trailer to repair or buy a new one

[horseboy]

I bought a tinny a few months back for a realy good price because it needs work to make it micky mouse. I have just given the 50 evinrude a good going over nearly stipped it right back uneccisarily in better nick than i thought. Hull is ok nees some welding but no leaks so i want to do the trailer as it has some bad cancer.from just on front of the axle back. it has new springs and u bolts but realy needs a new axle and hus as well ashalf the main beams replacing. I figur i could do the job in a coup-le of days but with cost of gear and time taken would i be better of just buying a new trailer and if so what are the best and most cost efficent ones for a 4.2 ally.

W

[Dan5]

Mate repairing a rusty trailer can be a big job especially if it's rusty foward of the axle,i've repaired a few for mate's and it's definatly not my favourite job i can tell you.Theres alot more work involved replacing cross members and frames than it look's.Then you have to take into account if you wanna re galvanise it or not after the repair's have been done.I'd be pricing up a new one my self maybe you could salvage some gear off the old one as spares,wheels,roller's etc.A new one will proberbly set you back about $1,200 or there abouts but atleast it will be new and trouble free.Dunbier,belco,special trailers,oceanic,redco the list go's on just jump on the phone and have a ring around.Good Luck,Dan.......

[horseboy]

Yeah i have a good idea of the job as have done some for others in the past. But i am just a bit old fashion why buy new when i can fix it but the prices are so good now i am just undecided. I have built a couple of trailers for boats over 6 m before but again it would be hard to buy the gear for less than the cost of a new one now. hey i guess i just answered my own question.

[Nico.d.R]

a dunbar for that size is about 1250 new at karee marine

[finga]

Yeah i have a good idea of the job as have done some for others in the past. But i am just a bit old fashion why buy new when i can fix it but the prices are so good now i am just undecided. I have built a couple of trailers for boats over 6 m before but again it would be hard to buy the gear for less than the cost of a new one now. hey i guess i just answered my own question.

Matey looks like your handy on the tools.
Yep, you can buy a trailer for around the $1500.
Look at the quality of them though.
Most trailers for that size boat and that price bracket are like box trailers without the box. They're flat.
We all know boats mostly aren't flat so I'm buggered as to why they make a lot of boat trailers flat.
If you make your own to suit your boat and get it dipped it may cost the same as a store bought item but the quality is in yours.

If it's built to suit your boat towing is easier and cheaper as the boat sits in the cradle not on top of a bed and might actually be built square.
And a big plus in my books is if the boat is sitting in a cradle and not on top of a bed the height of the boat on the trailer is a lot lower. That makes it easier to get into when it's on the trailer and a lot easier to launch. You don't have to back down as far to get the boat near the water. big plus's in my books
I can launch my 5m Bertie with water to the bottom of the rim at Evans. I use the winch to let her off but the trailer doesn't get wet at all. Not a sign of the brown stuff after 4 years so far.


It's also built with better quality steel and components (how many guys here have complained about cheap Chinese hubs, wheels and tyres on their new trailers and how they crack up shortly after purchase) and you have control over quality control.

Personally I'd build one for that size. Building new would be quicker then fixing the old.

[PADDLES]

it'll come down to time horseboy. if you have the time then building one like finga says will let you make a much better product than you will be able to buy for the same price. but if you don't have the time to mess around then simply buying one "off the shelf" is a good option i reckon.

[poundalead]

Why not look for a good secondhand one there are a few on boatpoint and in the trading post.....You might pick up a good one for half the value of a new one.

[horseboy]

I might messure up this week when i get home and work out the cost if i rebuild i dont plan to hot dip i will redoxide then zinc it. Kindly supplied by last place of work. But at this stage i might just buy new the prices are good and some made well. i have to do enough of that sort of work at work so i might just kick back and do somefishing. anyone know who is the cheapest in townsville?

Wade