[Rhodes22-list] Slim's Trailer

Tue Aug 12 19:46:17 EDT 2003

Slim,

I'm with Steve on this one.  Neither the pictures nor the spec.s you sent look right.  The bunks appear to be too far forward on the trailer.  You might find you have to make a lot of changes that don't solve the problem.

Why not just do what Bill Berner did?  Find a newbie and sell him your lemon?  Then get a good one for yourself.  (Joke, joke -- nobody who has seen Bill Berner's comments for a couple of years really thinks he did that.)

Meanwhile, I've fooled around with jack stands for the past couple of years.  Here's how you do it: (from an earlier posting)

I use the jack stand method, and it works like a charm.  It's safe, and
easy.

I use three jack stands:  two with flat pads, one V shaped.

The screws on the jack stands will lift the boat.

Try to get stands with tubes that are open on the bottom.  Then, if you want
to be truly lazy, get three hydraulic jacks.  Place the jacks under the
posts attached to the pads.  Raise or lower the boat to suit.  (Obviously,
you could do this with a single jack, but they only cost about $20.00
apiece, they're useful in other applications, and placing a jack under each
post makes the process ridiculously simple.)

Move the position of the handle on the screw of the jack stand every time
you move the post.  This will ensure the jack stand remains stable.  It also
allows you to reset the hydraulic jack.

Put cinder blocks, bricks, and pieces of wood snugly under the keel after
each lift.

Around here, boats much larger than ours are left on three jack stands,
sitting on their keels, for half the year.  Personally, I'm much more
comfortable once my boat is safely back on its trailer, but, at the same
time, it's nice to know you can safely work under it whenever you need to.

This jack stand method can also be used to position the boat exactly where
you want it for trailering.

Bill Effros

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Steve Alm 
To: Rhodes 
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 5:05 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Slim's Trailer

Todd,

Yeah, it looks like my axle should go back about six inches.  That was
Stan's first reaction too.  I might go seven just to be sure.  If seven's
too much, I'd have no problem loading the boat farther aft!!!  And thanks
for the advice about the tires. I've often thought I had the wrong ones.

I can probably find a shop around here that will move the axle.  This is the
Land of Ten Thousand Lakes and about ten million boats, so there's gotta be
someone.  In the mean time, I might consider this option:  What if I bought
a set of jack stands?  How hard would it be to set up the jacks at the ramp
and just crank her up a couple inches and slide the trailer under it where
ever I want it?  Sure, it would add a few minutes to the whole procedure,
but it seems like it would solve the problem perfectly.  I'd like to have a
set of jacks anyway to help with the bottom painting jobs.

Yes, that's the GB hoist you saw on the bow.  I'll try to take some pix for
you the next time I'm out there.

Slim 

On 8/11/03 8:51 PM, "Todd Tavares" <sprocket80 at mail.com> wrote:

> Slim,
> 
>   I am judging by the measurements, that you have the same trailer as Lloyd
> Crowther (which I took my original measurements from) and your axle needs to
> be about six inches back farther?
> 
>  I saw how they welded the spring-eye brackets to the frame.  I guess your
> fenders are welded on too huh?
> 
> I wonder why Stan has never chimed in and said definitely where the axles are
> supposed to be, like they are on the new trailers.  The bad part is that new
> brackets are about $3 a piece.  Are there any reputable welding or machine
> shops in your area?  and would you want to move the axle?
> 
>  I was also wondering about the tires you have on the trailer.  The trailer
> guy I spoke with at EZ-Loader Trailers said that although passenger car radial
> tires ("P" prefix, like you have) may carry the load, the sidewalls flex too
> much for use on trailers and will cause excessive sway at speed.  He warned me
> to use only tires with a "ST" prefix with a load rating of "C" or "D".  I got
> the ST 9 ply belted tires. If you lived close, I'd give you my tires to test
> this theory, but %-(.  Read some of the FAQ's.  Rummy has some knowledge of
> trailer tires I think.
> 
>  On another note.....did I see a GB mast raising crane on your foredeck in
> these pics?  If it is,  could you take and send me some close up pics of the
> block mounted on the cabin top and brackets and the bow rail holder?
> 
> Todd
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Steve Alm <salm at mn.rr.com>
> Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2003 23:03:05 -0500
> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Slim's Problem Trailer
> 
>> Fandango is a 1990, so I assume the trailer is the same year.  No
>> breaks, single axle Trailmaster.
>> I couldn't find a GVW stamped anywhere, but on the coupler it says:
>> Coupler Capacity 3500 lbs. MGTW -- 300 lbs. Tongue Wt.
>> The tires are P235/75 R15 M/S  Max load 2028.  5 lugs.
>> Axle tube  2 1/4" OD.  Assembly welded--not bolted
>> Distance from center of axle to center of winch post  153"
>> Distance from center of axle to rear of cross member  40"  (Jim's
>> trailer is 46")
>> Distance from rear of cross member to rear of winch post  106"  (Jim's
>> is 104 1/8")
>> With my receiver draw bar in the high position, the bottom of the
>> tongue is 17 1/2" from the ground.
>> If I put it in the lower position, I don't have enough room to swing
>> down the jack.
>> Adjustable bow-stop arm
>> 
>> I slide the adjustable bow-stop arm all the way forward on launch and
>> retrieval, then set it back to almost touching the bow for traveling.
>> 
>> In the attached photos, you can see my tie-downs, both fore and aft.
>> Not all of you use tie-downs.  ?????
>> 
>> Slim
>> S/V Fandango
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
>> 
>> Name: PA15401239901.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 246765 bytes Desc: not
>> available
>> Url: 
>> http://www.rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attch/200308/11/PA15401239901
>> .jpg
> 
>> 
>> 
>> Trailer-1
>> 
>> 
> 
>> 
>> Name: PA15401239904.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 221335 bytes Desc: not
>> available
>> Url: 
>> http://www.rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attch/200308/11/PA15401239904
>> .jpg
> 
>> 
>> 
>> Trailer-4
>> 
>> 
> 
>> 
>> Name: PA15401239903.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 159508 bytes Desc: not
>> available
>> Url: 
>> http://www.rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attch/200308/11/PA15401239903
>> .jpg
> 
>> 
>> 
>> trailer-6
>> 
>> 
> 
>> 
>> Name: PA15401239905.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 178547 bytes Desc: not
>> available
>> Url: 
>> http://www.rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attch/200308/11/PA15401239905
>> .jpg
> 
>> 
>> 
>> Trailer-7
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
>> 
>> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list

__________________________________________________
Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list