New trailer or fix the old one

[Mark0]

I recently took a trip interstate withe the boat and only just made it home, let's just say there is no bearings left.
I went to super cheap non of their stuff fits my boat trailer I have an odd hub and bearing need, now the trailer is old someone repainted it at some stage rust is slowly coming back through, its served me for 2 years since buying boat and trailer.

Question is, what should I replace the lot, the springs are all corroded and I can no longer see the bolts that hold that onto the axle and trailer itself, I need to replace all 3 tyres to, rims are very old and an odd 10 inch rims and 4 stud pattern, but not sure what it is, there are bugger all second hand trailers for sale, I don't have 1200 or more for a new one, so should I just search hard find the bearings and replace them or replace the lot maybe including the axle, any ideas or feedback would be welcome, cheers

I would like a higher load gvm so I can put tent and things like that in the boat when we go camping anyone made their trailer stronger for this kind of thing

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[tunaticer]

I would build a new open form trailer rather than refurbish something that might not last two years with internal rust. Sounds like you will be replacing most items anyhow. Just transfer rollers or bunks over to the new trailer.

[Mark0]

Rollers all old n shit as is the winch, I might look at costs of building one maybe just don't really have the dollars atm

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[NTMID8]

Mate going through same thing right now, mine is a 20yr old Mackay, rusty blah blah blah. Quoted 4k plus for brand newie, took it to premier trailers, quoted $2600 for new drawbar with swing away section, coupling, winch, jockey wheel, 3xgalv rims/tyres, new sub frame/axle/brakes/springs/bearing etc, 24new rollers, refurbish roller bars and drive on pivot and cold gav whole lot plus drilling drainage holes.

[Fed]

Put up some pictures Mark0.

[timddo]

I'd you have no funds. Just a welder an scrap metal ahould fix most of the things.
I welded three new cross sections to my trailer. Cost $60

A new trailer would cost $3500

[johncar]

Don't know what are you are from but if northside of Brisbane, but Probar at Caboolture have most of what you need to rebuild your trailer hardware and any steel I need I usually go to AB Steel at Caboolture, both very helpful.
Whether you decide to refurbish or replace there is some basic and easy maintenance you can do in future to make your trailer last a lot lot longer if not indefinitely. If you have to replace any cross members, it can be good to use C section rather than box but it needs to be a bit heavier and adequately braced if the boat has any weight to it.
Before you spend any money on the trailer however you need to establish if enough of it is salvageable and sound to make it worth while or just start from scratch, or buying a new or good used trailer.
I know of one guy who rebuilt his trailer last year, all new springs, axle, hubs, wheels and rollers etc, put a bigger boat on it and first retrieve it broke in two where the main frame was rusted internally so you need to check the whole thing over.
I bought a good used one last year for about half the new price, had a few years on it and needed a little tidying up but overall did the job nicely, but I was looking for a while to find it. They do come up though if you are patient.

[Mark0]

thanks for the replies,
I am going to just put new hubs and bearings on it and let it die a slow death I think, get another year I will be happy and will have the coin to buy a new one, the hubs I have so I have found are crap, the bearings are hard to get and hideously expensive so its actually cheaper to get new hubs that come with bearings and I might get bearing buddies.

Question I have now is, I need new wheels and tyres, can you guys suggest a wheel type and size ? (steel, Painted what ?) as I have metal mudguards on my trailer but a lot of clearance to my current 10" rims and tyres.
what is the normal size to go to and what stud pattern, I can get the holden or ford stud pattern on the hubs, so I need to make sure the bigger wheel and tyre will fit and find them cheap

[josh9787]

hey mate, if your looking to upgrade or need new rollers, skids, bunks, brackets, pins etc. shoot me a message, or check out our site as we supply all these parts. It may come in handy for you if your having trouble locating any spare parts for your job.

Cheers
http://www.roxom.com.au

[johncar]

thanks for the replies,
I am going to just put new hubs and bearings on it and let it die a slow death I think, get another year I will be happy and will have the coin to buy a new one, the hubs I have so I have found are crap, the bearings are hard to get and hideously expensive so its actually cheaper to get new hubs that come with bearings and I might get bearing buddies.

Question I have now is, I need new wheels and tyres, can you guys suggest a wheel type and size ? (steel, Painted what ?) as I have metal mudguards on my trailer but a lot of clearance to my current 10" rims and tyres.
what is the normal size to go to and what stud pattern, I can get the holden or ford stud pattern on the hubs, so I need to make sure the bigger wheel and tyre will fit and find them cheap

Try to pick up a couple of Falcon 13" rims and tyres second hand, if you are going to run it into the ground, probably the easiest to get but not sure, just assuming. Probably too big for your current guards though by the sounds of it so it may be better to stick to 10" alloy HT rims and tyres.
If your bearings are expensive that normally means that they are non standard so you will most likely need to change your axle or stubs as well so it will be starting to stack up. That may be axle, hubs, bearings, seals and rims/tyres??? depends whether you think it worth it for another years use out of the rest of it..

[Mark0]

Here are some pics of the axle and the springs and clamps that hold the springs on you ca se the have had better days, you can see picsk of the rust coming through in parts to.

where do i measure te axle to see what size it is ? so I can confirm what bearings would fit on it ?

[Fed]

I'd be looking for a new second hand trailer mate.

[johncar]

That is an obsolete axle and bearing system that I think was made originally for integral rims/hubs. You can still possibly get the bearings but they will probably be a bit more expensive than your common holden or ford style bearings. I doubt if many trailer parts stockists will carry the bearings any more but an bearing specialist may be able to supply them.
If you wish to get some more life out of the trailer chassis and it's not about to break in half then you are probably better off to replace the axle with a 39mm solid axle machined for LM early holden bearings. Put some hubs on that you can get rims and tyres for, but you will need to select your rims and tyres first so you know what length axle to get.

[tunaticer]

Seeing that you are going to run the trailer into the ground for another year, just go to a bearing place like BSC or CBC or Bearing Dynamics and get the bearing matched and keep using the hubs and wheels you have. That axle is not suitable to upgrade the hubs with, wrong style. The bearings shouldn't cost you any more than about $40 max / $20 a side. Replacing the axle will lead to lots of new running gear on a trailer you will scrap.

If you can find serial numbers on the bearings search for them on ebay some really dirt cheap bargains there with bearings esp from the states.

[Mark0]

Cheres all Bearings were $88.00 from BSC each side, I wont bother with bearing buddies I dont think, so its either new trailer, new running gear or just do bearings and replace my 10" tyres all 3 need replacing the are perished.