Re: First time old boat owner ?s
The rubber trailer bushings finally arrived. Installed them yesterday with a bit of trouble but nothing I had to get help with. The rear end with the shackles was no problem but the front had to get the bushings trimmed a bit to fit and I had to use a crow bar and my ratchet tie down to pull the axle to align the holes. The previous work on them squashed them down quite a bit and I think led to their demise. I snugged them down to the point that the vibration proof nuts have some bolt coming out the end. The results are dramatic. There is a softness in the ride and a tightening up of the feel. If you have worn out bushings consider replacing them.
And I thought I would share some additions I made to the trailer. Had some leftover pop up tie downs (4) from a pick up I put a topper on. Have had them for 15 years and of course finally found a use for them. I made a wood mounting plate and lag screwed them around the frame with some aluminum box stock spacers.
Also made a wood step to get in and out. I do not like stepping on the fender, there are some stress cracks beginning to appear. It is a 1x12 fairly clear pine that runs across the frame. I was worried my bulk would break the wood so I tested it before, no problem. Sherwin Williams matched the Rustoleum gray paint with a no primer necessary porch paint. I mixed some sand in to make the non skid pad at the end. Worked out well, you can swing your leg into the boat with ease between the seats.
