Gamerse
New Member
The last thing anyone wants to do is shell out $1000.00 for a new single ski trailer. They are however more expensive for a reason. Trailers, and there construction have changed over the years. Read on....
What did your new jestski weigh 10 years ago? 350-600lbs? Remember, the heaviest thing about that time were the SUV skis, (being the exceptionaly heavy weight) and who really sold one without the trailer? Lets go back another 10 years, how much did your new ski weigh then? 280-450lbs? The heaviest thing on the market was a decked out three seater.
Trailers, much like skis, are purpose built to a point. When it was built, the designer had a certain amount of weight in mind. If the trailer was designed in the early 90s, its probably constructed of a lightweight small square tubing, and small wheels/tires. Mid to late 90s, will be constructed of a larger square tubing, 2"+ square tongue, possibly larger 10-12" wheels and possibly a thicker wall tubing. Late model trailers are obvious, 10-14" wheels, and the dead giveaway, a 3" or 4" square tubing tongue.
What does it all mean? Well, if your thinking about putting a new 4 stroke on your old trailer, you may want to find out if it can handle the weight. Especially if you are about to mix and match on a two space trailer. Two place trailers have been around forever, and since they are more costly than singles, they tend to get traded/resold more often.
The next thing is condition, condition comes second, because if the trailer can't handle the weight, rotten bunks are the least of your concerns.
Back to purpose, did you know there are short and long range trailers? If your trailer is rated for your ski, but only 8" wheels, it probably should not be used for long weekend cross country trips. The reason? Heat for one, wear for another. We'll assume that both tires are the same aspect ratio to keep the math easy. An 8"wheel will have to rotate twice as many times as a 16" wheel to cover the same distance. So, while your car has traveled 400 miles, your trailer just traveled 800... That means more bearing maintenance, and more frequent tire replacement.
Most travel trailers will have a 12-14" wheel. Premium trailers will have a standard 15" trailer wheel. Custom trailers, like cars, have wheels as big as the owners pockets. Custom trailer companies can build your dream rig these days, but they are designed for the weight, four place trailers are built on full size tandem axles!
The good news is, all the axles bolt on with U-bolts. If you have a short range, but you want a long range, with some creative shopping, you can bolt on the larger axle, wheel and tire combo for long range travel.
Recap, before you put 12-15,000 dollars on a 300-500 dollar trailer, think about if the trailer is rated for the ski, how far you are going, and if or how often you will take long distance trips with the ski.
What condition is the trailer in? If its yours or used, you should replace the bunk carpet before setting the showroom new ski on it. (assuming it is a new ski) Replacing the bunks with new marine treated pieces and stainless hardware is also an option, this will depend on the condition and age of the trailer.
SALTWATER USERS, you guys have it the worst, many, if not most, trailer builders do not coat the inside of the trailer during construction. They are nice enough to drill drainage holes, most of the time... Take a hammer, and tap around on the trailer. weak spots will have a different tone than solids. I'm sure someone on here can add to that or has a better method for finding thin spots in metal. Just because its pretty on the outside, doesn't mean its not about to rust a hole from the inside, through the paint. Aluminium doesn't rust, but it does oxidize, and horribly so in salt. If your trailer is aluminium, it should be inspected as well.
Trailer thoughts....
My experience: my boat's trailer has been in the salt, alot. The previous owner left the jack down one day, and tried to move the trailer. The 4" tongue was so rusted thin on the inside (the outside only showed slight spot scaling) the whole tongue twisted 1/8" rotation where it attaches to the main rails. The second time I loaded the boat, the aft part of the starboard bunk fell apart from rot. I then found that the bunk bracket on that location was almost rusted through. The boat was sitting fine on the trailer, the boat launched fine, it wasn't until the empty trailer was put back in the water, that the bunk fell apart...
I never leave my boats/skis in the water due to hull staining and algae growth. I'm on the river almost every weekend. I came up with a new mantra. "The first launch of the season is to maintenance/fix the trailer" This is a good thought, because if your first launch is to take the boat/ski out, you do take the boat/ski out and find out you have a rotten bunk at the end of the day, your screwed.
My maintenance routine:
Perform all the wheel maintenance before you leave the driveway. If you park you boat in a grass area, check for critters first, then move the boat to a comfortable work area. Check wheel bearing condition, lubricate as necessary, a bad bearing can lead to a lost wheel and major damage. Look at the sidewalls, and between the treads, any crack big enough to fit a fingernail in is too big. Most important, tire inflation pressure. Low pressure is the #1 cause of blow outs.
Launch the boat a couple weeks before the season, and just park it. If its a ski, obviously you and three or four buddies could set it in the yard on a rug. Now check all the areas of the trailer that you could not with the boat or ski on it. Bunks are the most vulnerable, the carpet will wear out. It is sacrificial, it keeps your hull from scraping bare wood, and allows the boat to be loaded and launched easier. The aft section of the bunks wear the fastest, followed by the middle, then forward. Check the brackets and hardware that hold the bunks, you may have to loosen and reattach carpet to look at them.
Carpet holds moisture, especially when sandwiched between fiberglass and wood. If they have a bit of mold on them, its not abnormal. Bunks may flex a bit, but rot will be obvious, check for any fasteners that screw into the bunks that look as if they backed out, or are loose. Fasteners in rotten wood tend to degrade at an accelerated pace. You can give the bunks a good upward pull, if they seem solid, all is probabbly well.
Ever wondered if your trailer is on the ball right? Here is my quick adjustment.
Trailer coupler adjustment: (commonly mistakenly called "hitches") take the appropriate ball size, just the ball, and insert it in the coupler. Latch the ball in place and tighten the nut on the bottom until a snug fit is obtained. Release the latch.
More thorough instructions here: http://philcotrailersales.com/2010/02/09/how-to-properly-adjust-the-fulton-type-trailer-coupler/
Some people like clean couplers and balls, I prefer a bit of grease on all the moving parts. This will help prevent sticking latches, and annoying squeaks.
Lights, hook them up and see what doesn't work. This will help. If you don't have the extra wires shown, you probably don't have that option, however, everything else should be correct.
Well, thanks for reading, comments below I'm sure. Do I need picture examples?
:cheers:
What did your new jestski weigh 10 years ago? 350-600lbs? Remember, the heaviest thing about that time were the SUV skis, (being the exceptionaly heavy weight) and who really sold one without the trailer? Lets go back another 10 years, how much did your new ski weigh then? 280-450lbs? The heaviest thing on the market was a decked out three seater.
Trailers, much like skis, are purpose built to a point. When it was built, the designer had a certain amount of weight in mind. If the trailer was designed in the early 90s, its probably constructed of a lightweight small square tubing, and small wheels/tires. Mid to late 90s, will be constructed of a larger square tubing, 2"+ square tongue, possibly larger 10-12" wheels and possibly a thicker wall tubing. Late model trailers are obvious, 10-14" wheels, and the dead giveaway, a 3" or 4" square tubing tongue.
What does it all mean? Well, if your thinking about putting a new 4 stroke on your old trailer, you may want to find out if it can handle the weight. Especially if you are about to mix and match on a two space trailer. Two place trailers have been around forever, and since they are more costly than singles, they tend to get traded/resold more often.
The next thing is condition, condition comes second, because if the trailer can't handle the weight, rotten bunks are the least of your concerns.
Back to purpose, did you know there are short and long range trailers? If your trailer is rated for your ski, but only 8" wheels, it probably should not be used for long weekend cross country trips. The reason? Heat for one, wear for another. We'll assume that both tires are the same aspect ratio to keep the math easy. An 8"wheel will have to rotate twice as many times as a 16" wheel to cover the same distance. So, while your car has traveled 400 miles, your trailer just traveled 800... That means more bearing maintenance, and more frequent tire replacement.
Most travel trailers will have a 12-14" wheel. Premium trailers will have a standard 15" trailer wheel. Custom trailers, like cars, have wheels as big as the owners pockets. Custom trailer companies can build your dream rig these days, but they are designed for the weight, four place trailers are built on full size tandem axles!
The good news is, all the axles bolt on with U-bolts. If you have a short range, but you want a long range, with some creative shopping, you can bolt on the larger axle, wheel and tire combo for long range travel.
Recap, before you put 12-15,000 dollars on a 300-500 dollar trailer, think about if the trailer is rated for the ski, how far you are going, and if or how often you will take long distance trips with the ski.
What condition is the trailer in? If its yours or used, you should replace the bunk carpet before setting the showroom new ski on it. (assuming it is a new ski) Replacing the bunks with new marine treated pieces and stainless hardware is also an option, this will depend on the condition and age of the trailer.
SALTWATER USERS, you guys have it the worst, many, if not most, trailer builders do not coat the inside of the trailer during construction. They are nice enough to drill drainage holes, most of the time... Take a hammer, and tap around on the trailer. weak spots will have a different tone than solids. I'm sure someone on here can add to that or has a better method for finding thin spots in metal. Just because its pretty on the outside, doesn't mean its not about to rust a hole from the inside, through the paint. Aluminium doesn't rust, but it does oxidize, and horribly so in salt. If your trailer is aluminium, it should be inspected as well.
Trailer thoughts....
My experience: my boat's trailer has been in the salt, alot. The previous owner left the jack down one day, and tried to move the trailer. The 4" tongue was so rusted thin on the inside (the outside only showed slight spot scaling) the whole tongue twisted 1/8" rotation where it attaches to the main rails. The second time I loaded the boat, the aft part of the starboard bunk fell apart from rot. I then found that the bunk bracket on that location was almost rusted through. The boat was sitting fine on the trailer, the boat launched fine, it wasn't until the empty trailer was put back in the water, that the bunk fell apart...
I never leave my boats/skis in the water due to hull staining and algae growth. I'm on the river almost every weekend. I came up with a new mantra. "The first launch of the season is to maintenance/fix the trailer" This is a good thought, because if your first launch is to take the boat/ski out, you do take the boat/ski out and find out you have a rotten bunk at the end of the day, your screwed.
My maintenance routine:
Perform all the wheel maintenance before you leave the driveway. If you park you boat in a grass area, check for critters first, then move the boat to a comfortable work area. Check wheel bearing condition, lubricate as necessary, a bad bearing can lead to a lost wheel and major damage. Look at the sidewalls, and between the treads, any crack big enough to fit a fingernail in is too big. Most important, tire inflation pressure. Low pressure is the #1 cause of blow outs.
Launch the boat a couple weeks before the season, and just park it. If its a ski, obviously you and three or four buddies could set it in the yard on a rug. Now check all the areas of the trailer that you could not with the boat or ski on it. Bunks are the most vulnerable, the carpet will wear out. It is sacrificial, it keeps your hull from scraping bare wood, and allows the boat to be loaded and launched easier. The aft section of the bunks wear the fastest, followed by the middle, then forward. Check the brackets and hardware that hold the bunks, you may have to loosen and reattach carpet to look at them.
Carpet holds moisture, especially when sandwiched between fiberglass and wood. If they have a bit of mold on them, its not abnormal. Bunks may flex a bit, but rot will be obvious, check for any fasteners that screw into the bunks that look as if they backed out, or are loose. Fasteners in rotten wood tend to degrade at an accelerated pace. You can give the bunks a good upward pull, if they seem solid, all is probabbly well.
Ever wondered if your trailer is on the ball right? Here is my quick adjustment.
Trailer coupler adjustment: (commonly mistakenly called "hitches") take the appropriate ball size, just the ball, and insert it in the coupler. Latch the ball in place and tighten the nut on the bottom until a snug fit is obtained. Release the latch.
More thorough instructions here: http://philcotrailersales.com/2010/02/09/how-to-properly-adjust-the-fulton-type-trailer-coupler/
Some people like clean couplers and balls, I prefer a bit of grease on all the moving parts. This will help prevent sticking latches, and annoying squeaks.
Lights, hook them up and see what doesn't work. This will help. If you don't have the extra wires shown, you probably don't have that option, however, everything else should be correct.
Well, thanks for reading, comments below I'm sure. Do I need picture examples?
:cheers:
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