353 Aluminum Trailer
08-27-2010, 09:26 AM
#11
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in my efforts to find a trailer i have discovered the following...
first decide if your going aluminum (more expensive) or steel (painted or galvanized)
if you are going to keep and refinish the eagle, is it a boxed steel frame? if so you may be disappointed in the long run as you cannot properly flush out the internal beam on box design. should the trailer hit salt water in the future corrosion is imminent.
should you choose aluminum there are a few manufacturers to choose from. obv myco but if you want to save a few dollars check out: rocket, float on, fast-load, south florida, and nextrail.
for a boat this size i would stay away from the run of the mill stuff (load rite and venture)...
if you want to go steel i have heard good things about manning but again may be on the pricey side.
most places will setup the trailer to fit your stepped hull. i ended up buying a used trailer and cutting the bunks myself. a painful process even with the use of a lift.
good luck
first decide if your going aluminum (more expensive) or steel (painted or galvanized)
if you are going to keep and refinish the eagle, is it a boxed steel frame? if so you may be disappointed in the long run as you cannot properly flush out the internal beam on box design. should the trailer hit salt water in the future corrosion is imminent.
should you choose aluminum there are a few manufacturers to choose from. obv myco but if you want to save a few dollars check out: rocket, float on, fast-load, south florida, and nextrail.
for a boat this size i would stay away from the run of the mill stuff (load rite and venture)...
if you want to go steel i have heard good things about manning but again may be on the pricey side.
most places will setup the trailer to fit your stepped hull. i ended up buying a used trailer and cutting the bunks myself. a painful process even with the use of a lift.
good luck
08-31-2010, 10:16 AM
#12
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elec over hyd
Rippem, (or anyone else that uses them) how do you like the electric over hydraulic brakes? Any issues? Did you use the 1000psi pump for the triple axle discs?
Thanks!
Thanks!
09-05-2010, 07:48 AM
#13
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Don't even consider a steel trailer unless you are going to have the boat lifted off each time you use it.
I had a steel trailer, used approximately 800 pounds of sand, sandblasted it top and bottom. Primed it with a good quality primer, painted it after sanding it again, and in two years of salt water use,it was rusting again. Went to an aluminum trailer a huge difference.
The issues with the aluminum trailer are wheel bearings and brakes. Depending on how often you dunk it, will define your bearing and brake life. Probably every two years in salt or maybe every three years in fresh water. But you will have to play with the brakes and bearings.
I run a Boatmaster Aluminum Trailer I'm not sure they are stil in business. It is a descent trailer .
Post what you decide to do!
I had a steel trailer, used approximately 800 pounds of sand, sandblasted it top and bottom. Primed it with a good quality primer, painted it after sanding it again, and in two years of salt water use,it was rusting again. Went to an aluminum trailer a huge difference.
The issues with the aluminum trailer are wheel bearings and brakes. Depending on how often you dunk it, will define your bearing and brake life. Probably every two years in salt or maybe every three years in fresh water. But you will have to play with the brakes and bearings.
I run a Boatmaster Aluminum Trailer I'm not sure they are stil in business. It is a descent trailer .
Post what you decide to do!
09-07-2010, 05:25 AM
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Bringing it to a car wash will extend the life, however when you are trailering you dunk the trailer in to get the boat off and it sits all day baking in the sun, then you dunk it in again at the end of the day. Now seriously you have been out all day having a blast in the boat, you may have had one or two coctails, now off the the carwash NOT. Many people only wash the boat when they get home and give the trailer a light rince. That seems to be the way it is. On some of the newer trailers I think they actaully have a flush connection that forces water in the brake areas. Drum brakes are much more sensative to salt water and die sooner than discs. Many people opt to say the hell with the brakes because they are sick of playing with them so they just rip them off and replace wheel bearing from time to time. And otheres make it a policy to tear them down every second year and replade pads, and all wheel bearings. Salt water is pretty aggressive!
09-07-2010, 09:42 PM
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Bringing it to a car wash will extend the life, however when you are trailering you dunk the trailer in to get the boat off and it sits all day baking in the sun, then you dunk it in again at the end of the day. Now seriously you have been out all day having a blast in the boat, you may have had one or two coctails, now off the the carwash NOT. Many people only wash the boat when they get home and give the trailer a light rince. That seems to be the way it is. On some of the newer trailers I think they actaully have a flush connection that forces water in the brake areas. Drum brakes are much more sensative to salt water and die sooner than discs. Many people opt to say the hell with the brakes because they are sick of playing with them so they just rip them off and replace wheel bearing from time to time. And otheres make it a policy to tear them down every second year and replade pads, and all wheel bearings. Salt water is pretty aggressive!
Just proves there are no dumb questions.
