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Trailer Questions
I am thinking about having a trailer made for my boat this winter. I am not sure about a few things. I am planning on probably building a steel trailer. Boat is a 34 Saber.
what kind of Brakes do I want? how many axles need them on a triple axle trailer? drive guard or no? are they a pain in the arse? any advantage to led lights other than looks? any reason why so many trailers are white? I think I would prefer the main accent color of the boat. Thanks for any input |
Re: Trailer Questions
I would go aluminum. never rust.. and l.e.d.s are the bomb,, I have been through dozens of lights over the last 15 years, now have leds on all my trailers and NO MORE PROBLEMS, uless you hit them on something.
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Re: Trailer Questions
Aluminum trailers will NOT break in half due to rust (this is a good thing).
Aluminum trailers do flex more than steel ones (good or bad? it can be argued either way). Brakes: I personally like one axle to have no brakes. Keeps the trailer straight when stopping in low traction situations. LED's won't rust, last virtually forever, and are zero maintenance even in salt. Drive guards are a matter of preference. They make the bare trailer longer (harder to store it). But they are nice to stand on and protect the drives. I prefer a vee to sit very low on the trailer, which means a drive guard will be in the way of loading and unloading the boat. |
Re: Trailer Questions
weather to go with an aluminum trailer or a steel trailer kinda depends on how much you value astetics as compared to function, I personaly think that painted stell trailers look alot sharper but aluminum will not corrode. Another option is to have a stell trailer powdercoated instead of painted. there are companys out ther that do this for a 34' boat trailer it would probably cost about $3000 wich isnt that bad when you think about it. Of course the powdercoating is ussless to fight corrosion if you bash it up. LED's are the only way to go, they dont burn out they dont care how many times you put them in saltwater and they dont get hot(wich is why filament bulbs shatter when you submerge them)I personnaly dont care for drive guards they are a pain in the ass and anything that happens to the drives while on the trailer will be covered by insurance(although you still have to deal with the headache and the lost time on the water). anyway that was my more than 2 cents worth I hope it is usefull.
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Re: Trailer Questions
I just built a Manning steel trailer (yes, white) for a 40' Hustler. I went with electric over hydraulic brakes on all 3 axels. Added in drive guards, torsion axels, and a tool box.
There are trade-offs with steel versus aluminum. We boat in fresh water, so salt is less of an issue. Other that a few hick-ups with 2 pinched wires, all is good. |
Re: Trailer Questions
Yeah, what everybody else said. Two definites: Disc brakes over drum. LEDs.
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Re: Trailer Questions
Bill, have Manning build you a trailer, they are just up the road in Comstock Park. I'd go with steel, flexes less on our bumpy roads here in Michigan. And you can paint them to match... can't really do that with an aluminum trailer.
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Re: Trailer Questions
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I just took delivery of a new Myco aluminum trailer for my Top Gun. I prefer the brushed aluminum look and like the idea of not having a rusty steel trailer in a few years.
I don`t see any reason why you could`nt paint an aluminum trailer if you wanted to. With the new primers on the market today, it really isn`t any more work than painting a steel one. |
Re: Trailer Questions
A trailer??????? You don't need no stinking trailer!!! Just throw that hog in the back of your pick-up Bill, put a few bunji cords around it and you're good to go! Dang, what's the matter with you anyway???
Hey, hit me on the 2-way when you get a chance. |
Re: Trailer Questions
You can go steel and then have it galvanized... that will make it last for years... One of the reasons for white paint... First... it's cheaper than some colors... Second...you can see any rust spots easily on the white paint.. also any rusted areas will "bleed" onto the white paint and show... If you properly maintain the steel trailer... even in salt water it will last for years... usually what really takes the "hit" when you launch in salt water is the suspension and wheel bearings. It doesn't matter if the frame is aluminum... you will still be plagued with those issues.
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Re: Trailer Questions
Another thought, be sure to go with "one piece" springs. That prevents water from getting between the "leafs" of a leaf spring and causing corrosion.
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Re: Trailer Questions
Forget leaf springs. Torsions are the way to go. And they sit lower.
If you galvanize the trailer, you must leave large (at least 1") openings in all enclosed tubing to get the "galva mix" inside the tubes, otherwise it can disintegrate from the inside out. I have no issues with drum brakes, as long as they have adequate flushout plumbing. |
Re: Trailer Questions
I personally would do a drive guard because I tow alot at night and the lights are up underneith the trailer and you can't see the drives at night. LED lights are the only way to go, I just converted my MYCO (10 years old) to LEDs. One trick that you can do is on the rear of the trailer were you have the three "clearance" lights, is to put a brake/turn/running light there and wire it to the CHMSL (center high mounted stop light) circuit of you truck (most late model trucks have this), this way you have plenty of brake lights for people to see. I know I wouldn't want to be behind me at night, I have 7 LED brake lights, 2 oval for brake/turn/running on each side and three 4" round in the middle. I'm still not sure on the torsion axles yet, if you have a flat, you have to pull the trailer up on a curb to get the tire off the ground or jack up the whole side of the trailer versus just jacking up the one axle. I do like the fact that you don't have the rusty, squeaky leaf springs with a torsion axle trailer. Steel or aluminum is your choice, mine is steel and whenever I go to Fl., I travel lift the boat off the trailer. The electric over hydraulic brakes is what everyone seems t be going with, I use vaccum over hydraulic and they are great. I would definitely go that route over surge brakes because you have more control of your trailer braking. Drums or disc? Mine are drum and work very well, but I would like to compare to disc, they are much simpler to service and should give better braking. Just my $0.02 worth for whatever it's worth.
Robert |
Re: Trailer Questions
Bill have Rolland whip one together for you ,steel with disk brakes electric over hyd. would be my choice...in fact I talked to Rolland about upgrading mine a couple weeks ago.
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Re: Trailer Questions
How much and who built your trailer. I'm looking for a trailer to hold a 42...
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Re: Trailer Questions
I couldn't imagine any plus of a steel trailer over alum, except keeping the trailer companies in business,, An aluminum trailer with stainless hardware, could literally last forever,,, a steel trailer, unless galvanized has a very limited life.. Torsion axles make towing my 29 footer with a 1/2 ton more manageable than my 23 footer with leafs, night and day difference.
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