Boat Trailer Repair Project

On the weekend, the wife and I made the payment on our new to us 14' Lund Deep and Wide fishing boat, and since then have started getting everything else into place.

I just ordered a new Curt Class III Hitch and a T-Connector wiring harness (no splicing) Have a buddy that has a lift in his garage and is going to install for me.

The last piece was a trailer, my brother inherited a 14' from my folks after their last boat upgrade, and got a trailer with it, and since that time (6 or 7 years) it has not moved from his back yard, called him up and asked if he'd be interested in getting rid of the trailer and he said sure. He painted it, re-did the rollers, crank, and strap and had about 100 bucks into it. I offered him a 100 but he said just take it and use it.

The downside, he lives in Cornwall, but as luck would have it, my dad, also in Cornwall, is coming up to Timmins on the 20th and is going to tow it here for me. He went and picked it up today and said the tires are cooked and rims in bad shape.

He went to a few tire shops and found a good set of used tires, already on rims, and managed to get the pair for $50 and put them on for me.

It doesn't have a tongue jack, but that's no big deal, $50 at Canadian Tire, and the lights look to be in rough shape, but that's a quick CTC fix as well.

Now onto the trailer bunks, my dad said they are in really rough shape, and not attached (brother had planned to re-do those as well, but never got to it)

I am thinking a couple chunks of pressure treated 2x6 ought to do it? some heat/water proof adhesive and indoors/outdoor carpet, stapled on the bottom side?

Any other ideas/suggestions.

are they typically standard length, or does it vary on boat? As well, what do you use for a guide for the height of them?

Thanks.

Did anyone mention service to the wheel bearings for a safe trip to Timmins?

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Originally Posted by impact

Did anyone mention service to the wheel bearings for a safe trip to Timmins?

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Dad took care of that today to :) must of been a slow day at the home office lol.

2x6 for the bunks might be overkill? I've got 2x4 on mine. The length will depend on the boat. My trailer has 4 rollers equidistant along the length on the boat, but the back 2 aren't holding the boat up when it's in position, the bunks are.
You might consider a mount of sorts for the spare tire. When I built my trailer, I just used a long threaded rod, 1/2 inch I think? Drilled a hole centre on the tongue and bolted that solid. I then made a cross bracket that fit across the hub space hole and bolted that down. The tire is laying horizontal and it doesn't budge. Just make sure you have a wrench the right size for that nut if you have a flat. And don't ask me why I know that!

That's good thinking Bushmoose, the tongue is plenty long enough to compensate that idea.

I can just imagine how you know :) hopefully you weren't to far from home / shop to get a wrench and back to the trailer.

I was originally thinking 2x4 but wasn't sure if it was wide enough.

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Originally Posted by TurkeyRookie

I was originally thinking 2x4 but wasn't sure if it was wide enough.

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Carpeted 2X4 on mine as well. Just make sure you use pressure treated but you already knew that, right!

I've got 2x6 on mine because that's what I had handy, plus they are strong and wide enough to walk on when recovering from a tricky spot.....

If it doesnt have them already make sure you buy bearing buddies. Makes greasing the axles easy so you can do it often. As for lights get the LED ones. Much brighter.

Actually, greasing the bearings often is a bad idea. A good set of bearings, with good seals wont need any grease at all. I think bearing buddies have wrecked more seals, then allow water in the bearings, leading to failure.

ym;804227]If it doesnt have them already make sure you buy bearing buddies. Makes greasing the axles easy so you can do it often. As for lights get the LED ones. Much brighter.[/QUOTE]

Heard mixed results on the LED trailer lights; lots of guys seem to report that low voltage (poor connections/grounds) cause lights to die. Replacing them annually.

I redid the lights on my boat trailer this year. New wiring, ground to each brake/turn light... soldered all joints and sealed with hot glue + heat shrink. Dab of hot glue, let it set up a bit, slide heat shrink over the joint, then use a heat gun... heat one end, let it shrink and harden up, then heat along the length... glue will remelt in the joint and squish out the end of the heat shrink as it contracts down the length. Same as the double-layer heat shrink, but a heck of a lot cheaper. The small craft-type hot glue guns are best, as the glue is a lower temp melt point. Larger glue guns run hotter and low-melt glue will run everywhere.