Bass Boat Maintenance & Repairs > Bass Boat Trailer Maintenance
Time to Retire My Trailer
Curt:
Well, it's time to lay my trailer to rest once and for all. :crying:
I fished with a buddy last night and when I put the boat on the trailer to go home, I noticed that there was very little clearance between the tire and fender on the port side.
So we looked around underneath to see what had broken. I thought maybe a leaf spring had snapped, but it turned out to be a broken trailer frame (fp)
One of the mounts for the leaf springs had actually punched right through the frame where it had rusted :surprised:
If you look closely at this pic, you can see where the trailer frame bent just behind the wheel.
Jig Man:
What caused all of that rust so quick?
Curt:
--- Quote from: Jig Man on August 06, 2018, 02:32:48 PM ---What caused all of that rust so quick?
--- End quote ---
My guess would be poor quality steel and a lack of ventilation.
It's also a tubular steelframe, which is basically rust waiting to happen. I have no idea why trailer manufacturers even use boxed/tubular steel frames any longer. They are proven to be poor when it comes to rusting. And they rust from the inside, out. So you don't even know they're rusting until something breaks. :crying:
Nightmare:
--- Quote from: Curt on August 06, 2018, 02:59:37 PM ---..... I have no idea why trailer manufacturers even use boxed/tubular steel frames any longer....
--- End quote ---
Tube construction has a high weight:strength ratio. Weight = $ in construction costs.
C-channel is considerably heavier (more $) but with a little attention, will last forever 'cause there's no place to retain water.
I've got one going on 30 years old and going nowhere near the salvage yard.
Curt:
--- Quote from: Nightmare on August 06, 2018, 10:32:24 PM ---
Tube construction has a high weight:strength ratio. Weight = $ in construction costs.
C-channel is considerably heavier (more $) but with a little attention, will last forever 'cause there's no place to retain water.
I've got one going on 30 years old and going nowhere near the salvage yard.
--- End quote ---
Agree on all points. In the end, it comes down to trailer manufacturers saving money on production costs. With all of today's technology, there has to be some way to create a way to allow the inside of that frame to dry more efficiently. But, that also costs more money to make the trailers.
Thankfully, I have a good friend who is going to loan me a galvanized Karavan trailer to get me through until I can get a replacement, probably over the winter. :thumbup:
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