Trailer Repairs

[Scalem]

Happy New Year to All.

As much as I have always tried to keep up with the maintenance of my rig, a 4.3mtr glass runabout, I think it has come time to pension the old trailer off instead of trying to repair it. The last metre of frame which is the part that always gets a dunking into the salt water is finally starting to rust through. I would replace it, except the trailer is really vintage, even the winch handle is the old style I am having trouble finding replacements for. Replace the winch, rollers which are also in need, and it is becoming uneconomic. Estimated age would be at least 30 yrs, but the layer springs and axle were replaced about 3 years ago, but starting to rust fairly badly too.

I have seen two new trailers, one @ $1500.00 and another @ $990.00 with all rollers, wheels, winch straps etc. That's a hell of a price difference, and they are both galvanised etc. I wonder who knows brands better than me?? What would you do?

When I finally decide on a new trailer, how do you prevent the axle and springs from rusting up.. I've heard the diesel oil/fish oil treatments which I have tried, but which are the best?
Would be interesting to see some advice/comments.

Scalem

[finga64]

Gidday Brian,
Give me a call. Ask Andrew (you know, the bloke who catches all the fish ;D)if you forgot my number. We maybe able to fix the old one for you for a beer or several.
Scott

[onerabbit]

hi scalem, i had exactely your problem early this year, ( last year, 05), the tinka trailer that carries my seafarer vermont was about to give up the ghost, at first i was told that $1500 would buy me a new trailer, untortunately new law changes dictated that my boat (5.25) was now 30cm too long to be carried on a trailer with no brakes( you would not have that problem ), which raised the cost to $3500! i decided in the end to cut about 5ft off the back, new axle, hubs, crossframe, springs & make teflon coated skids instead of buying new floppy rollers, no more winching, now she drives on right to the winch pole. once the trailer was back togeather i painted it first with endrust primer, then a thick layer of waterproofing paint, then a final spraycoat of endrust enamel, then the layers of fish oil. i still fish oil about every 2mnths. in the end, toal cost was about $1100. admittedly, it was a hassle, but the effort was worth it! even if you buy a new trailer, spend the time to thoroughly killrust, paint & fish oil it BEFORE it ever goes in the water, you may still get rust, but all the prep & regular fish oiling has to help. hope this helps, muzz

[Scalem]

Gidday Brian,
Give me a call. Ask Andrew (you know, the bloke who catches all the fish ;D)if you forgot my number. We maybe able to fix the old one for you for a beer or several.
Scott

Gidday Scott - sounds very tempting, I saw the fruits of yours and Andrew's labour in the Garage. Very nice quality work and now he has loads of storage! :o Another side effect of the last repair job that I didn't tell you is that the trailer is also slightly off centre for some reason. The trailer tracks about 2 or 3 inches to the right - not directly behind the Pajero, which kinda annoys me when driving... That's a measurement we got wrong somehow, or it could simply be the ol' trailer twisted slightly when we replaced the back bar, where the first roller the boat comes into contact with, when coming back on...

That's a quality that you and Andrew share - very generous of your time and I really appreciate the offer - I am tossing the idea around, but I think I like the idea of a no hassel swap over to a new one. I should have done a little more of a final check on the trailer ages ago, because we booked a week up at Hervey Bay from the 7th Jan. I am in a little of a panic after I sunk the hammer into it, and she caved in. I did not realize just how bad the cancer had spread. So now I have run out of time, and peace of mind knowing the boat will arrive at Hervey Bay, intact without incident, on a newie appeals to me... Can we keep the idea of a beer or 3 regardless?

Muzz - the work you did on your trailer sounds like it was all done properly. Did you do it all yourself? Do you have a welder and somewhere you can work on it? All worth while in the end no doubt, I will follow your recommendations with respect treating it with endrust enamel etc.

Thanks
Brian

[Scalem]

Just another thought Scott?

I wonder if the old trailer will make the trip to Hervey Bay and back without risk. Would be good if you had a look, but again, running out of time. If it could, then your offer would be able to work as we would be able to T something up....

Talk to you soon.
Brian

[onerabbit]

was fortunate to have a mate with a shed & welder, but all the prep was my problem, muzz.

[ahjayem]

Scalem

Have you considered borrowing or hiring a suitable trailer for your trip to Hervey Bay which would allow you to do a good job on your old trailer when you return.

Someone told me that the trailers made from welded RHS (box section) rust from inside out. I don’t know if it true or not.

In the late 70s I bought a new outfit – a 5.2metre Haines on a Brooker tilt trailer. The trailer was galvanized with the tilting section being made of what is known as “C” purlin. Because of the open nature of the C section, the salt water which came in contact with the trailer frame, easily drained from the trailer each time the trailer was towed up the ramp.

Further precautions I took were coating the entire trailer frame in fishoilene about every six months, and placing one of those little round metal garden sprinklers under the trailer and hull after I had washed it down every time I used the boat. The trailer was already tilted up at the front to allow the inside of the hull to drain, so naturally, all the water sprayed on by the sprinkler drained off / ran out of the trailer frame. The sprinkler was turned on for about 15 minutes.

The (single) axle/spring assembly was fitted to a heavier piece of galvanized angle iron which had two bolts (per side) attaching the assembly to the C section of the frame. A series of holes had been predrilled in the C section to enable the trailer and its load to be properly balanced for the size/mass of the boat, and ease of towing.

The frame of the trailer had obviously been dipped after welding and drilling had occurred as there was no evidence of ‘cold galv” being sprayed on the trailer.

When I sold the rig eight years later, the only two rusty items were the axle, and the pin which held the actual trailer frame and the tow bar together. The only problem which I had with the trailer was with the support rail cleats which had some piddling little bolts and washers that I had to replace with heavier ones very early in the piece. They held the cleats to the trailer frame.

Your trailer tracking two or three inches to the right has me puzzled unless the trailer is somehow out of square, or harder to believe, your tow ball is off centre.

Tight lines

RJM

[billfisher]

The problem with fish oil is that is oxidises and breaks down very quickly. There is a petroleum based protective coating called Tectyl which lasts a long time after application.