so maybe it will give them a few months longer life.  Put it all back together with lots of anti-seize.  I'll have to re-learn how deep to put the trailer now to get the boat back on as it sits about 2" higher now with new springs.

I know someone is thinking the trailer is undersized but I don't think so.  From the looks of things the previous owner never hosed down anything and I think these were just ready to let go.  They had a pretty bad case of rot.  The hull specs say 600# dry and it only has a 60 Yamaha 2-stroke so I doubt I'm approaching 1500#.

Yes, I'm terrible about not taking pics.  I guess I'm too lazy to clean grease, rust, and anti-seize off my hands in the middle of a job to take pictures.