trailer - rebuild or replace

alk

alk

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I have a nearly 20 year old load rite tandem axle galvanized roller trailer. After mostly saltwater use, it's in pretty rough shape. It does have some decent parts; I did a disc brake conversion a year or two ago, with new actuator, hubs, brake line, etc. Tires are all brand new. Lights were just re-wired ( again). And electric winch I bought last year- favorite purchase in my boating history.

But the axles are pretty beat up, leaf springs are shot, and every single u-bolt, and suspension bolt is a rusty mess. I blew out a bearing last summer, and another one last weekend. Sitting on the side of garden state parkway in 95 degree heat, replacing bearing last week, I was ready to be done with boating.

Now trying to decide if I should just replace the entire trailer, or have the suspension, and u-bolts replaced - and perhaps axles, rollers, what else?

Anybody been down this path, and compare the prices for the two options?
 
The frame is the major concern, if the frame is in decent shape, axles with springs can be found at a reasonable cost. Axles would normally include electric drum brakes the can be swapped out with yours.

Ken
 
If it goes up for sale pm me
As long as the frame itself is still servicable, replace the parts. axels, hubs, fenders, springs, cross members
I just installed new front and rear cradels on mine
 
Haven't seen any issues with the frame, but have not examined it closely yet. i am going through bearings ( and tires) too fast, which is what makes me think the axles may be shot. I guess one of my fears is that I will spend $3,000 on new axles, springs, brakes, hubs, fenders, etc. and then the frame will rust through somewhere. Might be easier to sell mine, and start over with new one. Not even sure what that would cost though. An aluminum Venture with bunks is around 3,000.
 
I buy axles from Indiana, my last one (3500 lb) was less than $150 with springs and complete electric brakes. You can also get axles without brakes then transfer yours. I have not dealt with the seller below, this is just a starting point. I picked up mine directly from a supplier in northern Indiana.
I don't recall the the name now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/7000-7K-BRA...m23290b87e0:m:m4Oo8SwXCUPcP12i01VvDug&vxp=mtr

Ken
 
I bought a used center console a couple years ago.
I called the manufacturer(Caravan) about hubs and ended up buying a complete axel which included the damn u-bolts.
One Sunday morning I replaced axel and had a brand new trailer. I can't recall price but I know it was under $200.

I'd reccommend bolting on new axels, springs and fenders.
 
ALK, you might have a simple alignment issue. If the axil is not aligned with the tong properly, you will not only wear out tires quickly, you will as well cause side loading of the bearings which will cause them to heat up burning the grease out and causing premature bearing failure. Replacing the axil might not solve this issue. It is easy to check, find the center point of the tong, measure to the center of the axil shaft with the bearing cap removed ( you might have to take the tire off to do this). Both sides should be the same from the same center point. If not, there is the problem, if so, check to see if the axil is bent in the middle, this can cause it as well.

Also, when you replaced the bearings, did you replace the inner and outer bearing races? Did you properly set the preload on the bearings? These could be factors as well............D.............
 
Each time I replace the bearings, I bought the kit with new hub, pre-greased bearing, etc. And follow the directions that come with,

HUB INSTALLATION.
1. Remove wheel from hub.
2. Remove hub dust cap, cotter key, spindle nut and washer.
3. Remove old hub from spindle
4. Assemble new hub. Pack bearings as shown. If not already
pre-assembled or pre-greased.
5. Mount wheel.
6. Tighten the spindle nut with a 1/2 inch wrench to
approximately 40 ft. lbs. Turn wheel in both directions to be sure
wheel turns freely.
7. Turn back spindle nut 1/6 to 1/4 turn to the nearest locking
hole. Wheel should turn smoothly with
no end play or wobble.
8. Line up cotter key with nearest locking hole and spread key.
9. Install dust cap
 
Alk- In your responses I've been reading you would really be happier with a new trailer. All the above advice for restoring the old one has been great . But life is short enough so i'm going to buck the current and say SURE, if it squeezes into the budget why not go ahead and get a new trailer set up as you desire! After all you've gone through with the old trailer, even with all new parts you will still have niggling thoughts about its reliability every time you are about to use it.

If you get a new one, someone is always looking for a deal on used trailers and you can apprise any buyer about the potential issues on your old one. Or scrap it after parting out any of the good recent parts you have put on it or keep those parts as accessories or spares on the new one.

But if you do decide to cobble together a lot more major parts to make the old one safer, Eastern Marine has a pretty good supply of boat trailer replacement parts.

Happy trailering and boating!
 
Yep, every part I have on this trailer is from Eastern Marine - love that store. First hub I ever changed was in their parking lot. Axles + hubs will run about $700, suspension $300 more, so at least a grand. Don't have a price on a like-for-like replacement yet, just an aluminum bunk. Getting on-line prices for trailers isn't the easiest thing to do, so may have to do some actual shopping. This will probably be waiting for the off-season which ever way I go.

To hijack my own thread, curious where other's weigh in on the torsion vs. leaf spring debate? And how aluminum trailers hold up?
 
^^^^^

Salt or fresh water. Salt, galvanized. Fresh, aluminum. What are the launch conditions like at your go to ramp. Rough, roller. Calm, skids.

When I was a kid, trailers were split and ramps were long. You never more than 1/3 of the tire / wheel assembly wet.

Times have sure changed.
 
"And how aluminum trailers hold up?"

I have had mostly galv trailers in salt water but the last one we got was mostly aluminum with the tongue and winch beam made of galvanized square channel. So all of the parts being immersed in salt water were aluminum or stainless. The aluminum help up perfect and I really liked the fact that you can 'see' every inch of the aluminum "I" beam to know if any corrosion is present. That trailer was a dual axle 'Continental' which I used here on Long Island but also drove to Fla. and back so it did see a few thousand miles and many dunking's while I had it. Good luck and I would vote for new based on the ones that I rebuilt.
 
If it was a painted frame I would say dump it, but if galvanized then its worth restoring. I have done disc brakes, new actuator, LED lights and bearings. I just sprayed the springs with CarWell (rust preventive).

I used Bearing Buddy caps and Bearing Buddy axle seal. With this axle seal, the rubber seal is against a SS sleeve (over the spindle shoulder), not the spindle shoulder which can have rust or groove, etc.
 
Did not read the other posts............20 years, crap, my advise is absolutely replace!!!!!!!!

When I trailered boats, salt water, I tried to fix crap, then was done. No matter what I did, I always had a problem after 5 years. 7 years was my bench mark.
 
I am not dumb guy, replaced hubs, bearings etc, just always got caught with my pants down. Seemed dumb to replace, just so simple to replaced minor parts. or me, it did not work.
 
yep, need to at least replace the axle's - they just aren't sealing anymore I guess. On my way home last Sunday lost ANOTHER set of bearings - that's three wheels that almost fell of in the last two seasons. And these were three somewhat new bearing sets, re-greased and good to go. But 15-20 dunks in the saltwater, and 1,000 or so miles on the road, and they are done.

Pricing my replacement trailer - torsion or leaf springs, any opinions?
 
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