In Over My Head?????

[Lenny]

Just brought a 14ft boat trailer combo. The boat is in great shape but the trailer is another story.

The tire and wheel on the right side didn't even have bearings in it. I'm thinking that I'm gonna need a new axle kit, tires and wheels. I'll probably scrape off some of the old paint and wire brush some of the rust and paint. How diffcult is it going to be to replace the axles on the trailer?? should I take it somewhere or is it a bolt on deal.

Any tips or advise would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

 

[bassboy1]

While that is fixable, it probably would be cheaper to buy a better used trailer.

If you do work on that one, you will need a whole new axle. You can buy just the spindles, but by the time you pay a shop to weld them on, an axle would have been cheaper. New Bearings and Races. New Tires/wheels. Were it me, I would also replace the springs, and U-bolts, but I tend to replace parts sooner than some people would. If I might have to worry about it failing me, I replace it now, not wait until it gets worse.

What I don't like about that is the major pitting in the back. You cannot stop rust. You have to get it down to metal that has been untouched by rust to completely halt it. I am afraid that yours is pitted too far to do that.

 

[Loggerhead Mike]

your first step needs to be getting that trailer sandblasted. after that it wont need but some metal to patch the rusted out places.

everything just looks surface rusted except the places rusted out wich are an easy fix if you have a welder and some metal

my trailer looked alot worse when i braught it home. surface rust aint no big deal it looks worse than it really is

your springs are fine, axle looks good unless its heavily rusted near the hubs that we cant see. the axle is only held in by the 4 ubolts. i'd replace the ubolts, they're only a few bucks

 

[Lenny]

The pitting is a concern to me too. I was thinking having a buddy of mine who does metal work for a living cut those parts out and weld in a new piece of steel. I got this trailer for free with the boat so fixing it would probadly be cheaper that getting another one and I know that the parts on the trailer are brand new. I only paid 200 bucks and the boat is in excellent condition.

 

[Lenny]

Just called a trailer shop called Ameritrail. They want $500 to sandblast the trailer if I
take it apart. Is that a good deal or should I look somewhere else???

 

[hatch17]

Just called a trailer shop called Ameritrail. They want $500 to sandblast the trailer if I
take it apart. Is that a good deal or should I look somewhere else???

I think that is a little high. I found a used trailer in the local bulletin board for $125. You may be able to find a good deal on a used one that may take little to no repair.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Scrap that one. Does it have a title? The papers would be worth more that the trailer.

 

[Brine]

Just a couple minutes of searching by you for under $500.

Some come with a boat! :lol:

https://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/1259778831.html

https://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/1259532021.html

https://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/1259510396.html

https://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/1257484735.html

https://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/1254128190.html

 

[Lenny]

Sounds like a plan. Maybe you guys are right. I have the paperwork for the
trailer so what do I scrap the trailer at. Recycle plant??? So I guess the trailer ain't worth fixing.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Just called a trailer shop called Ameritrail. They want $500 to sandblast the trailer if I
take it apart. Is that a good deal or should I look somewhere else???

For that much just buy a new trailer



https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=5002

I do not really like that harbor freight trailer - contact a few boat places I bet you can get a trailer that will handle that little boat for less then $200.00 that needs no work

 

[poolie]

I'm with everyone else. I'd look at getting a new or at least a different trailer. It was free so you're out nothing.

 

[Lenny]

Just called a trailer shop called Ameritrail. They want $500 to sandblast the trailer if I
take it apart. Is that a good deal or should I look somewhere else???

For that much just buy a new trailer



https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=5002

I do not really like that harbor freight trailer - contact a few boat places I bet you can get a trailer that will handle that little boat for less then $200.00 that needs no work

What don't you like about the harbor freight trailer??

I was planning on going this route. $311.00 for a new trailer sounds good and runs about the price of a used one, but if ain't the way to go then I'll back off.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Sounds like a plan. Maybe you guys are right. I have the paperwork for the
trailer so what do I scrap the trailer at. Recycle plant??? So I guess the trailer ain't worth fixing.

Save the wheels, tires, hubs, axle, springs, winch, winch stand, bunks, bunk hardware and lights if they work. If the coupler is bolted on keep that too.
Cut it up and take it to the recycler. If there is a VIN Plate keep that with the title you can put that on another trailer if needed.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Just called a trailer shop called Ameritrail. They want $500 to sandblast the trailer if I
take it apart. Is that a good deal or should I look somewhere else???

For that much just buy a new trailer



https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=5002

I do not really like that harbor freight trailer - contact a few boat places I bet you can get a trailer that will handle that little boat for less then $200.00 that needs no work

What don't you like about the harbor freight trailer??

I was planning on going this route. $311.00 for a new trailer sounds good and runs about the price of a used one, but if ain't the way to go then I'll back off.

The HF trailer seems to be made from very low grade stuff. I am sure it will work just find - but I dislike the tiny tires and such. Look for a used trailer a size up from what you need and it will last forever

 

[russ010]

The 1236 boat I bought came with a Harbor Freight trailer.. it was a 1994 model. I sanded it and painted it and it looked brand new again... there are no problems with those trailers.

If you end up getting another trailer, don't recycle it at a recycle place - sell it CHEAP to someone who really needs it and doesn't have much money to buy a new one. If you're going to trash it, put a craigslist add out for a free trailer. Someone can make it work for them for a few bucks if it really needs fixing. Most of what I saw was cosmetics. The axle is probably fine, but you won't know until you get the wheels/hubs off and look at the spindle. The hubs you can get for $50-80 for a pair, and the axle might cost $100. You can probably find a shop to make one for you using most of what you already have.

 

[bassboy1]

I see a lot of people mentioning how the axle seems fine, but here is what worries me.

The tire and wheel on the right side didn't even have bearings in it.

The spindle on an axle is a precisely machined surface, and it is very important that it stays a precisely machined surface. Any scratching, gouging or pitting is bad news for a spindle. Given it didn't even have bearings in it, and is currently laying on the ground, I would bet 20 bucks it is showing signs of damage that are just hiding behind the fender.

I am not saying it cannot be fixed. What I am saying is for the money and time that would be spent fixing it, he would be better off buying a good used trailer.

 

[grizzly]

had a landscape guy bring his trailer into work last week with the bearings destroyed. cheapest route we could find was a brand new axle, with hubs and bearings already installed and new leaf springs, all for 96.00 at a local trailer shop. 4 bolts and 4 minutes and i had it installed.

biggest problem with your trailer is the rusted through corners. i agree, sell it for 25 bucks and start looking for a used one on craigslist. put your boat on some sawhorses and by the time your done fixing it up you will have found a trailer.

good luck!

 

[Loggerhead Mike]

500 bucks YIKES. i wished we were closer all it would take is a few bags of sand and some metal and we'd have ya on the road for under 50 bucks

i would not give the trailer away. take the rubber parts and wiring out and take it to a scrap metal yard. you'll probably get 50+ bucks for it depending on how much metal is going for in your part

 

[bassboy1]

i would not give the trailer away. take the rubber parts and wiring out and take it to a scrap metal yard. you'll probably get 50+ bucks for it depending on how much metal is going for in your part

Not right now you aren't. Definitely a buyer's market for scrap at the current. I have been hoarding all my scrap for a while, hoping to save it for when the price goes up, but that doesn't look it will happen anytime soon.

 

[Loggerhead Mike]

i recon i stand corrected. its been about 2 years since we scraped some old cars but i called the place after reading this and it looks like they wont even give you enough to go to the dollar menu @ micky d's. i cant beleave its gone down so much, must be everybody scraping everything they can when the economy took a dump