When is an old-trailer...

[HollaGeo]

My boat is sitting on a trailer that has to be at least 20 years old. When I bought the boat back in September, the guy I bought the boat from towed it to my house as I followed him. The trailer seemed to tow fine and all the lights worked. As I type this, I know that it needs a new winch mechanism. I don't know the condition of the bearings, leaf springs, tires, etc. Basically, I'm just looking for some feedback as to when a trailer is deemed unfit/unsafe to tow.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: When is an old-trailer...

You just need to check out the trailer for rust through and breakage in key stress areas, if it is a tube type trailer, often times you can take a small hammer and start tapping around to find thin spots, as far as bearings and such, jack it up and pull the wheels and bearings, inspect and repack. I have never found time to be an enemy, but it is neglect that is the enemy of trailers, the trailer under my current boat is 50 years old, but has been taken very good care of and I have no problem towing it.

Do you know if the trailer has been used in salt water, if so, you need to really inspect it, salt is the enemy of metal, especially of it is not correctly taken care of, what may last 30 years of fresh water use, can be destroyed in less than 5 in a salt water situation.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: When is an old-trailer...

I'm with MT on this I believe but I am a bit more mechanical on this, When I can no longer weld on a trailer due to rust or corrosion damage thats when I replace it. Anything else can be over come, but if I do more patch work to the base metal when I weld to it then its just time to sell it for scrap and get a new one. As far as boat trailers go I don't see it here in Colorado but I can see trailers from the either coast where it may be an issue. Electrical or axles/bearings are replaceable the frame is as well but then you may as well replace the trailer entirely since building a new one is tough to do for the price of a new one anyway.

 

[Pa mountain man]

Re: When is an old-trailer...

The trailer under my boat was made in the mid 50's. The metal is rust free, I restored it over the winter one year, I sandblasted it, painted it, put new tires/bearings on it(I think they were originals ), new harness/lights, and bunks. If it wern't for the goofy fenders, it would look new. It was a fun first restoration project for my son to help me on.

 

[Bondo]

Re: When is an old-trailer...

I don't know the condition of the bearings, leaf springs, tires, etc.

Ayuh,... A trailer is ready for the junk heap when;...

You no longer want to do whatever necessary repairs,...
Or,..
When it Rots out,... Rust on Steel wagons, 'n Corrosion on Aluminum wagons...

Personally,... I don't own a wagon Less than 20 years old...

 

[sublauxation]

Re: When is an old-trailer...

Mine is pushing 30 yrs. Axles and springs are cheap, so are lights and wires. Keep paint on and rust off it! If you paint it I'd recommend an easily obtainable paint and color so you can touch it up as needed without having to repaint the whole thing.

 

[robert graham]

Re: When is an old-trailer...

Something to consider is the trailer's past use, if it was dipped in saltwater daily or weekly then it'll most likely be in much worse shape than if it was used in mostly fresh water. You need to jack it up, remove the wheels, inspect and repack the bearings, check the springs, shackles, bolts, etc. If it's just surface rust then no big deal. Check and replace the tires as needed, buy a spare tire. Northern Tools has everything you may need to bring your trailer up to a safe standard. You just don't want the thing to tear up on the side of the highway some cold rainy night! Good Luck!

 

[Guest]

Re: When is an old-trailer...

LOL I just went threw the same thing this Sept. with my 87 Doral but the trailer is an 83 So I was trying to find parts for it and GUESS what??? There are none available so I just contacted a local boat dealer and asked them if I could use their brand trailer parts on mine. They told me that with minnimal adaptation (drilling a few holes in a different location) I could use new ones just fine. So maybe you might have to do the same thing. Don't get descouraged it happens to all use green boat buyers :redface:
You might want to check out your local Princess Auto store (or similar store)as they have stuff that can be used for boat trailers as well.

By the way mine is a tandem with brakes on 1 axle and man there were NO brakes there at all. I have to make the new brake assembly work by redrilling a few holes and putting a new actuator on the tounge and new brake lines. As well as rewireing all new lights (LED)and all new bearings, vola a new trailer is born out of an old one. The tires were ok.
So even if you have to do all that to yours at least YOU will know it is done right and safely for you to tow your boat where ever you want to with out any worries.


If you stand there long enough looking at it someone will come along and (show you) do it for you