CHEAP guide ons

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
took trampoline leg, cut in 1/2, u bolt, pvc. total cost 14 dollars

MVC-896S.jpg
 

salty87

Commander
Joined
Aug 12, 2003
Messages
2,327
Re: CHEAP guide ons

very nice. i wrapped my pvc guides with carpet and 3m spray glue. they've lasted 5 years so far, also cheap and easier on the rab rail and gel coat..
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Nov 11, 2005
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51,019
Re: CHEAP guide ons

loaded her this weekend for the 1st time. they are high enough and tight enough that they just turned on the rub rail. centered perfectly. drove right up.
 

jgrice

Cadet
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
11
Re: CHEAP guide ons

So much information and so little time to do 'em all! I had a muffler shop cut and bend tailpipe stock for 28.00, added pvc pipe rub-rollers, bent all-thread stock for the ubolts. Total invested 34.00. How I ever got along without guide-ons before I can't imagine!
 

Smig

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 13, 2005
Messages
182
Re: CHEAP guide ons

Hey TD,
Are those legs round where they are bolted to the trailer frame? If so, how do you keep the guide from rotating within the u-bolt?
 

tashasdaddy

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Joined
Nov 11, 2005
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51,019
Re: CHEAP guide ons

you tighten them and compress them. if you look closely you can see them start to oval out at the u bolt. i used a flat ubolt, like a spring retainer. i've loaded it several times since, this is the best set i've made. just enough tension on the rub rail without damaging. and with the pvc cross piece works like a spring.
 

Smig

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 13, 2005
Messages
182
Re: CHEAP guide ons

Oh, that makes sense that it begins to oval. So what happens if you don't have the pvc cross piece?
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Nov 11, 2005
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51,019
Re: CHEAP guide ons

try to mount it over a cross member of the trailer and use 2 ubolts. on this trailer i could not do that. i've also mounted light on top of one, cut the tee, and add ground wire

MVC-740S.jpg
 

Smig

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 13, 2005
Messages
182
Re: CHEAP guide ons

Thanks for the insight TD,
I like the idea of the pvc cross member because it allows the guides to flex. When ever we are launching (or retrieving) some bonehead wakes us, so I'm sure the guides will get bumped quite a bit!

(We saw a police boat take a wake over their transom while retrieving, soaking one of the officers!)

Thanks for your help. I will post some pictures once this is done, although it may not be until spring (I hate winter!)

Smig
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: CHEAP guide ons

glad to help. any questions, you can clik my name and get email address.
 

kenmyfam

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
14,392
Re: CHEAP guide ons

That will be one of my first projects in spring. Thanks for the info.
 

PlayDoh

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Messages
35
Re: CHEAP guide ons

Finally I found a use for the old trampoline legs. Genius design btw. Your my kind of engineer.

I have a 12' fiberglass closed bow boat, with a cheap tilt trailer with no guides. Just the rubber keel rollers. I need a 3 man crew, 2 of us nuts deep in lake water and its still a gong show. Mmmmm Yuk Yuk Yuk. lol

I'm not sure if 2 guides in the far rear would be best in my situation, but non-the-less the fundamental design is perfect. I think I'll throw a couple tack welds as a bonus, but maybe not.

Thanks for sharing.
 

superflydudebike

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 16, 2007
Messages
130
Re: CHEAP guide ons

My father used my old metal stilts. Never even tried to disguise them with a coat of paint. Word of caution: never leave your boyhood toys at your parents' house after you leave the nest.
 

_brad_

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 28, 2007
Messages
173
Re: CHEAP guide ons

Now, I need to find some legs!
 

clemsonfor

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 19, 2005
Messages
1,011
Re: CHEAP guide ons

I got mine out of an old sportsmans notebook in field and stream. It involves one of those u shapped ladder stabilizers that bolt to the ladder to brace against the house. Cut it in two and fitted 2" PVC well caseing over it and several clamps and it cost around $20-25. What ever is u shaped will wrok cheaper than paying $70-90 for factory ones that due to my trailer design would not work without some mods anyway!

If anyone wants the article i could scan it and post it it has a diagram in the 1 page write up.

-Nate
 

clemsonfor

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 19, 2005
Messages
1,011
Re: CHEAP guide ons

well let me look around for it it sat at my desk in the mag and i had a copy of it on my desk, i obviously threw my copy away now i need to dig up the original mag at the house! i get it to yall!

-NAte
 

clemsonfor

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 19, 2005
Messages
1,011
Re: CHEAP guide ons

HA just as i posted i opend my file drawer again and found the mag and article stashed away, i didn't think i got rid of the mag. I obviously did not throw the copy away either. Anyway the files must have stuck togeather the first time. I scan it and post it.

-NAte
 

clemsonfor

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 19, 2005
Messages
1,011
Re: CHEAP guide ons

Here it is, i can email a higher quality if u need it!

-Nate
 

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