Trailer Questions

[304boy]

I know whoever reads this will laugh, but I bought a Jon boat and trailer. I was wondering why the trailer would tilt?

 

[Brian B.]

Tilt trailers are for guys that haven't heard of marine rated hub grease .

I have seen guys at the ramp tying up one lane of the ramp for 45 minutes loading a boat with the tilting mechanism where your avg Joe would load lauch in the lane in maybe three minutes tops with one guy.

I asked a guy politely on time as he fought his tilt/ rope leader mechanism if I could help him. He says he launches all the time, and he was taught you never get the hubs wet/ submerged.

Now there may be other reasons, but launching, loading "ease".. That is the reason. To be fair- I have never owned one, only observed.

Man if I didn't have a boat I swear I would fish launch ramps primarily for the sheer spectacle.

 

[Hanr3]

My trailer can be tilted. I put a bolt in and locked it up solid.
I did replace the bearings, seals, hubs, and grease to marine grease. Also replaced the lights to LED's so I submerge them too.

 

[Brian B.]

I had LED's on my Lowe- well, well worth it, I need to switch these on my Grizzly over now too.

 

[JMichael]

My last 2 trailers were tilt trailers and I welded both of them to eliminate that feature. I hate the way the trailer rattles because of the hinged fit. As for tail lights, I started using elevated lights back before they came out with LED tail lights for trailers. Now it doesn't mater if I have normal or LED, I don't have to worry about blown bulbs or rusting connections. I've also become addicted to the forward facing yellow marker light on the back of the tail lights. I don't have to worry about lowering my tailgate in order to see where the trailer is when it's empty, and one time of backing the trailer up at night and you'd understand how addictive that little yellow light is.

IMO the elevated lights give an added bit of safety as the driver behind you is much more likely to see the brake lights or turn signal when they come on.

 

[304boy]

OK. I've never even seen anyone use this feature. Kinda crazy to be on there to begin with. That's why they make bearing covers and waterproof lights in my book.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Tilting trailers are real nice on shallow ramps or launching where there is no ramp.

 

[Brian B.]

The sessions I have seen have been a disaster- but that's just what you sometimes see at a ramp. The problem I see/ have seen with them, it's usually a light aluminum boat that will eagerly float off a submerged trailer vs the whole fighting the lead line nonsense after a rig floats off the tilt rig. The tile rig "one man" operations I have witnessed have always been popcorn worthy.

 

[304boy]

So the tilt trailer would be nice for ponds and little lakes?

 

[babills]

I launch at the edge of a river, no ramp and a 2ft drop to the water.Back up to the river tilt the trailer and let it go. pull it back up with the winch and away you go.

 

[sawmill]

When they came out with the tilt trailers we did not have the ramps like we do now. Many of the lakes I use to fish were shallow sand bottom ramps and the tilt worked good for them. There are a couple of lakes that I fish now that a tilt trailer would be nice on as you have to back you truck clear back in the water to get your boat off but I don't own one anymore and if I did I would probably bolt it so that I could not tilt it.

 

[jeffh129]

I miss the tilt bed trailer I had. If a person knows how to use it properly, it is wonderful. You really can launch your boat at an average ramp without getting your hubs wet. That might not be sure a big deal by itself. but think about it. Everything is closer to you when you tilt launch. No climbing out on the trailer tounge, no wet feet, easier to manage in the wind, you need much less water to launch.

I wished they still made them. I would buy one in a minute!

 

[NautiBuoys]

Absolutely! > "Tilting trailers are real nice on shallow ramps or launching where there is no ramp."
Have one on my duckboat rig and I can launch just about anywhere...