I have returned... with a Starcraft this time!

[BWR1953]

I was looking at the KF trailer this morning and I think that I need to add some additional framing farther aft in order to keep the transom tie-downs from rubbing the new paint off the stern. Wouldn't like that a bit!

Since the hull is going to be drying/curing for several more weeks, I have time for some "fun" trailer work.

In addition to the framing, I'll have to do some work on the bunks as well. Oh yeah, I also need to mount the trailer fenders that I bought three years ago. And the boat guide-ons that I bought several months ago.

My neighbor buddy can do the welding. And even though he's pressed for time, I'm sure that he could get it done in a month. Maybe? :lol:


Here's the current configuration:



This is with added framing.


The green area bordered in red would be the new frame extension. The green area over the bunk represents the KF and the red circles connected by the yellow line represent the tie-downs.

 

[Watermann]

Oh man that isn't much of a trailer, not sure I've seen one that ended at the axle.

 

[No-AH]

I would also look into how the weight on the tongue is distributed beforehand. I think that by just adding to the main frame, and leaving the axle in that location, the weight would be poorly distributed making it too lite at the tongue. Towing would make the trailer wander a fair bit. Once the added frame lengths are welded I would consider moving the axle back, closer to the heaviest part of the boat [engine/stern]. Have your welder put an inner sleeve slightly smaller diameter than the outer diameter before he welds it, maybe a foot long on either side of where the weld will be. Just my 2 cents.

 

[BWR1953]

Oh man that isn't much of a trailer, not sure I've seen one that ended at the axle.

Yeah, it's pretty short. The rear frame member is about a foot behind the axle. It works okay but I do want it extended to accommodate my tie-downs.

I did some looking around online this morning and it does appear to be a pretty common configuration. Maybe to save the builders some money? :noidea:

 

[BWR1953]

I would also look into how the weight on the tongue is distributed beforehand. I think that by just adding to the main frame, and leaving the axle in that location, the weight would be poorly distributed making it too lite at the tongue. Towing would make the trailer wander a fair bit. Once the added frame lengths are welded I would consider moving the axle back, closer to the heaviest part of the boat [engine/stern]. Have your welder put an inner sleeve slightly smaller diameter than the outer diameter before he welds it, maybe a foot long on either side of where the weld will be. Just my 2 cents.

Righto. I'll be watching that as well. I had him relocate an axle on a utility trailer for me several years ago.

Tongue weight in this case is probably going to change a fair bit, since I'm going up from an 8HP Johnson to a 50HP Mercury.

 

[ab59]

I tried to tow a pickup once that had the weight too far back and wound up traveling at 15 mph to keep from wreaking because of the trailer sway . Maybe you should consider just selling that trailer and buying another that would be a better match. Old glassers on good trailers are common around here for 300-500 but don't know about your area. You would not have to worry about the weight distribution being so bad you could not use the trailer after all that work.
Just sayin

 

[BWR1953]

I tried to tow a pickup once that had the weight too far back and wound up traveling at 15 mph to keep from wreaking because of the trailer sway . Maybe you should consider just selling that trailer and buying another that would be a better match. Old glassers on good trailers are common around here for 300-500 but don't know about your area. You would not have to worry about the weight distribution being so bad you could not use the trailer after all that work.
Just sayin

My buddy can relocated the axle assembly for me no problem. For free.

We can literally move things around just prior to welding to make sure that the balance is correct.

 

[BWR1953]

Did some more photo-editing. Am thinking of having the extensions be triangles instead of squared off at the back. That will give me a little more room when loading the boat onto the trailer. As it is now, the boat definitely hits the bunks long before it could bump into the frame. If I make a square extension, I may not have that extra margin, depending on conditions.

So I'm thinking of something like the triangle reinforcement shown in yellow below:

 

[Watermann]

I would seriously consider the squared off and move those tail lights back to where people can see the brake lights better so your little tinny doesn't become an accordion. Both of my boat trailers have a center roller on that cross member to keep the keel from grounding on it.

 

[BWR1953]

I would seriously consider the squared off and move those tail lights back to where people can see the brake lights better so your little tinny doesn't become an accordion. Both of my boat trailers have a center roller on that cross member to keep the keel from grounding on it.

Something like so?

 

[Watermann]

Exactly what I was thinking and move the axle aft to the end of the original frame.

 

[strokendiesel002]

Boxing the rear, moving the axle back, lights to the far back and adding the center roller to the rearmost cross member is definitely the way to do it. It will also give you a second mounting location for your bunks. I hope you're planning on adding fenders over the wheels to protect that beautiful KF!

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[BWR1953]

Thanks guys. I'll make the changes as discussed.

I'll wait until the KF is completed with the Mercury mounted before adjusting the axle position. That way I can be sure that it's in the proper fulcrum location to achieve the correct tongue weight.

As it is now, the trailer coupler ball socket is 13 feet from the axle. And the spare tire is up front too. Moving the axle back another foot or so may increase the tongue weight too much unless I have the KF on the trailer.





And it looks like I may go through a similar situation with the Chieftain when the time comes.

 

[BWR1953]

Trailer stuff...

Here's the latest. I'd pretty much decided to cut up the donor boat trailer to use for making the new frame members for the KF trailer extension. But now I've confused myself. Again. :lol:

That nasty glasser donor boat has been sitting in my yard ever since I yanked the 50HP Merc off the stern over a year ago. My buddy was going to use the trailer for parts and whatnot. Part of the deal was that HE was going to take the boat to the dump when the time came. Well, the time never came! So I'm going to use the trailer myself. He actually stopped by last evening and I told him what I was up to and would need his feedback on options, etc. We'll get together when we each have more time.

So yesterday the boy and I pulled the glasser off the trailer and pulled the trailer over next to the KF original trailer. We started by having the boy jack the boat up so that we could get the port side trailer tire back on the rim. He did a good job. :joyous:


The new portable tank worked out nicely.

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Glasser strapped to tree.

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Glasser easily sliding off the trailer.

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Glasser on the ground. I promise when it's time to take it to the dump that I'll get pix and video!

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And here's the glasser trailer.

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[BWR1953]

I didn't trust that old trailer one bit which is why I removed the glasser. I'd intended on putting the old boat onto the known good KF trailer for the trip to the tip.

But once I got the glasser off the trailer and had a good look at the donor trailer, I began wondering if I shouldn't restore that trailer instead of using the original KF trailer. Ya know?

Pros - the Hi-Roller trailer is a full 2 feet wider, 18 inches longer and 4 inches lower than the KF trailer. So it's going to be more stable all around once restored. And because it has side steps already, climbing into and out of the boat while it's on the trailer will be much easier.

Cons - it's going to need a LOT more work (and money!) than building a simple extension for the KF trailer. It will also take my buddy much longer to "get around" to getting it done. I have no gripes about this, it's a fact of life, but it does enter the Go/NoGo decision. The KF isn't a wide bass boat so may look "weird" sitting on the donor trailer.

I can cannibalize parts from the KF trailer to use on the donor trailer.


KF and donor trailers side by side.

 

[Watermann]

I'd do it to it, fix up the glasser trailer.

 

[ab59]

You know I agree and you can sell the old trailer when your done to someone who has a smaller boat and get a little money back for fish bait.
I bought an old glasser for the 85 hp Merc a couple of years ago and after I dumped the fiberglass carcass at the local landfill I painted and sold the old trailer for 500.00. I paid 600.00 for the boat and trailer so I got my motor, steering and helm along with a nice teak swim step for about 100.00 bucks. Worked out good.

 

[strokendiesel002]

How does the Glasser compare to the Chief's trailer, length wise?

 

[BWR1953]

Uh-UH! The Chief is out of bounds. I'd get my head pounded by some folks on here if I messed around with anything to do with the Chieftain! :nono: :lol:

But the donor boat is about a foot and a half shorter than the KF.

One other thing... both trailer frames are 3" x 1.5" but the KF uses rectangular box tubing while the donor trailer uses C-channel. Since the KF trailer is shorter and narrower as well, it's theoretically stronger, right? I dunno if it really matters much with this lightweight boat but thought I'd put the info out there.

 

[DLNorth]

To me neither of those trailers look any good for a SC 16.
If it were me, I'd fix up and sell both trailers and buy a good, low slung, roller trailer from "name" manufacturer.
Here in MN they are very common, not sure about where you are.

Dan