U-bolts

[Steve Ullrich]

BTW: If you are hauling your Com-Pac 16 around on a Hutchins trailer you might just want to double check the status of the ubolts that secure your axle to the leaf springs. 

It seems that a couple of nuts vibrated off the port ubolts on my trailer.  As luck would have it I was broken down within three miles of home and a trailer repair company that I trust.  I had just returned from a round trip to Lake Mille Lacs.  That was about five hours on the road, more or less.  There were worse places to break down and I could have rolled the trailer if I'd been going 60mph on a two lane highway instead of 5mph on a corner near home. 

The missing nuts created a situation that allowed the axle to rotate to the point where the wheel was forced against the fender.  Pretty much like locking up one side of your surge brakes if that's ever happened to you. I only had to drag her ten feet to get off the road.  $100 and a half hour later she was on a flat bed tow truck and headed for the trailer company.  Pretty weird winching her up onto the flat bed truck.  Steepest ramp she's ever been on, almost dragged the stern on the road. Kind of scary.  Glad the trailer had two straps on her, and that they were brand new as well as the winch. 

If the axle isn't bent I'll be back on the road with a couple of new ubolts and a tire. Else, crap, I wonder what an axle will cost me...

[bmiller]

That's good advice for any trailer. Check all the nus/bolts, they can work loose, even with the lock nuts.

On another note, I take great pride in maintenance, including the trailer. Especially since my boat is so large, can't afford not to be. After having to do a few roadside hub/axle rebuilds, always in the middle of nowhere, I decided to get the trailer weighed. As it turns out the axles are undersized. My trailer weighs 9980 loaded with the boat, no water or beer. So before we take off on another long road trip the trailer will get two new 7K axles. That will get her down the road safely.

[multimedia_smith]

I had a scarey event once due to loosening nuts.  These were the lag nuts that hold the rim onto the hub.  I kept hearing a regular rhythemic clunking coming from the trailer as I drove from my neighborhood.  I checked everything and with the weight of the boat, the tires checked out OK.  I assumed that there was a flat spot on the tires from sitting without being on the jackstands (which I use if it is to be stored for an extended period).  Anyway, at speed, I didn't hear the clicking so I went on to the lake, sailed and on the way home as I exited from the interstate... making a right turn, the wheel came off and passed me by... followed by a horrible scraping sound... I checked and the boat wasn't touching the street so I dragged the boat/trailor the few feet to the side of the road.  I had a spare hub at home and a friend had seen me and stopped to give me a ride home and back to the boat.  I was able to get it home on the new hub but I needed to later change out the U bolts that went from the springs to the axle.  They had been ground down by the contact with the asphalt.
Since that time, I have replaced the springs and if I am planning a longer trip (to the Gulf coast), I have another spare hub and lag nuts in a box.
WHEW!!

Dale

[erags]

If you have the tilt-bed trailer, you might want to check the single bolt that holds the tongue to the trailer.  I just put in a new 1/2"x 3 1/2" grade 8 bolt with self-locking nut. 

[Steve Ullrich]

Good advice, I'll check it. I already replaced the rusty coupler safety pin that keeps the tilt-bed from tilting. 

If you have the tilt-bed trailer, you might want to check the single bolt that holds the tongue to the trailer.  I just put in a new 1/2"x 3 1/2" grade 8 bolt with self-locking nut. 

[Craig Weis]

I hate it when my nuts are loose.
U-Bolts with split lock washers or actual locking nylon nuts, a liquid locking anaerobic thread lock, or just playing old 'squeeze the water out of them' tightness might help.

The other consideration is to use some big-O-flat washers in conjunction with a locking washer as this 'spreads out' the torque, weight and strain placed on the U-bolt assembly.  Don't use stainless. Let them rust up. Check-check-check...
skip.

[multimedia_smith]

Tilt lock...
My trailer extension has a pin that holds the back end together in travel mode...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/com-pac/photos/album/712582202/pic/1263666962/view?picmode=large&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc

I wonder how many folks have EVER used the tilt action of the trailer... I have not as yet...
This might be a good subject for a poll or new topic.
Cheers
Dale

[Steve Ullrich]

Dale,

Good question... I asked about that a couple of months ago but didn't get too many replies.  It seems most folks haven't used the tilt feature of their trailer, unless they were "launching" their boat in the yard to work on the trailer.  As I understand it, the tilt action allows you to launch in pretty shallow water.  So far I haven't had to do that.  The launches around here have been great this summer.  A couple weren't too level, which left the boat tilted a bit on the trailer.  That didn't seem to hurt anything though.  I've been tempted to pull the pin just for the heck of it to see what happens.  I can picture the motion, might be cool.

Steve

Tilt lock...
My trailer extension has a pin that holds the back end together in travel mode...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/com-pac/photos/album/712582202/pic/1263666962/view?picmode=large&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc

I wonder how many folks have EVER used the tilt action of the trailer... I have not as yet...
This might be a good subject for a poll or new topic.
Cheers
Dale

[nies]

good day, ive used the tilt many times.....really needed on shallow boat ramps for both loading and unloading, if you have a bow spirit becareful as it will hit the bow/winch post if not careful!!!!!!! ive added a wider rear roller to help in loading.......nies

[Craig Weis]

I have no tilt trailer but rather an extended tongue trailer...works great!
Best thing is by using the tongue trailer jack with the wheel, I can put just enough pressure or remove pressure and that allows me to easily push the boat while on the trailer, back and forth. So I don't have to unhook the trailer to adjust the extension...I know this is about as clear as mud. sorry.
skip.

[erags]

Took my boat out of the water for the first time.  Should have used the tilt on the trailer, but I didn't and had to back up the truck more, but I got it out.  Will look at using the tilt when I put in back in.

Ed

[Steve Ullrich]

Ed, Please let us know how that tilt feature works for you at a shallow ramp.  I've been lucky so far, the ramps I've launched at this summer have all been fairly steep. I'm curious about how well the tilt feature works.

Steve

Took my boat out of the water for the first time.  Should have used the tilt on the trailer, but I didn't and had to back up the truck more, but I got it out.  Will look at using the tilt when I put in back in.

Ed

[erags]

Steve

I will, but it going to be a month or so before I get it back into the water. Working on the inside cleaning it up now

Ed