Trailer Preparation

[Black Pig]

Guys

I am about to take delivery of new BMT package (a 5m Mako MaxFrenzy w/ 90hp Suzuki). Any advice on preparation before dunking it into the drink for the first time.

[death_ship]

put the bungs in

[Black Pig]

Didn't realise the trailer had bungs!?!?

[backlash08]

you could apply a rust proofing coating however rust proofing agents are simply a physical barrier that are supposed to prevent the salt and water actually contacting the steel, this is the same purpose that the galvinising does - in my view dont worry about what you do before you dunk but rather after the event, ensure that the trailer is washed and flushed (if the trailer is RHS, in the channels) very well and even better if you can give it a hose down as soon as you put the boat in the water and before you go out in the boat for the day - some ramps have a hose handy and this certainly helps - good luck with the new boat - hope it is good for you - cheers - Craig

[death_ship]

sorry im drink driving, just rust proof the whole thing before u put it in the salt and keep evrything lubed up after that.

[Black Pig]

What sort rust proofing do you use?

[ronnien]

black pig,

have a look at trailer protective coatings on the second page i think.

ron.

[SgBFish]

If I had my time over again this is what I would do.
DON’T TRUST THE PERSON WHO ASSEMBLED YOUR TRAILER!!!!!!!!!!!!>:(
Buy a better quality trailer than what I did. Most trailers are now built to a price not to a standard. Most bolts used are zinc plated high tensile and though they are supposed to be strong don’t last in the salt.

Try to get the trailer before they put the boat on it and put aside a day to prep it by:
Redo the bearings (one of my castle nuts had no split in it!!!!!!!!!!!)>:(
Undo all the bolts and put some grease on them including the wheel nuts.
Regrease all the rollers
Paint every bolt with kill rust silver then Tectal 506 the whole trailer.
Treat the springs with sump oil.I did all this to mine with the help of my father last weekend and she now looks a treat but I wish I had done it 2 years ago.
Hope this helps.
Scott

[peterbo3]

If I had my time over again this is what I would do.
DON’T TRUST THE PERSON WHO ASSEMBLED YOUR TRAILER!!!!!!!!!!!!>:(
Buy a better quality trailer than what I did. Most trailers are now built to a price not to a standard. Most bolts used are zinc plated high tensile and though they are supposed to be strong don’t last in the salt.
Try to get the trailer before they put the boat on it and put aside a day to prep it by:
Redo the bearings (one of my castle nuts had no split in it!!!!!!!!!!!)>:(
Undo all the bolts and put some grease on them including the wheel nuts.
Regrease all the rollers
Paint every bolt with kill rust silver then Tectal 506 the whole trailer.
Treat the springs with sump oil.I did all this to mine with the help of my father last weekend and she now looks a treat but I wish I had done it 2 years ago.
Hope this helps.
Scott

I think Scott has covered it pretty well although I would check that the trailer frame is actually square to the axle. Another thing to would be to replace the winch wire with Blue Dyeema (available from Glascraft, etc) rope. No rusty cable or bits of wire in the fingers. The lights WILL stop working after a while but you may as well get some use out of them before you replace them.;D;D;D

[SgBFish]

Good point Peter go the Spectra Rope on the winch before you pick it up.
Its awesome stuff.

[death_ship]

check you got enough ball weight for towing as well otherwise she will tow like a pig

[Dantren]

Check the ATM & GTM rating on the trailer specification plate.
Then deduct the weight of the load - hull,motor,fuel,gear etc.
If you think its too close(<200kg), take it over a weigh bridge($12.00) to check.

As for the setup, run a tape measure over the trailer to make sure all the fittings are square to the chassis.

As said above, treat the trailer prior to the first water test, without the hull on it.

Happy days.....

Dan.

[CB77]

Just give it a bloody good spray with Inox! it doesnt dry out or wash off easily.

Its the best stuff I have used.

I give mine a good hit about every 3-4 months and trailer is rust free.

[Steve B]

Make sure the dealer has set the trailer up right in the first place. I reckon they just dump the boat on the trailer and expect YOU to sort it out yourself.

When I picked up my Frenzy 500 they had all the weight of the boat resting on the skids!! . The keel was about 2 inches above all the centre rollers!!...I thought fair enough, could have made a mistake...the dealer reckoned thats the way they should sit on the trailer!!!!WRONG... They also had the whole boat too far forward so it wasnt balanced properly. It was a big mess. i got tem to fix it before leaving the yard. Love the boat, you will too. If you need any info PM me, incase your buying from the same mob, I will never go back, for that and several other reasons.

cheers steve

[notsa]

All the above advice is good as long as the trailer is still attached to your car when you come back in, not like mine on Wedensday at Southport.

[Mindi]

If I had my time over again this is what I would do.
DON’T TRUST THE PERSON WHO ASSEMBLED YOUR TRAILER!!!!!!!!!!!!>:(
Buy a better quality trailer than what I did. Most trailers are now built to a price not to a standard. Most bolts used are zinc plated high tensile and though they are supposed to be strong don’t last in the salt.
Try to get the trailer before they put the boat on it and put aside a day to prep it by:
Redo the bearings (one of my castle nuts had no split in it!!!!!!!!!!!)>:(
Undo all the bolts and put some grease on them including the wheel nuts.
Regrease all the rollers
Paint every bolt with kill rust silver then Tectal 506 the whole trailer.
Treat the springs with sump oil.I did all this to mine with the help of my father last weekend and she now looks a treat but I wish I had done it 2 years ago.
Hope this helps.
Scott

Totally agree all this Scott..even go so far as to launch the boat first time with as little immersion as possible before coating the trailer in the carpark with tectyl or fisholene. I am finding it harder to identify a reliable trailer than boat/motor...I suspect most use imported tyre/wheel/hub/bearing assemblies from Thailand or China...that may be just fine, but the quality is unknown to us. When I asked a guy at Special trailers what bearings they use he said Chinese...an Oceanic guy said "whatever..!"...I dont know what that means.
Japanese NSK or Toyo bearings are going into mine on day 1 with the 2 coats of fisholene.

[jack20000]

Denzo Tape.

[Scalem]

I started a thread which was as a result of what I didn't do when my trailer was new - Problems with bolts and what tesile rating you should use. Those that responded to my thread gave me invaluable info, I think you will benefit too.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=136956

Scalem