How bad is it??

[glengold]

Noticed this last week, looks pretty bad. What's a good place for parts? Looks like some heavy hardware I've seen at Home Depot. I'd definitely get stainless. Also, notice the top is two individual bolts. Can't I just throw one long one in there?? It looks that that is causing the angle.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: How bad is it??

You need new spring eye bushings, spring eye bolts, shackles and yes, one bolt at frame bracket to shackle instead of those two.
If that rear frame bracket is straightened out, it will be as wide as the spring, right?

You might want to visit your local trailer parts store or look here on iboats.com for kits.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: How bad is it??

That stuff is beyond your Desperate Depot bolt dept. Match it up at a trailer supplly house.

 

[Cannondale]

Re: How bad is it??

Noticed this last week, looks pretty bad. What's a good place for parts? Looks like some heavy hardware I've seen at Home Depot. I'd definitely get stainless. Also, notice the top is two individual bolts. Can't I just throw one long one in there?? It looks that that is causing the angle.

While you're partly right in that the two separate top bolts have contributed to the lean of the spring shackle, the frame's mounting point has also become bent and you're going to have to straighten that, too, before remounting the spring shackle and spring. Looks like it's going to move your axle back over where it should be when you get it all aligned correctly.

Personally, instead of replacing the spring bushings, I'd just buy new complete springs....yours are pretty rusted up. I forsee a lot of frame scraping and painting before you replace the spring and its associated parts.

 

[HollaGeo]

Re: How bad is it??

This is where a new trailer would be a viable option.

 

[glengold]

Re: How bad is it??

I had a buddy over who is a welder, he found some cracks in the spring mount. Also, the dummy who tried to weld the fenders on (which apparently broke off) didn't know what he was doing, and melted through the mount. I'm going to look for whole new springs and mounts, maybe end up with a new trailer.....

 

[tswiczko]

Re: How bad is it??

find out what grade those bolts are before you go changing them to stainless, stainless steel bolts are rated for corrosion resistance. Bolt strength is rated in PSI (pounds per square inch). A stainless steel bolt has the same PSI rating as a grade 5 bolt (125,000 PSI). A grade 8 bolt has a stronger rating with a PSI of 150,000.

 

[glengold]

Re: How bad is it??

not sure how to tell the grade.... The trailer is for a 16' flats boat, <2000 lbs. I got the same size, 3/8. Talked to a few ppl and they thought stainless was better than zinc. Note that the major reason for my concern in the first place is the washers had rusted out.

 

[wifisher]

Re: How bad is it??

You can tell hardware grade by the markings on the head. Old rusty ones may be impossible to see. Grade 5 is plenty for what you are doing.

 

[glengold]

Re: How bad is it??

Well I replaced the rusted 1" bolts with SS. Head markings are F593C TME. I used SS washers and SS nut. Used blue lock tite. Only replaced 3 of the 4. Hopefully it should be good until I can replace the mounts and springs. Iboats had the springs for less than 100 bucks, i havent found the mounts anywhere yet.