Bass Boat Forums
Bass Boat Maintenance & Repairs => Bass Boat Trailer Maintenance => Topic started by: Curt on August 06, 2018, 02:14:03 PM
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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:
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F06%2F0806181106b.md.jpg&hash=3c8c6f22e14dd7a91ff64217f2aa6a0168a0e44e) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1aqt)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F06%2F0806181107.md.jpg&hash=809eb437a0e40b6a8860984f5995156387903c60) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1bhF)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F06%2F0806181108a.md.jpg&hash=fe0f9c891d248ea2a32b85f62ca8115cbd7395bf) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1fch)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F06%2F0806181108b.md.jpg&hash=9cf9c2ff213de10b6b666dc6cbbb31582456b6c9) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1rbE)
If you look closely at this pic, you can see where the trailer frame bent just behind the wheel.
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F06%2F0806181109a.md.jpg&hash=2fef05bd9775846d685d227432ae947165eaa6eb) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1EmO)
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What caused all of that rust so quick?
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What caused all of that rust so quick?
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:
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..... I have no idea why trailer manufacturers even use boxed/tubular steel frames any longer....
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.
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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.
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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I have a welder/fabricator looking at my trailer sometime soon. He thinks he might be able to salvage it for me by cutting out and replacing the rotted sections of steel.
I hope to swap my boat out to the loaner trailer later today.
More to come... (yes)
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Well, the welder/fabrication guy is supposed to be here tomorrow morning to look at the trailer. I'm hoping he takes it home with him to get it done.
Can't wait to get my boat back on the trailer that was made for it.
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Hope all goes well for the rebuild.
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He will be coming back Friday morning to do the repair here in my yard. Excited to get it fixed!
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Well, the welding dude took my trailer this morning. I should have it back later today, ready to roll again. Pics to come :nod:
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It lives!!
The welder did a fantastic job!! He replaced the two crossmembers that broke two years ago. He also repaired and reinforced the spring mount that had broken. And he straightened the frame where it had bent when the spring mount broke.
He also created and welded in new brackets for the bunks, since one of them had gotten bent and the others were getting weak.
On top of all that, he painted all of the new metal.
The boat is now sitting back on its own trailer and ready for me to fish again :nod:
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F19%2F0818181114b.md.jpg&hash=b21ed2ff296000f870b0c17d53c34b9bc71c1030) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1WwR)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F19%2F0818181114a.md.jpg&hash=4065c6c7ece960995825042012d5675989ab923d) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1Dmv)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F19%2F0818181114a_HDR.md.jpg&hash=fc666bce3c76590da735b95bb15d2b2383e4bb89) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1yfj)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F19%2F0818181114.md.jpg&hash=231a15dbb350235ecc166ac6b3dea5f046939faa) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1ocG)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F19%2F0818181114_HDR.md.jpg&hash=d1aa81c29b5f45938e755e6e4254974cf882b417) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1ZhZ)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F19%2F0818181113b_HDR.md.jpg&hash=5d7e38679a6e4590d9fec01cf7a638c2efa3d78c) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1It1)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F19%2F0818181113.md.jpg&hash=963b1c16b8f340c511c8b3134192e22acfe69be6) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/13iY)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F19%2F0818181113_HDR.md.jpg&hash=9fa3d9920a3b267497d31398a364ff3d5d7ab52d) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1vjM)
(https://www.bassboatboards.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbassfishingphotos.com%2Fimages%2F2018%2F08%2F19%2F0818181113a_HDR.md.jpg&hash=a7e9fd18e05237128895596a9889b1fa40a63d7e) (http://bassfishingphotos.com/image/1tZ0)
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Congrats Curt. It looks like he does good work.