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Hi all... newbie here with a couple of questions about the Trailer...
1) When checking the tire pressure, should I do this with the boat ON the trailer or OFF? My guess would be with boat ON the trailer.... but I'm just not sure.... or does it even make a difference either way?
2) My boat is currently kept on the trailer at the place I launch from. So far I haven't had to do more then put in and take out. Tomorrow I will be pulling it to a gas station to fuel up. Do I need to worry about strapping down the stern to the trailer for a short 2 mile round trip in town....or do I only need to do that if I'm pulling the boat a more significant distance. Boat is 25' (28' LOA.) approx. 5500 lbs.
3.) Where do I go for trailer maintenance? I know nothing about brakes, hubs axles etc. so I want to make sure I take it in for regular maintenance .... somewhere... but I don't know where. I don't ever recall seeing a trailer at any of the garages I've had my car in... so where does one have a boat trailer serviced?
Any other advice on what I should have done for regular maintenance would be appreciated. I'd like to be educated about the subject so the shop working on it doesn't try to feed me BS about it.
YES!!!!! Tie the boat down everytime, anytime, all the time. Tie it down if your crossing the street. I garauntee the first time you don't tie it down something bad is going to happen.
Trailer maintenance. Boat dealer or trusted auto mechanic. In some areas they have mechanic shops that specialize in trailers.
__________________ Cape Horn 17, Yamaha F115
with
Elmo the Boat Dog
There's information on the side of the tires that gives you the maximum air pressure and load rating. Assuming that you have a dual axle trailer, you can go about 5-10 pounds less than maximum. What's important is that you get them all the same.
I never strap the boat down around these flat lands. Certain boats are easy to do and certain ones have the trailer eyes so far under the trailer that you'll possibly draw lots of attention reaching for them.
At 5,500, that boat isn't going to bounce much, so don't worry about it.
Most trailer maintenance is observation...it isn't like changing oil or filters on your car. The one item that you should get is a grease gun. Put on the rubber gloves and apply grease to the hub nipples until it starts to ooze out...then there's enough grease in them.
The fact that you're asking these questions is a good sign that your observation skills will take care of the rest.
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
Don't mean to hijack a thread but this may help him too. I have a trailer with hydraulic breaks how often should I check the fluid level in the resevoir and if it needs more do I put break fluid in it? Also should I rotate the tires on the trailer?
Unless you see a wet spot on the driveway or on the inside of a tire, brake fluid isn't leaking. Check it before and after the season and you're doing more than most.
Unless you trailer in a LOT of stop 'n go traffic, your brakes will be about the last thing to wear out.
(note to GCG, if your towing vehicle is robust enough to stop the trailer on its own, and if the trailer isn't going to be towed a whole long way, and if its several years old...many people remove the brake pads to prevent rust from locking the calipers to the discs). Older trailers (3+ years old) are likely candidates for rusted calipers unless the PO was totally anal about washing it down.
Unless you drive a LOT, the tires will most likely die of dry rot (old age cracks) instead of tread wearing down.
good questions, highlands73.
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
One thing that I've been doing in my truck, Corvette and my trailer is using a baster/turkey baster and sucking up all the fluid in the reservior and then putting in new stuff. At around $3 for a bottle, and depending on how old/nasty your fluid is, you might only need 1 or 2 bottles. It is a cheap, easy way to help make sure, short of bleeding the brakes, of having almost-new fluid in the system.
If a strap around the whole boat is too much work for a short trip, I know I didn't use it last week to bring my rig 5 miles to the shop to have a warranty issue taken care of, at least get a bow-eye/turnbuckle chain that goes from the bow eye down to the trailer tongue.
Look for a boat or any trailer shop either online or in the phone book, or, just ask any questions about trailer maintenance on here and you'll get lots of help.
Most trailer maintenance is observation...it isn't like changing oil or filters on your car. The one item that you should get is a grease gun. Put on the rubber gloves and apply grease to the hub nipples until it starts to ooze out...then there's enough grease in them.
The seller did this for me the day I picked it up so at what intervals should I continue doing this... would every 3 months or so be good?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bamaboy473
(note to GCG, if your towing vehicle is robust enough to stop the trailer on its own, and if the trailer isn't going to be towed a whole long way, and if its several years old...many people remove the brake pads to prevent rust from locking the calipers to the discs). Older trailers (3+ years old) are likely candidates for rusted calipers unless the PO was totally anal about washing it down.
I drive a GMC Yukon Denali... It has a nice tow package on it ... but I don't think I'm comfortable removing the trailers brakes. Not sure how anal the owner was about the wash down (he says he was... but you never know).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Back-in-Black
what kind of 28' boat is only 5500 lbs?
LOL.... well I could be wrong... I looked at a few of this same boat and each person mentioned the weight between 5000 and 6000 lbs. so I split the difference. It's an older Carver Montego cabin cruiser.....hold the laughter... it is what I could afford and meets my newbie needs... I'll upgrade as soon as I hit the lottery
Quote:
Originally Posted by raymonds
It is my understanding in Florida that a boat on a trailer has to have a tie down strap on the stern. Is that correct?
LOL... funny... no motorcycle helmet law but you'd better have a strap on that stern. Oh well... no problem... better safe than sorry.
Hats off to anybody that just jumps in and starts boating!
Your Yukon is plenty of truck, so no worries there. Carver makes (and made) a fine boat.
All of us have our "first boat" stories, and its a safe bet that we didn't start off with such a boat as you chose. This will be a memorable summer for you, so enjoy.
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
It isn't only about the boat bouncing. It's also to keep the boat on the trailer when you try to, skillfully, avoid running over that aluminum I-beam that's in your path on the interstate. Yeah, you're probably going 55 mph MAX, but it's all about inertia:
Your truck and trailer "swerve" only 20-30 degrees off track but the boat's center-of-mass will continue in a straight line. Do that quickly enough and it could become interesting in a hurry as that boat departs its proper resting place on the trailer.
...which brings us to that checklist you want to keep on the jackstand. Plug, remove wheel chocks, remove tie-down straps, blower on, check engine fluid levels, etc.
If you can, place a spare plug in your glove compartment for that inevitable moment that you launch the boat and then remember that the plug is still at your home. AMHIK
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
Hi all... newbie here with a couple of questions about the Trailer...
1) When checking the tire pressure, should I do this with the boat ON the trailer or OFF? My guess would be with boat ON the trailer.... but I'm just not sure.... or does it even make a difference either way?
2) My boat is currently kept on the trailer at the place I launch from. So far I haven't had to do more then put in and take out. Tomorrow I will be pulling it to a gas station to fuel up. Do I need to worry about strapping down the stern to the trailer for a short 2 mile round trip in town....or do I only need to do that if I'm pulling the boat a more significant distance. Boat is 25' (28' LOA.) approx. 5500 lbs.
3.) Where do I go for trailer maintenance? I know nothing about brakes, hubs axles etc. so I want to make sure I take it in for regular maintenance .... somewhere... but I don't know where. I don't ever recall seeing a trailer at any of the garages I've had my car in... so where does one have a boat trailer serviced?
Any other advice on what I should have done for regular maintenance would be appreciated. I'd like to be educated about the subject so the shop working on it doesn't try to feed me BS about it.
Thanks
1. On the trailer or off. On is usually easier because the boat is usually on the trailer and you want to check the pressure with the tires cold (you haven't been towing for a while).
2. Put the straps on. You don't know in advance when you're going to need them. It should only take a minute.
3. There are trailer repair shops in most towns and cities. Look in the phone book. Marinas and boat dealers may service trailers or know someone who does.
You didn't ask this but someone mentioned it so - Don't disable or remove the brakes and don't allow anyone to do so. Even if you're towing with a Mac truck. Having effective brakes on your trailer is a good thing when you have to stop in a hurry. And, the law requires them.
Don't mean to hijack a thread but this may help him too. I have a trailer with hydraulic breaks how often should I check the fluid level in the resevoir and if it needs more do I put break fluid in it?
Well yes, if it needs more you put brake fluid in it. Usually up to about 1/2" from the top, but check the manual.
Brake fluid is not consumed in use so if you have to add brake fluid, you have a leak. You should get that fixed ASAP.
Quote: Originally Posted by Back-in-Black what kind of 28' boat is only 5500 lbs?
LOL.... well I could be wrong... I looked at a few of this same boat and each person mentioned the weight between 5000 and 6000 lbs. so I split the difference. It's an older Carver Montego cabin cruiser.....
I think you'll find it weighs far more than that. And add 1,200 lb or more for the trailer. Tow it to a public scale and get it weighed.
Your going to hear a lot of different opinions every time you ask a question here, or anywhere else, on the web. Every day you're gambling with everything you do; you could choke on your breakfast and die, but do you choose to stop eating? Of course not. On the other hand, you probably don't choose to play in traffic on the interstate during rush hour because you enjoy the thrill. I hope this doesn't sound too condescending.
It sounds like you intend to maintain your trailer, so if all you're using it for is short, two mile, trips to fuel up your boat, it's very unlikely that you'll have any problems whether you strap it down or not. And if straps are required by Florida law (I don't know) it seems unlikely that the police would notice if you don't use them.
Beyond that, everyone should consider the advice given about strapping the boat down, and the physics involved in keeping a boat on a trailer during an unexpected event. Many people seem to be under the mistaken impression that a large boat is more likely to stay put on a trailer because it's mass will keep it there, the truth is that you just need larger restraints to make sure it stays there. When things go wrong a big boat will be harder to stop, and more resistant to changing direction, as you try to avoid an obstacle in your path. The advice to tie the boat down was good advice, it's very cheap insurance.
I don't think that the comment about disabling brakes came out as intended. I don't know of anyone who would just remove the brake pads to disable a brake system. That seems like a sure way to blow the pistons out of the calipers or slave cylinders, then you'd not only be without brakes but also have the pistons in contact with the disks or bouncing around inside the drums. You'd have brake fluid all over everything, and with surge brakes the actuator would still be sliding forward and back each time you accelerate or decelerate. So for anyone who wants to disable your brakes, it's a bit more complex than just removing the pads.
The point about your boat weight should also be considered if you ever choose to pull the boat more than the two miles to refuel. The 5000 to 6000 lb estimates you got were probably based on the manufacturers advertised dry weight. These weights can be very misleading, and are usually based on a boat without motors, with empty tanks, and no optional equipment at all. Looking at boats like yours on the web I think that once you add the trailer weight to the boat with fuel you'll probably be a lot close to 10,000 lbs than 5,000. I made this same mistake years back when I let a dealer convince me that my Chevy Suburban 1500 would pull the 5500 lb boat that I bought. Tow ratings have increased a lot since then, and I was pulling relatively long distances. I burned up the rear axle bearings on that truck before the end of the first summer we had the boat. When I weighed it on the trailer it was nearly 9000 lbs. So before you pull your boat any significant distance please make sure you know what the truck is rated to tow, and the weight it's actually towing.
As far as how often to add grease to your hubs, we don't have enough info to answer that question. Some of the newer lubrication systems (SuperLube/Spindle Lube http://www.tiedown.com/pdf/c718.pdf) can take grease as often as you'd like to add it, some systems (Bearing Buddy style http://www.bearingbuddy.com/why.html) are not designed for easy replacement or flushing out of the old grease just by using a grease gun and adding too much grease will cause the grease seals to blow out. Talk to who ever you decide to have do your trailer maintenance.
So again, two miles is not very far, but some awareness of the odds is necessary for every choice we make. And enjoy your new boat.
Bill
Good replies, Bigger Hammer, but allow me to clarify my statement about removing brakes if the trailer is a short hauler only; and over urban and flat land.
I had a 3 year old trailer that sat over a winter and the brakes bound to the discs; scrubbing tires for 50' until I smelled that the wheels weren't turning. I live 200 yards from the launch site and wash the boat/trailer a lot...but it's sitting up caused the rust...and maybe aided by residual salt water in the piston/pad crevices.
I had to remove the calipers themselves to free up the discs. Two bolts, a plug into the fluid hose and that was that. Once those old calipers rusted out, getting new ones was the only alternative, and I didn't feel like I needed to do that if they were only going to rust again. As you know, newer type calipers are a lot more rust resistant, but I would continue to run without (for what I do) than install replacements.
One other thing about trailers and brakes is the Backing Up problem that can occur if your trailer senses the backing up as a braking situation (the hitch is compressing the surge piston) That causes the trailer brakes to lock up and your truck is now forced to scrub tires or....lock out the surge. If the electrical connector from trailer to truck is working and attached, then this isn't supposed to happen....but if you believe in Murphy's Law, then buy a cheapo 6" C-clamp to use on the tongue for when you need to back up and don't have an interest in trying to diagnose spastic braking.
I have a brand new trailer and the C-clamp might look tacky, but I will never worry about whether my trailer's going to back into the carport again. I also don't connect the electronics for that 200 yard haul, either...so there's that.
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
Adding brake fluid? As your brake pads wear down the level of fluid in the reservoir will drop. Kind of like the fluid is taking the place of the pads as the pistons are required to be further out of the cylinders, to engage the brakes. So it may not be leaking, the brake pads could be worn and no one ever refilled the reservoir.
Bama, I don't thi nk anyone is trying to dispute your position. However towing 200 yards is not the same as towing across town.
__________________ Cape Horn 17, Yamaha F115
with
Elmo the Boat Dog
Newbie with Trailer Questions 
