My Trailer Floats, Normal? Anything I can do about it? - The Hull Truth

redneck7 · 09-22-2006, 12:04 AM

Title pretty much says it all. I just bought the boat at the end of the summer and its got a tandem axle aluminum trailer. It makes it hard (read: nearly impossible) to load/unload by myself.
Thanks,
Ryan

radioshop · 09-22-2006, 12:22 AM

Air down the tires for loading/unloading. Or you could try ballasting the trailer. I've seen this before on an old Rolls Axle trailer that had small high pressure tires. There's nothing like hitting a moving target with a crosswind.

redneck7 · 09-22-2006, 12:38 AM

I'd never heard of this and the trailer looks like any other trailer, only difference I can see is that mine doesn't have brakes even though its carrying a 4-5K lb boat (wasn't my choice...I had to tow the thing from FL to VA without, so you can bet I want them now).

welder · 09-22-2006, 12:49 AM

Ballast the trailer and/or can you power load on the trailer before its starts to float.
A guy here does that , back it in till it almost floats then use the boat motor to get on the trailer. It does take some practice.

And get some dang brakes on that trailer before you get in trouble.

redneck7 · 09-22-2006, 01:29 AM

Thoughts on what to ballast with? I dive and have plenty of lead laying around but was worried about dissimilar (spelling) metals in saltwater. The technique you describe is what I do everytime, but the boat is a full inboard and I just don't feel 100% comfy spinning the prop that fast 2inches from a trailer beam, plus its 2inches away if my aim is dead on...who knows how close that prop (and my wallet) gets to the trailer when I miss by a few inches or feet...

welder · 09-22-2006, 01:35 AM

OK , how about a couple tractor front end weights and bolt on a bracket one or two can hang on on each side of the trailer [ can be removed easy]

warthog5 · 09-22-2006, 01:39 AM

Suggestion for ballast.

A length of 2in sch. 40 PVC with cap's for both end's. Thru bolted in several places to the inside of the frame rail's.
Install them with on a angle. Front end slightly down, back end slightly up. Glue the cap on, on the front side. [downhill side] Then pour it full of lead shot and glue the cap on the back side on.

I bet you can get away with 1 1/2ft to 2ft long piece of PVC on each side.

welder · 09-22-2006, 02:22 AM

Bobby that's why you make the big buck's.

Awesome idea.

redneck7 · 09-22-2006, 02:30 AM

Thanks for the suggestions, but Warthog, why angled forward (as in toward the tongue?)?

Powerstroke · 09-22-2006, 03:36 AM

You can get the lead from tire shops,they have buckets of old tire weight.

kerno · 09-22-2006, 08:12 AM

One of the dive boats at our ramp had a similar problem and solved it by drilling holes through several 5 lb weights and stacking them on studs sticking forward from the rear crossmember of the trailer. You'll find it takes less than you'd think to keep in submerged.

Franco2boat · 09-22-2006, 09:08 AM

Before you go hauling an extra ton of weight around, can you get any of the air out of the frame itself? Without seeing the trailer, its just a guess on my part, and you may have already done this, but I would sure look into drilling a couple well placed holes. Allowing water to enter into the body of an aluminum frame shouldn't hurt anything as its gonna drain right back out.

Just a thought.

KKKKFL

StPeteRebel · 09-22-2006, 09:45 AM

I had the problem, and was worried about dissimilar metals as well. I took 2 pieces of 2 inch piece of PVC and field it with as much stuff, (rocks, sand, etc ) and put two caps on each end and mounted it to the frame via heavy duty black zip ties. You can barely see the pipes as they are tucked inside the frame of the aluminium ibeams and they are easy to remove thanks to the zips ties. Not to mention they are sealed so no worry about water/metal corrosion.

capt_dalton · 09-22-2006, 09:55 AM

Yep, shouldn't take much weight. My friend's trailer does this and I was curious, so I waded back and pushed it down, no problem.

Mr. Demeanor · 09-22-2006, 11:21 AM

You could also fill the pvc tubing with concrete or cut lengths of re-bar if you dont want to mess around with finding and melting lead. Find out how much weight you need first.

crparmelee · 09-22-2006, 11:48 AM

If it is a bunk trailer I would just lag bolt a couple of pieces of lead to the underside of the bunks.

mj1angier · 09-22-2006, 12:38 PM

If it has pvc guides on each side, you could fill them. If not, get som and fill them. The guides will help with loading too.

warthog5 · 09-22-2006, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Thanks for the suggestions, but Warthog, why angled forward (as in toward the tongue?)?

So it's easy to pour the lead shot in and doesn't roll back out. The PVC will already have hole's drilled in it and be bolted up. If you try and fill it first the shot will run out of the hole's for the fastner's.

Lead at tire store's is not usually free anymore. It bring's a pretty fair price at the scrap yard. [unless you know someone with a tire store]
The lead shot will fill much better and easier. #4 Buckshoot measure's 1/4in ball's and will pack well.

The idea of lag bolting into the bunk's is a good idea too.

Be VERY careful with the type of fastner's you use. IE [Tye Wrap's]
Your adding a fair amount of weight in a small area. You don't want this sucker comming off going down the road. It could do some serious damage to a car behind you.

cb3door · 09-22-2006, 01:31 PM

Un-strap it from the boat???

JK-- I've done that before--couldn't figure out why I could still see my trailer fenders along side the boat!

lbud · 09-22-2006, 01:35 PM

put some radial tires on it.