Bent Techsun trailer
 

My Techsun trailer seems to be bending in front of the front axle. My 382 weighs 14700 and I have 1,340 on the tounge. Tech sun has told me this is normal and there is no warrenty. The warrenty evaporated because they changed their name. Oh by the way supposedly they are no longer techsun but are now Del Mar Trailers. The phone is still the same, The web site is still TechSun. They just call themselves Del Mar. Any suggestions?

Had the same problem with the trailer I bought under a used 382.......when you take the boat off the trailer it would sit level. I sold it to a member that bought a 353 (lighter boat and he knew why I was selling it) and bought a new trailer.


Probably don't like that suggestion, but that's what I did. Once they bend it's hard to get them to stop unless you lighten the load. (I moved the boat back some trying to reduce tongue weight but that didn't seem to help.)

what size rails on your new trailer? Is it aluminum?

Bought an Aluminum I beam with tons of upgrades.
8-8.5 inch I beams, all Stainless Steel hardware and brakes, Torsion axles with 16 in wheels and 12 in disc brakes, LED lights, 2 spares on spindle mounted hubs. Cost a few bucks, but what would the boat be worth if you had to leave it on the side of the road one night????? :eek:

On the Heat just bought an Aluminum for a 32 Sunsation that I really like.(C channel Aluminum instead of I beam) For the price he told me I wish I had looked into that brand for a comparison. (Can't remember who built his right now though)

This has 8" I beams, they are bending in front of the front axle. I'm wondering if I can add some sort of stiffeners? On a new trailer I should not have to!

On The Heat just bought a trailer from Manning in Michigan. Manning is only bettered by Myco.

Sorry for stupid question, but is this a Formula 382?
Just checked out the website. do you have a welded cradle-style or traditional bunks? It looks like the traditional bunks only have two bunk mounts? If that's the case, at least one more set of mounts on an axle might help distribute a little weight there.
Also, like everyone told me, you have to make sure there's weight on the bow roller. That goes a long way towards distributing weight.
An 8" beam should be pretty stout. It's going to flex a bit.

Bow roller?
 

I just jacked up the bow with a floor jack and a block of wood. It lifted the front of the boat off the first bunk crossmember. The front bunk is a crummy fit anyway. I think it is just there to help guide the boat on. I'm wondering about mounting a bow roller a few feet aft of the eye hook. This would support the bow better than the bow catcher. Any thoughts?? thanks for all the help Dave

And I would do it all over again...very well pleased with it and the Sunsation guys were impressed as well!

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...hlight=manning

Now that I really own this with no help from the factory I think I can sort this out. Thanks..Any thoughts on the bow roller?

I'm no expert, but I think a roller aft of the bow eye is a bad idea. There's a good chance the eye will catch the roller coming and going.
Most seem to think the catcher is the way to go. Did you see this thread: http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...d.php?t=151958
Good luck though. Share what you end up doing.

Great suggestion. I'm going to fabricate a stop like Tanks. I can slide it below the bow eye to add support to the bow and it won't interfere with the eye. Thanks

If the company was sold via an "asset sale" then they may have discharged the prior liabilities of Tech Sun. If it was a "stock sale" then they did assume the liabilities including warranties. Sucks that Del Mar is trying to avoid warranties.

On a seperate note I would look at putting a weight bearing bunks further forwar. most of the Aluminum trailers are bolt together- pretty easy to have them fabricated.

Wannabe

If the trailer is bending, there's a pretty good chance it has inadequacies in other areas, one's that maybe haven't shown up yet. God forbid this doesn't happen but in a worst-case scenario, you may have to explain to a jury about knowing about these things and not either replacing the trailer with an adequate one or seeking a remedy via a professional approach (an engineer, not a local welder). I hate to be the nattering nabob of negativism but this stuff does happen.

I talked to Ron Manning about a trailer for my 311 .. Super nice guy ... An option I asked him about ...

Instead of triple axle going to a tandem setup .... I keep our boat on a lift in a boathouse .... The Trailer is only used 4-5 times a year at most ... And seldom take a trip .. It would be 1/3 less Axle and Tires ....brakes ect ... Manning said it can de done ...Heaver Axles and 16" Tires .. Said he has built Tandems for 36 footers ....
What you guys think ? .....m

Hey Mike, Bruce at All American down here turned me on to the same idea. I was working down that road but in the end, the higher cost of the bigger pieces negated any savings. For me, I also didn't like the idea that everything would sit higher to clear the taller wheels/tires; after looking at some local ramps I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get on/off at low tide.
I did like the idea of 8-bolt hubs/16 inch wheels because I was thinking about using factory GM HD wheels which would match the truck. If I recall, that setup used 6k lb axles x2 = 12k gross; right about perfect.
But here's a thought: my 24' enclosed car trailer has two 5klb torsion axles for a 10k gross. It runs on 6-bolt 15" wheels/tires rated at 2540lbs/each (x4=10k lbs). I wonder if those axle ratings would be available in the marine/galvanized/stainless variety. Keeping the wheels/tires/brakes to that size might save a bunch of $ for a seldom used trailer.
I ended up with the triple 3.5k =10.5k gross package (brakes on two axles) for under $5k; but I got lucky and the trailer showed up with the heavy duty tires same as my car trailer.

When I asked Techsun (now delmar trailers) If they had product liability as Techsun they refused to say. If there was some sort of an accident I would guess the attorneys would go after the principals. The web site is the same..techsun.the phone is the same..techsun, just a different name. They,Techsun now Del mar said it was "normal" I emailed them at least 10 detailed photos.

2 axles vs. 3 axles; an excerpt from another post I put up a few days ago:

I'd go with a triple axle trailer given the choice, no question.

You have a lot more tire under the trailer in case of a bad situation. With a tandem axle, if you loose a tire or wheel at speed, you immediately have a weight transfer to/from your tow vehicle. (Lose a front tire, more weight on trailer tongue, front wheels of truck get loose. Lose a rear tire, rear of truck lifts a bit.)

With a triple axle trailer, if you lose a wheel/tire/hub, you can just chain it up, and keep going. With a tandem, you are stuck right there, fixing your problem. (Not cool in busy traffic/inclement weather situation.)

With a tandem, you can have (disc preferred) brakes on two axles, and one free rolling axle that will never lock up.

And last, when you are ascending or descending a ramp, at the crest, all of your weight is loaded on the front axle, briefly. This eventually wears out the suspension on the front axle. With a triple axle trailer, you still have two good axles, which will let that third axle relax its suspension a bit, without having to do a major axle overhaul.

I put 3 6K axles under a 8K boat even when the trailer builder tried talking me into a tandem. It cost and extra 700-800 for piece of mind carrying a boat worth ALOT more than that!

Well, I redesigned the bow catcher and moved the boat back a bit. The bow catcher needs to support a considerable amount of weight to keep the I beams on the trailer somewhat straight. The trailer depends on the rigidity of the boat for support. I have to adjust the forward bunks up to support the center vee. I think it will be OK. I think it is still crummy for Techsun (now Del Mar...sorta) to bail out on any warrenty.

Any pics of the bow catcher ? I'm trying to design one now ....m