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----- Original Message -----
From: "richp4797"
Many folks use trailers to get their gear to and from the
river, and often keep their boats rigged and ready to back into the water for
a quick and easy launch.
What kinds of tips do people have about trailer design, use, and maintenance?
Are there quick and easy ways the average person can make rollers? Do Bearing
Buddies really work, and how do you make sure they keep working? That kind of
thing....
As always, thanks for your contribution.
Rich Phillips
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Ceiba Adventures"
Trailers, Well we could go on, and on and on,
But some of the decisions you need to make are:
Single, Double or Triple Axel trailers. Axels come in 3, 4, 5,
and 7000 lbs weights. Tire Size, 14", 15" or 16". Spare
tires on the trailer are a must.
*If you go with a double or triple axel trailer. We highly suggest bringing
two, four foot lengths of chain with you. One side has a hook, and the other
has a bolt/nut/washer set up long enough to bolt the chain
together. This is for when your bearings explode, trailer brakes go
bad, or you do not have a spare for that side and you can chain up that side
of the axel to the frame, and keep moving!!
Then the length of the trailer, which depends on your boat(s),
and the misc. loads you will be carrying. Axel placement in that trailer is
so important, depending on the length of the trailer, and what it is designed
to do.*You can easily overbuild a trailer, and the truck you are using may be
too underpowered to haul the load you are intending.
Ball hitch seems to be the most common, with 2" or 2.5/16 size balls. A
nice Reese Hitch mounted to the Frame is ideal. Be careful of a ball mounted
to the bumper, inspect it wisely.
5th Wheel trailers typically carry more weight, but can minimize your bed
size. A recessed hitch in the bed is the way to go here.
Buddy Bearings work, but you must religiously repack your bearings every year
if you back into the river at the put-ins and take-outs regularly, no matter
what.
LED lights are the way to go nowadays as well, since the water really doesn't
affect them.
Wood decks on the trailers always seem to be a maintenance issue, especially
if you drive your trailers on dirt roads. Expanded steel or
Diamond plate steel is the preferred but is very costly, and adds some
un-needed weight sometimes.
A great source for rollers is: Surplus
Center 1-800-488-3407 or www.surpluscenter.com
We've used small diameter galvanized pipes, black PVC, and custom ordered
roller tubes from Demaree, as rollers. So deck mounted rollers are not the
only way to go.
Trailer brakes are really nice with a brake "commander" mounted
under the dash to monitor the necessary braking for your load and road conditions.
We here at Ceiba Adventures prefer to have our trailers multi-purpose. Able
to handle many boats, or several boats inflated, or if you need to haul a
car, or go to the dump etc. Making a trailer for just one boat is nice, but
then you seem to need additional trailers for everything else you end up
doing.
Let's Go Boating!!
Scott Davis
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Summers"
We had a local trailer builder, Dennis Elam of http://www.elamtrailers.com/, come
and speak at our rafting club meeting last month. He talked a lot about
bearings and the importance of getting them repacked often if you immerse
your trailer hubs. Many of us in the Pacific Northwest
have flatbed trailers with rollers and we can back into the water and pull up
the fully loaded raft onto the trailer without unloading - this is really
nice! So we get the hubs wet from time to time.
The tip I came away with is to carry an extra hub with pre-lubed
bearings and seals, ready to replace a hub that is heating up on a road
trip. We've had a variety of friends the last couple of years
experience bearing troubles on trips and we now check the bearing temps by
feeling the hubs at every gas and potty stop. The pre-packed hub and
bearings only cost about $35.00
By the way, Dennis Elam recommended the bearing buddies very highly.
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----- Original Message -----
From: "daveyeamans"
The non-permitted width limit for highway loads is 8 1/2
feet. That's my boat width without
chicken line and Rescue Rungs so I am exceeding legality just a bit (watch
out for the LF rangers). And my boat is 20' long. I hate to have a trailer
that big. The law requires lights within 2' of the end of the load or you
have to travel daytime only and use flags. Sooooo.... I could rig temporary lights
on the snouts of my cataraft.
I live in a place where I can't really store a big trailer anyway, or the
rental fee for a special spot is not cost-effective. sooooo....
I just hold out for long trips to make the rig/de-rig effort worthwhile and I
try to enjoy the experience. For short trips I use the canoe, kayaks, or
duckies that don't need a trailer.
But to haul the Grand Canyon rig to the put in I use a
5' X 10 1/2' $1 utility trailer (with side boards) sprung for about twice the
load I carry. A 3500 pound axle is probably enough to keep the load from
shaking apart without bottoming out.
I like the wisdom of Old Mark who says, "I'll meet you and your gear and
trailer at the put in with my gear and my trailer." This prevents the
problem of offering to take other people's stuff that would tend to overload
my own trailer. I spent 3/4 of my life volunteering. It's time to back off a
bit.
Dave Yeamans
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Rick Demarest"
Some states are 8', some 8-1/2', some 8' trailer but the
load can be 8-1/2'.
Oregon is listed at 8-1/2' for
the trailer but 8' for the load (with some exceptions) - go figure...
Most western states are 8-1/2' except Arizona
is 8'
The other problem with overly wide trailers (and loads) is that most side
mirrors - even on trucks - won't let you see past the 8 or 8-1/2' load, so
hauling that wide body 18 footer inflated can be exciting...
Rick
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----- Original Message -----
From: <Joecouce
Hey Rich,
I use a ATV trailer. It is 8' x 14', single axle,
with small wide tires( for better flotation in
the sand), low sides, diamond plate floor, and it holds 3000 lbs.
It works great!!
I have only stacked two boats on it, but it could hold more.
The only down side is that it is 8' wide. You have to be careful because
it is wider than your car. If you could use one that is narrower, that
would make getting around easier. But, the extra foot or two, makes it easy to walk the boat on.
On the up side, It is very inexpensive. If you look around you can find one for
around $200 to $400.
As far as Bearing Buddies, I put them on all the trailers I have had.
It makes it easy to lube it before you start out.
Have a great raft season,
Joe
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