trailer safety

[mandolinut]

This information will be old news to some of you and new information to others.
I am writing this following a broken axle episode last May.  Turns out the broken axle was probably due to "metal fatigue" over a 30 year period. The broken axle showed no sign of rust !!  The original axle is a square tubular shaped three sided affair with the missing side facing the road.  I never anticipated a broken axle. This made me start thinking about the weakest link.

I replaced the axle with a four sided square tubular axle rated at 3500 lbs. (wish I had done it sooner).  If you consider the empty boat weight at 1100 pounds, the trailer at 400 pounds, the motor and gas tank at 100 pounds, extra anchors and gear at another 100 pounds you are up to around 1700 pounds.    I have no doubt that many of you have replaced old worn tires with premounted tires from walmart, northern tool supply, etc.   Be cautioned!!! Many of these tires are two ply and rated at 750 pounds per tire which is stamped into the rubber on the side of the tire.  This has nothing to do with size of the tire.  Total  safe load for these tires would be 1350 pounds (the 1500 pouind rating minus 10% = 1350).     When replacing tires, go for the 6 ply, c rated,  highway rated, 950 pounds per tire rated     tires.
Also consider changing out your axle if 30 years old and original. For an extra $45  you can get new springs rated for 2000 pounds  (beware of springs rated for less weight). I replaced my 3 leaf springs with new three leaf springs just to find the leafs on the new springs were shorter than the original three leafs. When I questioned the difference, the trailer co. said the new three leafs were rated for 1500 pounds (not enough for us) and the four leaf were rated for 2000 pounds. I exchanged springs and now ride with an axle rated at 3500, tires at 1900, and springs at 2000.  It is a good feeling.
Hope this information helps.

[Bob23]

   It does. I've been reading all the trailer posts over the years and although the 2 axles on my old Load-Rite that supports my 1985 23/2 seem ok, they are not galvanized. They were pretty well rusted when I bought the boat 7 years ago and I've painted them with Rustoleum rusty metal primer but as of late, I wondered about the insides of the axles. I'll probably address this next spring when the trailer is free.
   We do have to pay attention to trailer tires. I checked into this when I refurbished the trailer right after I bought the boat. I bought all my stuff at Eastern, which is about 1 1/2 hrs from my house. And no sales tax! I love the state of Delaware.
http://www.easternmarine.com/

[kickingbug1]

    one thing to consider with springs other than load is ride. you dont want the trailer to feel as if it has no suspension at all. that would be far to rough on the boat. one consideration might be length of the spring pack. contact an automotive spring company and tell them what you have. welding on new mounts isnt a big deal. for me my stock trailer and springs seem just fine and the axle is like new. but it has never seen salt water.

[mandolinut]

The reason I mentioned the springs, is that the trailer supply company I purchased the three leaf springs from, assumed they were an even replacement. As it turned out, the springs were rated for 1200 pounds....not enough when you add trailer and motor and gear weight.  General recommendation is to be 10% over your need for tires, springs, and axles. The four leaf springs are rated at 2000 lbs which meets the need without going overboard and losing your suspension. For a lot of us, it is hard to put time and money into the trailer we seldom use. 

[Ted]

I had my axle give way on the tollway going through Miami at Friday's rush hour. Fortunately, I was alongside an off ramp when I smelled smoke. Looking back, the tire was at a pretty severe angle, still rotating but smoking. I took the exit, stopped, and slowly drove to the bottom of the ramp.

The axle on my trailer was not a "straight through" axle but had drops outs, making the height of the whole rig about 2 inches shorter than it would have been with a straight axle. It was at that point that the axle had given way. Just before we left, my wife had asked, "Are you sure that rust back there won't' make any problems?" to which I replied, "No problem for sure - there is still a lot of good metal there."

I used my smartphone to call a local shop and they called back their staff to work, came in a truck and jacked up the boat at the tollway plaza, used a torch to remove the old axle, and took me back to their shop. They fabricated a new axle there for me, we all drove back where they installed it. I was back on the road about two hours later and $400 poorer.

This was the first time I had ever trailored anything. Live and learn!   

You can be assured that I now check the buddy bearings, tires, lights, frame, etc. very thoroughly.