Wobble roller replacement choices

[reelfishin]

I have several trailers that after about 25 or so years are due for some new wobble rollers. I have always run just plain original black rollers.
I can buy three different kinds of rollers locally, there are PVC rollers with thermally bonded plastic ribbed surface, solid rubber as the originals and solid Urethane rollers from Stoltz. The Stoltz rollers are buy far the most expensive and I've pretty much ruled them out for just that reason. (The original rubber rollers lasted 25 years, and I'm happy with that lifespan). My concerns are with the cheapest choice, the thermal plastic or PVC rollers from Yates, I am concerned with them cracking with age? I can for some reason picture the hubs cracking with side load. Has anyone had any real experience with the Yates Thermal plastic rollers?
(They also come in blue and black)

 

[marine4003]

Re: Wobble roller replacement choices

Depending on the make of the trailer...go to the Manufacturers website and order them from them...i bought "inexpensive" rollers for the small boat,they left marks all over the hull and cracked within 2 years..Plus, if they fail....Major scratch on hull, you get what you pay for,all my trailers now have urethane rollers...expensive..Yup, but its the only thing between my hull and the pavement.

 

[One]

Re: Wobble roller replacement choices

I dont want to steal your thread but what is happing to your old rollers? Are they cracking? The reason I ask is I have a 1976 Sterling trailer w/ rollers - my first trailer w/ rollers and they seem to be in fine shape. It just worries me cause I but a lot of money into the boat rebuilding it all last winter and plan on keeping it for a while. My rollers are like a hard black rubber w/ a galvinized(spl?) center. But also 32yrs old.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Wobble roller replacement choices

You shouldn't have any problems with the Yates rollers. They are OEM parts for many of trailer manufacturers, including Loadrite.

I replaced 32 perfectly good black rubber rollers with the yellow Yates rollers two years ago. The black ones where starting to deform and where leaving black marks.

I weighed the options of going with the Stoltzl rollers but could not justifiy twice the cost, assuming I got twice the life, with my record of buying and selling boats.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Wobble roller replacement choices

I dont want to steal your thread but what is happing to your old rollers? Are they cracking? The reason I ask is I have a 1976 Sterling trailer w/ rollers - my first trailer w/ rollers and they seem to be in fine shape. It just worries me cause I but a lot of money into the boat rebuilding it all last winter and plan on keeping it for a while. My rollers are like a hard black rubber w/ a galvinized(spl?) center. But also 32yrs old.

The original rollers are starting to show a few cracks and flat spots. A few are really loose on the shaft as well where the hub area of the roller is spread or deformed. That particular trailer is a 1986 Load Rite, it only carries a 16' Runabout but since I have the boat off the trailer now for some bottom side work, I figured it would be a good time to take care of the rollers.

I would have figured that the original rubber style rollers would have been cheaper but they're more than double the cost of the Yates rollers.
Stoltz rollers are 4 times the price of the Yates rollers or more.
I'm just not fond of the bright color rollers, I only seem to be able to find Yellow, Gold, or Blue. Their website lists black in the PVC style roller but I can't find them anywhere. (At least not anywhere near the price of the Yellow ones).
I did think of one advantage for the bright rollers, it would be easier to see them when loading the boat vs. black, but I'm afraid that they will deteriorate faster in the sun compared to black?

This trailer don't carry any real weight, there are only 12 rollers and with the boat loaded, I can pass my hand through any given roller against the hull, the weight is that well distributed. (I can lift the back of the boat myself, so the rollers won't see a lot of stress).

I could probably get another few years out of the original rollers but I'd really rather not gamble on losing one while loading the boat. I have it on a backup trailer right now, an older bunk trailer. I swapped it over for now to let me do cleaning and polishing underneath and at the same time, refurb the Load Rite trailer a bit.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Wobble roller replacement choices

I would have figured that the original rubber style rollers would have been cheaper but they're more than double the cost of the Yates rollers.
Stoltz rollers are 4 times the price of the Yates rollers or more.

Your prices seem rather high. Where are you getting your prices?

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Wobble roller replacement choices

I can buy the Yates rollers, washers and clips online for $105, the Stoltz rollers are over $15 each, plus the cost of the clips and washers. Their higher locally.
The rollers I need are 5x3x1 1/8" wobble rollers. It comes to just under $400 to do the trailer with Stoltz urethane rollers and not much less for rubber rollers at about $12 each. If I change to Urethane rollers, I'd want to change the bow stops and front keel roller to urethane as well to match. The Yates rollers come in black so they won't look as out of place.