Keel Roller Setup Problem

[Spectrum156]

I have a Pride Pathfinder Half cabin fiberglass boat and I need to replace part of the trailer. The trailer is a bunk, keel roller tilt trailer with a 75mm (horizontal orientation) by 50mm (vertical orientation) tongue running the full length of the boat which has 5 keel rollers welded to it, except for the back most roller which is adjustable. (Structurally I know it is better for the longer side to be vertical but this is how the trailer was built.) I will be replacing this piece with a 5mm thick RHS of the same size and having 10 keel roller brackets welded,(I was just going to use brackets with holes and U bolts but been having trouble finding some) with red keel rollers. It currently has 4 1/2" brackets with rubber cotton reel rollers. Seeing that I am replacing the brackets should I go with larger brackets and rollers? Another problem is that the last 2 1/2" of the keel is higher that the rest of the otherwise flat keel by about one inches. How can I support this from the keel tongue? Trailer tongue extends past rear of any cross member by about 3 feet.

Trailer body is being sandblasted, coated in cold gal and paint with 2 coats of epoxy enamel.
Any help with suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[alldodge]

Howdy

In my opinion the keel rollers on a bunk trailer are there to help keep the keel from being damaged as the boat is loading or unloading on/off the trailer. Once the boat is sitting on the bunks the entire keel should not be touching the rollers.

Have a pic of the trailer?

 

[bonz_d]

Howdy

In my opinion the keel rollers on a bunk trailer are there to help keep the keel from being damaged as the boat is loading or unloading on/off the trailer. Once the boat is sitting on the bunks the entire keel should not be touching the rollers.

Have a pic of the trailer?

A little late with a reply but AllDodge I think you missed the part about this being a tilting trailer. If this is a tilting trailer then the keel rollers need to make contact or the tilt function will never work.

 

[alldodge]

A little late with a reply but AllDodge I think you missed the part about this being a tilting trailer. If this is a tilting trailer then the keel rollers need to make contact or the tilt function will never work.

Agree, missed the tilt part, and appears a mix trailer is out there, but I have never seen a tilt trailer with bunks. Kind of like what's the point, just to much friction

 

[bonz_d]

Actually they were quite common back in the old days. Gator was one of the largest. I purposely went and found an old Gator tilt to put under my Sea Nymph because I use a very shallow ramp most of the time. Usually the bunks are shorter and normally end about at the axle.

 

[alldodge]

Thanks for the info, always good to learn something. Sounds like you know them quite well, have any input for the OP

 

[GA_Boater]

Yeah - My tilter has bunks as well. And they support the rear of the boat to the stern.

I would like to see some pics of Spectrum's trailer and more of the boat, as in the whole boat,

 

[bonz_d]

That wouldn't be an old Holesclaw trailer would it? Both Gator and Holesclaw even produced a tandem axle tilt trailer for awhile.


If you plan to use the tilt function as I do then all keel rollers should be level and the same height. The bunks should then be raised and set so that they just start to remove some of the weight from the keel. Evenly distributed works best. As for the last roller under the stern leave it even with the others as the bunks should be supporting the transom weight.

As for roller replacement I advise Trying to find some Yates Heavy Duty Keel Rollers, They are Black Rubber and have a steel sleeve inside them. Their part number is 5244-105EC. All the C Smith rollers are too soft and will not last.

 

[Tnstratofam]

Here is a pic of my tilt trailer set up.




My trailer also has bunks and they stop at about the fenders.



I also had a trailer thread where I consulted the forum for correct setup advice. Here is the link.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gener...er-set-up-help

 

[alldodge]

I think Spectrum is a one and done'r

 

[SkaterRace]

Can't say I have ever seen a bunk tilt trailer, were they not popular or did they just have a bad design and have been replaced with something better.

 

[bonz_d]

Old design and was very popular back in the day.. What happened? Boats got bigger and ramps got better. Most tilts were single axle and rated for on avg. of around 1500#. Back in the 50's and 60's there were more gravel ramps than there were concrete ones. Then in the 80's came the glass bass boats used by Tourney guys. Running and gunnin they'd fish to the last minute and run as fast as they could back to the ramp then quickly power load so they could make it to weigh in. Time was money! They are the ones that made all bunk trailers popular.