winch and toungue jack, decent quality?

[mnypitboat]

OK it is time to replace my winch and jack AGAIN!! Seems like every year about this time I have to replace them. I am tired of spending money after money only to have to do it again in a year. I have tried everything that West Marine has recommended, with no luck. So I am coming to you guys. Incidently, I grease and maintain them regularly, they just seem to be taking a beating. I do use my boat 2-3 times a week in mixed salt and freshwater use, so it is more than the average.

So who makes a decent quality winch and jack that wont break the bank? I dont need anything fancy, only something that will last a little more than a year and do what they are supposed to do.

 

[2300max]

Re: winch and toungue jack, decent quality?

I know I'll get some laughs and some comments but my jack actually broke and I needed a replacement I found a dual wheel 1500 lb. jack at Habor Freight.....it seems to be a decent jack for the price and with a cupon it's a nice deal. I think I paid around $39.00.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: winch and toungue jack, decent quality?

I don't feel right giving any advice to you mnypit because theres got to be something wrong if your going through a winch and tongue jack yearly so can I ask you some questions or maybe can you post some pics of your setup?

I would like to know what the tongue weight is on your setup?
The winch and jack you have ordered through west marine or their capacities?
How often you use the trailer winch and tongue per year?
What is the type boat or the weight?
What type of trailer do you have?

Why?

Tongue weight because it sounds like your very heavy
Capacities and limitations of the parts you have
Capacities and limitations/weight of what you have

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: winch and toungue jack, decent quality?

Well, the boat is a 2001 Tahoe. Not sure of the tongue weight, but according to the specs here http://www.iboats.com/Tahoe_by_Tracker_Marine__Q7__2001/bp/64b192163r1 the boat weighs 4400lbs dry. Seems a little high to me, but that is what it says. It is a Contenental trailer. I put the boat in the water probably 150+ times a year in salt and fresh water. I am not too sure what the current parts are, nor do I know what the specs are.

Maybe that is part of my problem, I ask for a jack for a 21ft bowrider, rather than giving them the wieght, and maybe it really weighs that much.

I did do some research as a response to your post, and it looks like the winch is actually more like 3 years old and wasnt bought through West Marine. I have no idea what brand it is, it just says "heavy duty" on the reciept. The strap has been replaced every year though, and it snapped the other day pulling it out of a shallow ramp.

The jack was replaced last year and is starting to act like the bearings are broken again. I did buy this one at Walmart, and thinking back, I remember why. The one I bought the year before fell apart on me on a Sunday. The one that fell apart was a dual wheel that I got off ebay or Amazon or something a year before. I had to drive the truck the next day and had no way to get it off the hitch, so bought the biggest one Walmart offered because they were the only ones open.

I thought I bought them at West Marine, but that must have been my prior boat.

So I guess I just need a suggestion as to a decent quality part, so I dont get another generic, poor quality item. I am thinking I will buy the next step up from what I really need, so this doesnt happen again.

 

[JB]

Re: winch and toungue jack, decent quality?

"Decent" is not a useful measure as it means far different thing to different people.

I agree with Lipp that there is something wrong with your rigging or your selection of winch and jack capacities.

You should probably have about 500# weight on the tongue and a jack that is rated for somewhat more than that. I would want a winch good for the boat weight on the trailer (bunks or rollers?).

Both should be salt water rated.

Good luck.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: winch and toungue jack, decent quality?

Yeah first off you really need to go by your specified weight not the length of the boat, 4400 lbs does seem high to me as well but in all honesty its not a big deal just gives you a number to go by for the future. The first thing I would do is find a scale that you can use, when I did it I called landscaping yards/scrap yards etc to see if they had a truck scale that you could rent the use of for 10 minutes, tell them you need the tongue weight of your boat trailer, it shouldn't take long to find one, then go to the scale and put your tongue jack as far onto the scale as possible without the truck and trailer tires on it, they will normally tell you over the loud speaker your weighed hook it back up and get out of the way then go inside and find out the weight, now you know how much weight is on your jack as well as the back of the truck so its pretty good knowledge, make sure you have the boat loaded for bear when you do this you may as well go for the worst case scenario. 10% of the boat weight on the tongue doesn't sound bad at all to me let us know what you get.

Do you normally push your boat around on the jack? I know my boat doesn't like to move on the jack wheel at all could that be part of the issue?

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: winch and toungue jack, decent quality?

For some reason I am not getting any email notifications of replies. Another issue I guess.

I picked up a winch rated for 5k made by Fulton. I am taking the boat out tomorrow, then Saturday and Sunday so I needed something quick.

The jack seems to be hanging in there for now. The one I have on there now is rated for 1200lbs. I do not roll it around on the jack, as it wont roll, especially side to side, with the dual wheels trailer. I have been trying to get the boat weighed, but I cant find anyplace around here. The places that take landscape and other waste wont let you use their scales, especially to unhook it and all. So I am thinking I will just go way overkill on it and get a good brand and hopefully that will work.