Ribbed or smooth wobble rollers - whats the diff?

[Twosheds]

Hi All

I am about to replace the wobble rollers on my 2000 model Dunbier trailer which carries my Cruise Craft 550. The trailer still has the original 24 grey coloured ribbed wobble rollers which are now looking a bit shabby and are pretty soft and squishy. They are 4" diameter rollers x 100mm wide.

Looking around ebay I have found a few bricks and mortar stores sell Aussie made 4" diameter poly wobble rollers and are all comparatively priced similarly around 8 bucks each. The ribbed wobble rollers and the smooth wobble rollers are the same price. However the smooth wobble rollers are 85mm wide while the ribbed wobble rollers are all 75mm wide.

What is the difference between the ribbed and smooth wobble rollers? Does one type have an advantage over the other? Are the 100mm wide ribbed wobble rollers still made?

I had a bit of a squiz around the boat ramp at Soldiers Point yesterday and noticed that most trailers from the 'name' manufacturers have ribbed wobble rollers as standard and most of the newer trailers had the 75mm wide rollers. It appears only older decrepit trailers like mine still carry 100mm wide rollers.

I am tending towards the 75mm wide ribbed rollers but only because that is what the newer trailers seem to be fitted with. My mind could be easily swayed to change.

What say you all?

Regards
Twosheds

[tenzing]

Things to consider are centre hole diameter , and material- red poly best on glass, on ally.
I have a feeling the ribbed ones grip the boat and roll on their" axle " instead of letting the glass skid over them.
My new trailer has 75mm.
The red ones dont seem to pickup the black grime and pass it on to white glass.

[ranmar850]

Cue jokes on smooth vs ribbed....

[shaungonemad]

Cue jokes on smooth vs ribbed....


Dimpled...

[Twosheds]

Thanks Tenzing, I hadn't considered the ribs may help in that way.

Anybody else??

[pegasus]

Second Tenzing's comments. Recently replaced all my keel / wobble rollers on a Dunbier trailer . Grey ribbed wobble rollers originally fitted- found they tended to pick up the grime/ mark the fibreglass hull. Replaced with smooth red ( purchased e bay). No probs - well, except in two shafts the split pins had corroded into the shaft- required drilling out.