Setting up a trailer for the first time.

[charlg]

I just picked up a used trailer. It's a 10 year old painted steel triple axle. It's not much to look at, and it is showing quite a bit of surfacee rust, but the frame solid.

My thought was to use the lift at my yacht club to hold it over the trailer to see how it lines up. Is there a rule of thumb on where the bunks should be? Should the transom line up with the end of the bunks?

I've always bought the boat and trailer together. Any other important information would be appreciated.

 

[chuck1]

IMHO - Bunks should extend past the transom also need to set it so the tongue weight correct.

 

[Lazy Daze]

As above, ideally the bunks should extend at least a little bit past the transom. It's not critical if you're off by a few inches, but it is best if it extends somewhat.

Line the bunks up with the vertical part of a lifting strake - leave about a 1-inch gap. Meaning, the bunk sits "outboard" of the strake. You'll have to experiment with exact placement and which lifting strake - depends on adjustability of bunks and where the strakes are on the boat. If you have (3) strakes (not including the chine) shoot for the middle strake. If you have 4 bunks, you can play around a little more.

It's not hard, but experience does help a lot. Take your time. Ask around the yard or look around the yard at other trailers.

To get the tongue weight correct, you may have to move the axles. There's really no way to easily explain where the boat should be in regards to the axles as it will change depending on boat and trailer. This is where the experience comes in to be able to "eyeball" it.

But, you can use a scale (like a truck scale). On the other hand, you could just go for a drive. If it's holding steady at 70mph and feels solid when you brake (hard!), you should be fine.

Or, you could hire someone to do it that has experience. Just to give you an idea, we typically charge an hour to an hour and a half of labor time. Sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more.

 

[poormonkey]

I don't have any pictures of our 290 sitting on the trailer, but I can tell you I run 750 pounds of tongue weight. I pull her with a diesel excursion.

 

[Dave M.]

If you have torsion suspension, then it is important that the trailer frame is level with the pavement, when attached to your tow rig in a normal towing configuration. That way you get equal weight on all three axles, thus equal tire loading.

You will want to verify that the trailer brakes work as expected, and if surge brakes, that they release properly. The surge brake mechanism may need grease. You should check the tires, of course, and look at the manufacturer date code to see how old they are.

I would strongly recommend getting the trailer set up with the proper tongue weight, I would not guess at it. Mine is about 800 lb, and it would be a much better setup if I could get 1500 lb. But that would overload a lot of hitch components. My truck needs the trailer weight for proper balance and traction.

If the axle position is adjustable, as mine is, you may want to check the distance from the center of the tow ball, when hitched, to a reference point of your choice on the left and right side of each axle. The measurement should be the same, and tells you the axles are tracking straight forward. If not, you could have tire wear issues.

If the bunks extend past the end of the boat, and are located under the trim tabs, then you will have to be careful that you don't load the boat with the trim tabs lowered.

 

[unlvrebel]

...Or, you could hire someone to do it that has experience. Just to give you an idea, we typically charge an hour to an hour and a half of labor time. Sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more.

Words of wisdom and a huge bargain.:thumbsup:

You'll spend a LOT more time than this. Pay the $$ for a good set up the first time. This is a lot different that just servicing your hubs.

 

[K-9]

I would add rollers...

 

[charlg]

The boat got put on the trailer. I only needed to haul it about a mile to my driveway, then I will take it 12 miles to the winter storage lot. It's an OK set up...not great. However, I just noticed that two bottom through hulls are resting on bunks. How bad is that?

 

[Jack F]

The boat got put on the trailer. I only needed to haul it about a mile to my driveway, then I will take it 12 miles to the winter storage lot. It's an OK set up...not great. However, I just noticed that two bottom through hulls are resting on bunks. How bad is that?

Not good,You should be able to adjust that.

 

[charlg]

Not good,You should be able to adjust that.

They are fixed bunks (non-adjustable). If it is bad for the through hulls, I'll have to possibly shim those areas???

 

[Lazy Daze]

What type of thru-hulls? The relatively flush-type or the scoop-type?

Flush-type: don't worry.

Scoop-type: #1 Preference is move the bunks. #2 is cut the bunk. But, you may need to add supports for the bunk if both ends of the cut are not near a support.

A couple of pictures would help us.

 

[MExcelsior]

What type of thru-hulls? The relatively flush-type or the scoop-type?

Flush-type: don't worry.

Scoop-type: #1 Preference is move the bunks. #2 is cut the bunk. But, you may need to add supports for the bunk if both ends of the cut are not near a support.

A couple of pictures would help us.

I agree that you shouldn't bunk a high-speed pickup thru-hull. Also, I had a Crownline with a plastic "flush-type" thru-hull that sat on my bunk and it ended up being a mess after a couple of seasons. If you are going to trailer regularly, this will be a problem... but probably okay if you are putting the boat on and off a couple of times a year. A stainless flush thru-hull should be OK!

 

[charlg]

What type of thru-hulls? The relatively flush-type or the scoop-type?

Flush-type: don't worry.

Scoop-type: #1 Preference is move the bunks. #2 is cut the bunk. But, you may need to add supports for the bunk if both ends of the cut are not near a support.

A couple of pictures would help us.

They are flush type. One is for the macerator. Pics are not that good. Sorry.

 

[Lazy Daze]

OK. The pics are good enough. Unfortunately, the thru-hulls are the least of your worries. That trailer was custom built for a different hull than yours. You can tell by the very minimal contact area between the hull and the bunks.

What should be done? Cut the upright supports off and put new bunk brackets on in the right location. I'd suggest biting the bullet and paying a shop a half day to a day of labor to do it for you. If not, there is a possibility you can deform your hull. I'm not saying it's definitely going to happen, but it is a possibility. If you had a Bay... it would certainly happen.

Now, the hull is somewhat flexible and can rebound - depending on how much stress was put on it to begin with. But, over time, having that stress localized the way it is can do damage. It may not happen the first year, but it gets more and more likely every year it is on the trailer.

You've got a nice boat - a big investment. Spend a couple bucks and make the trailer right.