building trailer guides

[NolaZach]

I have seen a few good ways to build the PVC style guides. What I need is plans or a how to on building the guides with a bunk on them for each side of the boat. I have seen them online for around $130, Cabela's for $99 for smaller ones, but I think the price seems high.

I have seen DIY trailer guides and was wondering if anyone here built anything like this.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: building trailer guides

here is one i did, all pvc. i have also used trampoline legs.

 

[arks]

Re: building trailer guides

Maybe it's overkill, but I made my guides from 1" galvanized elbows and pipe, then sleeved them with a piece of 1 1/4" PVC. To attach them to the trailer I bolted galvanized pipe flanges to the side of the trailer frame. They work beautifully and are heavy-duty enough that I was able to put the trailer lights on top and keep 'em out of the water.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: building trailer guides

you can also buy the wiring harness for the trailer in different lengths, so there are not any splices. this is the boat that the guides were trampoline legs, with lights. also my boat cover frame.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: building trailer guides

You could install two of the ones like TD's drawing, one in front of the axle and the other behind the axle. Then bolt a horizontal carpeted bunk board between the two.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: building trailer guides

that would work also.

 

[hibbert6]

Re: building trailer guides

Maybe it's overkill, but I made my guides from 1" galvanized elbows and pipe, then sleeved them with a piece of 1 1/4" PVC. To attach them to the trailer I bolted galvanized pipe flanges to the side of the trailer frame. They work beautifully and are heavy-duty enough that I was able to put the trailer lights on top and keep 'em out of the water.

The guy at the hardware store told me that neither conduit nor galvanized pipe would be strong enough for side guides; that once in the water, when the boat begins to float, if a current or wake takes the boat sideways it would just bend the pipe. My boat is a 15' f'glass triHull. Please, tell me he's wrong and save me $79.

Dave

 

[hibbert6]

Re: building trailer guides

Tashasdaddy: How do you keep the pipe from rolling in the u-bolts?

Dave

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: building trailer guides

piece of inner tube wrapped around them, tighten heck out of them. like a bicycle inner tube.

 

[arks]

Re: building trailer guides

The guy at the hardware store told me that neither conduit nor galvanized pipe would be strong enough for side guides; that once in the water, when the boat begins to float, if a current or wake takes the boat sideways it would just bend the pipe. My boat is a 15' f'glass triHull. Please, tell me he's wrong and save me $79.

Dave

OK- He's wrong. I've been using the pipe set-up all year on my jon boat trailer and it's been just fine. As insurance I did use PC-7 as a "thread sealer" to keep the joints tight.

 

[wayne h]

Re: building trailer guides

how far from the boat sides should the guides be when trying to set them up?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: building trailer guides

i go 1/2 inch on each side of the widest part of the boat. then it has to load straight.

 

[cmchesse]

Re: building trailer guides

I have a 15' Eagle and made my own guide post with an EMT 1 1/4" sweeping 90, a 12" galvanized pipe nipple, and some 1 1/2" pvc. I used some existing brackets on the trailer and they work great.

Bought the trailer lights at harbor freight. This weekend I will work on the side bunks. I have a bracket on each end of the fender and will try some 10" L brackets. I will post pictures when they are done.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: building trailer guides

nice job. the 90 sweep does the same thing the trampolines legs did.

 

[cmchesse]

Re: building trailer guides

Thanks,

I saw your posting about the trampoline legs. However, I could not talk any neighborhood kids out of theirs. My plans get over complicated sometimes. Then I go to Home Depot or Lowes and walk around the isles until I find what I need.

Everything was stock on the shelf. It made the project easy. Priced out around $35.00. I launched at the lyons club on the 4th. The waves were large and the the guides held up great. Nearly put the boat in the bed of the truck, but there was not side to side movement.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: building trailer guides

glad the worked for you.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: building trailer guides

remember when power loading idle is the fastest speed. do not goose it, use your winch for the rest. it saves the ramp.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: building trailer guides

Tashasdaddy: How do you keep the pipe from rolling in the u-bolts?

Dave

I actually want them to give at a certain force. I had some wrenched down tight as heck. But if pulling onto the trailer a bit too fast and you hit the guide instead of going inbetween, something has to give. And if the guides are not allowed to roll forward, something breaks or bends.

So now mine are clamped pretty tight but if the bow pushes one, it will roll forward. And allow me to push it back to the proper position.

Mine are also positioned with the top ends angled forward about 10 or 15 degrees. So that at our favorite ramp they will be straight up when in the launch or load mode. The pvc pipe over the metal uprights also rotate on the guides.

 

[arks]

Re: building trailer guides

I actually want them to give at a certain force. I had some wrenched down tight as heck. But if pulling onto the trailer a bit too fast and you hit the guide instead of going inbetween, something has to give. And if the guides are not allowed to roll forward, something breaks or bends.

So now mine are clamped pretty tight but if the bow pushes one, it will roll forward. And allow me to push it back to the proper position.

Mine are also positioned with the top ends angled forward about 10 or 15 degrees. So that at our favorite ramp they will be straight up when in the launch or load mode. The pvc pipe over the metal uprights also rotate on the guides.

Yeah, I built mine with pretty much the same ideas (except for the forward angle). I like how the PVC rolls as the boat loads. I clamped the lights to the pipe just above the top of the PVC. The only thing i need to change is the license plate- it hangs too far out. I''m going to put it down on the trailer frame and illuminate it with a white LED. Here's a picture:

 

[Faraway]

Re: building trailer guides

Maybe it's overkill, but I made my guides from 1" galvanized elbows and pipe, then sleeved them with a piece of 1 1/4" PVC. To attach them to the trailer I bolted galvanized pipe flanges to the side of the trailer frame. They work beautifully and are heavy-duty enough that I was able to put the trailer lights on top and keep 'em out of the water.

This is an excellent idea! Thank you. I've been going back and forth trying to decide on which commercially available guides to put on my trailer but the cost of the guides is more than I want to put into an old trailer.

Your Galv. pipe & PVC idea sounds perfect, and easy to do.

How long did you make your guides? I often launch on steep ramps here in Kentucky where the rear of the trailer is much deeper in the water than the front, or bow. I think I may need to have guides of 4' ish to keep the ends of them above water at the ramp.

Thanks,