1978 Holsclaw Trailer Refit

[tallcanadian]

I have a 1978 Holsclaw trailer that I want to freshen up over the winter. I am looking to paint it a Gun Metal or Charcoal grey. All one colour with perhaps some pinstrip. I want to remove the springs, check them and paint. New shocks will be installed. The biggest change will the bunks. I am going to remove the squeaky, noise ridden rollers. I'm thinking of carpeted bunks with a teflon strip. I'm also installing uprights at the back.

As far as the paint goes, I'm going with a roll on style paint. I'm not going to spend money on compressors and sprayers.

I'm open to any suggestions or ideas. Any thoughts on my plans would be well appreciated.

 

[gm280]

tc, I basically did the exact same thing you are talking about. I took an old rusted up trailer and turned it into a very nice bunk trailer with side bunks and LED lights and even side steps as well. I even installed new fenders and hubs, wheels and tires. You can take a look at it from the link below. And it is painted pearlized gunmetal gray with two strips also. See what you think.

 

[JimS123]

My very first boat trailer was a Holsclaw, with a setup exactly like yours. It was the best running trailer I ever owned, and also the quietest on the highway and the easiest to launch. Did I say easy to launch? Boy, I wish I had it back again.

They are quite adjustable, with pivot points everywhere. If your rollers are noisy, some of them must not contact the hull. When mine was new, the boat was new as well and I took pains to ensure it was set up like the owner's manual said. I bought it factory direct as a kit. It came in a big cardboard box, truck drop-shipped. The only part that was pre-assembled was the axle and hubs.

My advice would be to sell what you have and buy a bunk trailer. Yours looks to be in very good condition, so it should bring a good price. It would be a shame to modify a gem like that.

 

[tallcanadian]

tc, I basically did the exact same thing you are talking about. I took an old rusted up trailer and turned it into a very nice bunk trailer with side bunks and LED lights and even side steps as well. I even installed new fenders and hubs, wheels and tires. You can take a look at it from the link below. And it is painted pearlized gunmetal gray with two strips also. See what you think.

Great job on that trailer. You gave me some great ideas for mine. The main difference is I am going to roll the paint on. I don't have the interest to start buying compressors, sprayers, etc. I'm hoping that I can do a quality job with a roll on paint.

 

[tallcanadian]

My very first boat trailer was a Holsclaw, with a setup exactly like yours. It was the best running trailer I ever owned, and also the quietest on the highway and the easiest to launch. Did I say easy to launch? Boy, I wish I had it back again.

They are quite adjustable, with pivot points everywhere. If your rollers are noisy, some of them must not contact the hull. When mine was new, the boat was new as well and I took pains to ensure it was set up like the owner's manual said. I bought it factory direct as a kit. It came in a big cardboard box, truck drop-shipped. The only part that was pre-assembled was the axle and hubs.

My advice would be to sell what you have and buy a bunk trailer. Yours looks to be in very good condition, so it should bring a good price. It would be a shame to modify a gem like that.

Hi JIm.

Thanks for the reply. You are making me feel bad for doing some mods on this trailer. I can tell that you are a passionate guy. However, I'm not going to hack this trailer up, I like it very much. And you are right. I've never had a trailer that tows as well as this one. It doesn't sway and I don't even know I have it behind me. I'm going to keep it because I know that it came original with the boat and motor. I am going to do a few mods on it without hurting it's integrity. I'm not happy with the rollers, just because of the noise . After reading your comment I got underneath and had a look but all rollers areall in contact with the boat. They are just noisy and unhappy. The boat is sitting lower on one side than the other by a couple of inches. It drives me crazy to look in my mirror and see it sloped. grrr. I had it leveled at one time, don't know what happened. The last couple times I had it out, I had a hard time to line up on the trailer. It would always drift to one side. I never had an issue like that before. I would love to be able to get all the original decals remade. I will be taking lots of pictures and do measuring of these decals.

 

[JimS123]

Hi JIm.

Thanks for the reply. You are making me feel bad for doing some mods on this trailer. I can tell that you are a passionate guy. However, I'm not going to hack this trailer up, I like it very much. And you are right. I've never had a trailer that tows as well as this one. It doesn't sway and I don't even know I have it behind me. I'm going to keep it because I know that it came original with the boat and motor. I am going to do a few mods on it without hurting it's integrity. I'm not happy with the rollers, just because of the noise . After reading your comment I got underneath and had a look but all rollers areall in contact with the boat. They are just noisy and unhappy. The boat is sitting lower on one side than the other by a couple of inches. It drives me crazy to look in my mirror and see it sloped. grrr. I had it leveled at one time, don't know what happened. The last couple times I had it out, I had a hard time to line up on the trailer. It would always drift to one side. I never had an issue like that before. I would love to be able to get all the original decals remade. I will be taking lots of pictures and do measuring of these decals.

When you retreive the boat, back in only far enough so that the aft 2 center rollers are just touching the water.That will cause the stem to center right between them, and thus line the boat up right in the center of the trailer. If the roller bunks are level, the boat will be level as well.

Tip and roll painting should produce a nice finish. I have done that several time myself. Lightly sand or wire bush, apply Rustoleum rust-reformer over any rust, prime with Rustoleum fish oil primer, and then topcoat with your choice. My last project stayed outside for 19 years with no rust coming thru.

I'd wire brush the springs, maybe coat with rust reformer, but don't paint them.

I saw original decals somewhere, but I don't remember where. Google it and they may show up.