Gee there are some effheads out there

[ShaneC]

G'day,

I dont like doing reports of fishing trips, but feel this one needs to be shared as a warning to others. Maybe one of the other boys will make a report out of the trip with some phots, but this thread is for a totally different reason.

Some may recall very recently I was after a decky to head to Agnes. Well, eventually I got onto a mate who was keen for a trip, and luckily he had a mate that was keen as well, so off we went to Agnes. Whilst in the car I had a change of heart (was sick of driving after very limited sleep for a couple of days) so I changed the plans and we fished the Breaksea instead. Usually when I fish the Breaksea I go from Urangan, but since I had ordered and paid for ice from Bundy, we decided to go from Burnett Heads.

We went out to the Breaksea, and whilst the fishing was slow, we managed to get onto the fish for a few hours here and there and put together a respectable box, with a couple of memorable fish for the boys and we all went home happy. Weather was great (but bloody hot), beers were cold and the company was grand.

We got back to the ramp at Burnett, and as the tide was low, the F Truck needed a bit of help from the boat to get up the slippery ramp but she got up eventually and we hit the road home.

Due to necessity, my mate took his car up so he could do a flying trip home if he needed to. He was driving behind me, and about 30 km out of Bundy he overtook me, beeping his horn telling me to pull up. I pulled up on the shoulder, as it looked like I had done a bearing, which annoyed me as I just redid the whole trailer with new ones. Upon closer inspection, it seemed the wheel nuts had come loose on the wheel, wrecking the wheel and damaging the hub. I found this a bit odd as all the nuts had been done up with a rattle gun, but we cracked on, did a bit of fixing and got the spare on so that it could get us home. I thought it was a bit suss, so I checked the wheel nuts on the other wheels and to my utter rage and disgust, all six wheels on a triaxle trailer had three wheel nuts that had been loosened to finger tight!!! Two nuts were holding each wheel on......these were done up with a rattler only a couple of weeks ago, no way they came loose.

I wont go into the damage caused, because if the prick that did it is reading this I dont want them to get the satisfaction of finding out the damage they did, but I did have enough spares to make things good enough to get back to Brissy safely, but it will cost some time and money tomorrow to sort the trailer out so that everything works properly again.

So be careful if you leave your boat at Burnett Heads, obviously proper shitheads live there. I have seen all sorts of shenanigans at boat ramps, but to sabotage a trailer so that potentially the wheels fall off a loaded boat going roughly 4.5 tonne at 90 kays on the highway, that is bang out of order!!!!

They say that you should not write things and send them when you are angry but I am still raging and it was a good several hours ago. If you are from Bundy, and see someone skulking around the car park near boat trailers that are not theirs.... bash them!!! This could have ended soooo badly, thank Christ it didn't.

The police will be informed in the morning officially, hopefully there are cameras there and fingers crossed I can find out who did it before they take action.

Be careful out there, some effheads just dont get it.

Shane

[soulfish]

Understand your rage mate,who wouldnt be pissed about that.Hopefully there were cameras there and the police will look into it.
4.5tons of 2700 noosacat out of control at 90klm's an hour .........shit id hate to think

[Boat Hog]

Shane, that's a totally rotten scumbag act by a neanderthul fragwit. Shame you didn't catch them and show them the other use for a wheel brace.

Good luck with the trailer repairs.

[TREVELLY]

Thanks for posting it so we can keep an eye on our trailers.

I for one will add a small bit of paint to the spot where nut meets wheel so I can see in an instant if wheel nut has been tampered with.

[Sheik]

Incredible. it's bad enough that people can be ignorant as they frequently are on the roads, but to deliberately sabotage a boat like that makes me wonder about gunlaws. Really, it's just not on to do that. What sort of sick bastard would take the time and effort to do that? Sorry Shane, I understand your anger. Hope you get over it soon. Bloody sure I wouldn't.

[lethal]

Disappointing way to end what sounded like a good trip, all is well that ends well, i would be thankful that only minimal damage was done and as you know could have been a hell of a lot worse.

[marto78]

You are probably lucky you got back when you did otherwise you may have found your trailer with no wheels.

[rainbowrascal]

Lucky you had your mate driving behind who stopped you, as things could of been much worse, written off boat and vehicle or somebody killed. There are some ferals out there who could do with a few clips on their ears. Glad you made it with minimal damage, but it is a worry when you cant go fishing for some fun and pleasure, and on your return you have to do a complete check of everything before departure. Hope all gets sorted and thanks for the post, its a warning to all of us.

[brisbane_boy]

More likely you just forgot to tighten the nuts up or they worked loose, bad luck sure. See the same sort of thing on bar crossings that go sour, its always a rogue wave one of those 2 headed monsters.

[fishfeeder]

That's Fu$ked and so unsafe, Hope someone catches the bastard and removes his NUTS.
I would be reporting it to the cops ASAP before the idiot kills someone.

Not having a go at you but you mentioned a rattle gun was used to tighten the nuts...
You should always check the nuts with a wheel brace.

Cheers
Brett

[four_button_arnie]

Glad to here this stupidity didnt result in disaster, there are so many a$$holes out there

[outwide1]

It could be 1 of 3 things,you have pissed some one off and there paying back(which is not good as far as im concerned and could of killed people),the nuts were not done up right or shit bag kids at night?
Either way Shane its not good and i will be checking mine after long stays in the car park.
Glad everyones ok.
Mick

[Triple]

Do you use lube or grease on them? Have you checked the torque pressure of the rattle gun?
These help for a quick visual check -
76790
And these stop them from working loose -
76791
Won't stop eff heads but you might want to think about using a anti-theft wheel nut so at least they can't loosen them all or steal your wheels -
76792
http://http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSQQpiy-XKOqug2vZNnUEZQFwaelGsfh9FPf9uBjzv2x3ODj4bGJw

[gruntahunta]

You should tightnen with brace, then after 10km, stop and retighten,....they do come loose as the weight of the boat & trailer settle....had to do this my my concrete trucks every time a wheel was changed...they would always tighten up more after driving.

[BigAl1071]

Shane,

It's all been said about how low this is.

I have had a mate had the same thing happen at 1770 a few years back , also had the hitch lock lifted as well. So we both do a thorough check over the whole trailer before we reload.

As much as we would like it never to happen it probably will from time to time - arseholes are arseholes- 2 minutes spent checking before you leave could save a lot of heartache and maybe a life.

I always carry a wheel spanner with me- with more than one use in mind.

[cormorant]

Nail polish works a treat for marking but don't tell the wife- as if she will ever miss the purple one again. Famous last words
I never trust rattle guns full stop. Learnt lesson as a young bloke. Alway nip mine up with the same bar so i know I can get em undone. Have checked the bar with a tension wrench so I have a approx feel for what they should be. After a few km on the road after a wheel has been off I check em and mark with nailpolish. Have had a few needing a nip up which doesn't really make sense. Ya probably know all this if you have owned big rigs or trucks.

Wheelnuts on backwards will do it as well or nuts meant for steel wheels not alloys if car alloys have been used on a boat trailer. Triaxle wheels, bearings , studs and tryes cop a absolute hammering with side stess on tight turns at low speeds.

I really hope it is a stuffed rattegun or such as it is scary as hell to think someone is play silly buggers as the results are deadly. Attempted manslaugher would be a suitable charge if they were caught and you'd like a few minutes alone with em as well to explain the real use of a wheel brace..


You are a very lucky bloke as I have run a triaxle as well and they run so smooth and well you can find it really hard to pick up tyre and wheel problems till well after a alloy is flogged or chewed out on studs or tyre shredded.

Hope you find out what exactly went on.

[coucho]

I really hope it is a stuffed rattegun or such as it is scary as hell to think someone is play silly buggers as the results are deadly. Attempted manslaugher would be a suitable charge if they were caught and you'd like a few minutes alone with em as well to explain the real use of a wheel brace..
.
I don't think there is such a charge as attempted manslaughter but I absolutely agree with everything else you said.
wheel nuts should be checked after a few km's to get the wheels settled you would be surprised how often they can be lose. All it takes is the wheels not sitting on the studs right or dirt/stone in the wrong spot and they can be lose. Not saying this is the case but I would hate to think the mentality of someone who would deliberately losen wheel nuts at a boat ramp.

[marvin]

With Burnett Heads ramp as my main location to fish from, I have heard several stories of multi roller trailers having the rollers stolen, spare wheels cut off the draw bars, a set of LED lights unscrewed and cut off with about a foot from the lights, tyres let down to the rims, new trailers stolen that did not have a trailer lock on them, smashed windows and cars ransacked, its bloody terrible. I do not believe there are any cameras at the boat trailer park, but may be wrong. Well done on fishing the spit, I was on the look out for you at Agnes, Glad your mate followed you, to identify the issue earlier than otherwise would have all gone bad. Have heard similar stories from 1770 ramp adn hervey bay ramp too, so what can we do? a mate installed motion activated spy cameras that stick on the back windscreen looking out at the trailer, and one facing the other way looking out the front of the vehicle from the back window, since putting them in, none has targeted his gear, but its only a matter of time I guess, then he will have the vision to hopefully identify the lowies.... Ill have a beer for you guys, to help ease your anger and pain, thanks for posting the result of your trip, I do the fishing report write up every second week in the local Bundy paper and would be happy to remind boaties about the importance of checking all over the car and trailer after being out, if you feel it appropriate Shane I could generalise your situation as an example??? Let me know your thoughts on that please... thanks again cheers Kev. 0408 848 564

[ShaneC]

More likely you just forgot to tighten the nuts up or they worked loose, bad luck sure. See the same sort of thing on bar crossings that go sour, its always a rogue wave one of those 2 headed monsters.

Wind it in mate!! Ill put this one to ya buddy. If they had worked loose surely at least one wheel out of the six would have created a drama between Brisbane and Bundy would it not?? Three nuts on each wheel that were finger tight, and within short distance of Bundy it goes bad. I do have half an idea what I am doing, all the nuts were checked with a wheel brace as stated earlier (I should have clarified this at the start), the police are very interested, sent their forensic guys around my house this arvo but they are doubtful they got anything of use, apparently its not the first time it has happened.

Ill give you a ring Kev.

Cheers

[softplasticsdude79]

thats no good to hear,unfortunately,its part of my boat retrieval also,to check wheels,and make sure coupling hasnt been lifted and just left sitting on top,This was happening at beachmere ramp around 3-4 years ago for around 6 months,some local kids were finally caught,and i from what i heard one of them made it to hospital with a broken cheekbone and severe bruising.

attemtped manslaughter in my book also.

[Jerk n Wined]

Hey ShaneC

Every time you get new tyres from a tyre shop they always say check your wheel nuts after 1 week because they may come loose.
It only takes 1 to come loose before they all start coming loose, this has happenen to me on the 4wd and also a mates after changing wheels over. I also think it may have been this case especially when you only just did repairs a few weeks ago. It will be something to look out for at the ramp as you have brought it up but alot of effort for someone to do especially kids, if so- jail time.

[ShaneC]

Mate I could accept this to be the case if it was on one wheel, maybe two.... All six had been tampered with mate.

I do at least one trip to Agnes a month in between plaenty of kays going to Mooloolaba etc and i regularly maintain and service my bearings as the boat is too big to get off the road should something let go in a skinny part of the highway. I have done them dozens of times and this has NEVER ever happened before.

The nuts coming loose, as I said may be an acceptable explanation on one wheel, but I am not having it that all of them would come loose.

And this was not the first trip since doing the bearings..... they did not work loose through incorrect maintenance, no way, no chance, no hope

[mull dog]

Just to put everyones mind at rest... you sure you tightened your wheel nuts? ;) Keen to see some fish picks shane.

[Giffo65]

Shane

Not a good outcome after a fishing trip,I, like Marvin use this ramp all the time and am very careful,there are scumbags every where.A mate went out from Rainbow with his 6M Haines,and on way back to Bribie lost a wheel off his dual axle trailer,turns out some mongrel has pinched three wheel studs from the wheel hub, not just the nuts, and caused all sorts of problems.The motion cameras seem a good idea.

[Jerk n Wined]

hmm you have six wheels!!! holy gee wizz
ok if all six of them where loose at the same time, your trailer has defiantly been tampered. Thanks for leeting us all know.

[brisbane_boy]

Wind it in mate!! Ill put this one to ya buddy. If they had worked loose surely at least one wheel out of the six would have created a drama between Brisbane and Bundy would it not?? Three nuts on each wheel that were finger tight, and within short distance of Bundy it goes bad. I do have half an idea what I am doing, all the nuts were checked with a wheel brace as stated earlier (I should have clarified this at the start), the police are very interested, sent their forensic guys around my house this arvo but they are doubtful they got anything of use, apparently its not the first time it has happened.

Ill give you a ring Kev.

Cheers

Not havn a go here, but i thought I read your mate was the only reason you pulled up on the way back, you were cruising along fine.

if your mate followed you all the way to bundy id be more on your side here. forget the fine print but he didnt notice for 30ks the wheels were wobbling?

how were the bearings? if all the damage to them was done within the last 30k, ill probably side with you.

[ShaneC]

Yes, mate followed right behind me to Bundy from Gympie without incident on the way up. He stopped at the Bottle O to grab a couple of cans for his passenger near the ramp on the way home, I kept going and they caught up to me down the road which was where the problem was noticed. Had he not let me know about it I would not have known as the first wheel to come loose was the passenger side rear, and as it came loose it was flogging on the guard and smoking.

I can understand your doubts mate, and I honestly wish I could say that there was a possibility that they came loose, because the alternative is frightening. But in this instance there is no way they could have.

[MudRiverDan]

Its actually a very serious charge.

Its likening to "Causing Damage with intent to endanger life".

If the person gets caught they will up for some very serious time.

On a lighter note good to see you only lost a few wheel nuts.

Cheers

[NAGG]

It's not uncommon either - I had the same happen during a trip to Bermagui destroyed the wheel and studs ( spent a day driving around finding replacements and then fitting them - I knew it was sabotage as the other wheel had the nuts loosened too and clearly showing the marks on the nuts.

Glad to hear that the event didn't end up much worst though .....

Chris

[odes20]

Brisbane Boy you all the tact of a broad axe!

Cant believe you could be so provokative. Sounds to me like you should read a thread and posts very carefully before tapping the keys.

[kind_cir]

I tow a Bobcat daily on a tandem trailer, and a wheel fell off because the rattle gun was stuffed. Had been driving for a few days after doing it up with the gun, and it just loosened over time.
On the other hand I done a trip in the 4b to the tip of Cape York and after some 6000km, comming out of Bamaga I had one rear wheel come loose. That one had defently been played with and is apparently common place up that way.

I would be blaming the Effing ruttle gun.... and always check with a wheel brace in future. I now do.

[Muddy Toes]

Brisbane Boy you all the tact of a broad axe!

Cant believe you could be so provokative. Sounds to me like you should read a thread and posts very carefully before tapping the keys.

Not just him......this seems to be going around in circles with the same ideas of what it may have been despite ShaneC saying a number of times the rattle gun is fine, they were nipped up with a wheel brace and it happened on multiple wheels.

[Triple]

Not just him......this seems to be going around in circles with the same ideas of what it may have been despite ShaneC saying a number of times the rattle gun is fine, they were nipped up with a wheel brace and it happened on multiple wheels.
Because most people are reading the first post only and nothing is said in it about checking with a brace (shanec posted that later). And most people are really hoping there is no effheads around that would do such a thing and hoping it was just a simple error from shanec.

[TREVELLY]

This could end up a bit like that post that just keeps going - three hundred and something pages.

By the way - glad nothing disastrous happened.

An ugly thing to do to a trailer - in some ways you were lucky it didn't get worse.

Last time I towed my boat from 1770 home the turnbuckle came undone after the boat had snapped the winch strap and the only thing holding it on was an unrated shackel which distorted badly and cracked. That was a close call.

I now have a boat-catch as well and have straps and other devices for long-haul.

[Gon Fishun]

Reading this thread, I couldn't help but think and visualise feral lowlifes, in a boat trailer park, loosening wheel nuts for the fun of it and not being there when the wheel comes off 20ks down the road, to see the action and whole families possibly wiped out. There are a lot of brain dead people out there but it don't make much sense.
Could it Pro fishers or locals got the s###ts because out of towners taken there fish, ;D
Just a thought.

[kind_cir]

Well why didn't he effin say that he tightened his nuts with a wheel brace in the first place. We shall burn and flame him all the same...

Seriosly these scum must want to hurt someone, but they proberly didn't think of their actions that far ahead.

[wiz]

Have you checked the nuts on your truck?

[Fishbait]

Hey mate, some bad news there and glad to hear that it was noticed before a rollover or something worse. Cheers, Darren.

[ShaneC]

Wiz,

Wheel nuts on truck were fine. Gon Fishun is getting warm I reckon. Trailer is now fixed. Wheel nuts done up tight.... rattle gun still fine. Police still investigating, unfortunately no CCTV there.

For those who can read enough into it to realise what happened, thanks for your concern, I am glad it didn't turn out worse, was a lucky one. For the others, I hope it serves as a warning and whilst I hope it never happens to you, if it does please warn everyone as I have done so I can get on here and publicly insult your intelligence. I do have half a clue of what I am doing, and if there was any doubt in my mind I would certainly not have taken it as far as I have in involving police and publicly warning fellow boaties.

Dont particularly want this to drag on any more, I hope here endeth the post. Have fun and be careful out there.... just dont be seen skulking around my trailer because I will bat you with my mongrel smacker.

Shane Out.

[bulldogs7]

i cant believe the doubters !!!!!!we are in AUST for fffff sake these idiots should be crab bait.
i can understand kids in afghan doing this but not here.

[Jarrah Jack]

There's a thread on a Vic site about similar things happening at a number of ramps. Mainly the coupling lockdown left lifted so the trailer is left on the chains at the ramp or down the road damaging the car when you hit a bump.

Same sort of mind set as those people who throw rocks at cars from overpasses.

[wacoaus]

It doesn't just happen over the coast as I remember reading in the paper out here not long ago that someone left the boat ramp at fairbairn dam for the 20 odd km trip back into town and only made it about half way and had a wheel flogging around on the studs. Thankfully thats the only one i have heard of out hear so may have been a personal attack or improper tightening but its still not a pleasant thought which is why i have a wheel brace just laying in the boot right where my tiedown straps get put when boat is out so i remember to check them when packing up to leave ramp and have a padlock on the lockdown for the hitch as it would be a pain to come back to ramp to see car sitting there with no traiiler to put boat back on. It's sad that the world has come to this but with people learning there aren't too many consequences to their actions these days it will probably only get worse same as with idiots out on water acting like complete fwits with no regard for others.

[Bobpen]

More likely you just forgot to tighten the nuts up or they worked loose, bad luck sure. See the same sort of thing on bar crossings that go sour, its always a rogue wave one of those 2 headed monsters.

If you have never seen a rogue wave you haven't been around much have you?

[skipalong]

come on pull ya head in we all know ya spose to tighten wheel nuts to the right haha call ya tomoz mate

[jarhead]

Speaking of idiotic things happening at ramps we fished 1770 and returned to put the boat back on the trailer, on sunday just gone, to notice some retard had hit the rear driver side of the trailer. Thanks for your anonymous efforts champ, now up for a new tail light, number plate and bit of panel beating to repair the damage.

Wal

[ShaneC]

No worries Justin....

Was going to ring ya today about something anyhoo. Talk to ya then......