trailer project (bunk guide ons and tongue extension)

[JoshKeller84]

3/8" flat bar, bent by hand in a vise with some heat added. 2 x 4, carpet, couple of u bolts and bolts for the 2 x 4. drill the bolt head side of the 2 x 4 3/8" and pounded the head in it so it wouldnt come out and scratch boat. total cost was about $30

detailed instructions: i cut 3/8" flat bar into 17" bars. put the u bolts on the trailer frame and measured the bolt width, then marked it onto them metal and drilled two 3/8" holes for each bar. i bolted them on upside down to bend the first bend. after bending, and flipping the bar around, i measured where i would like the second bend to begin, marked it, then measured how far i would need the top of the metal to move to get the desired angle of the 2 x 4. put in vice at the bend mark, and heated just enough to be able to bend it. most of the tops needed moved approx 1 inch to get the desired 2 x 4 angle.

the ends are fairly open carpet wise, and the bottom of the board is open as well to help facilitate the wood drying fast.

im 6'4" and 220 lbs, and i can hang/lean on the 2 x 4 and it flexes about an inch then immediately spings back to that position, so i think they will work great.

 

[JoshKeller84]

Re: trailer project (bunk guide ons and tongue extension)

nexxt was cleaning up the ugly homemade clearance lights/old guide ones. cut the bolts and removed, then welded flat bar on the end of the trailer frame to mount the led's pointing out so the side markers are visable from the truck.

 

[JoshKeller84]

Re: trailer project (bunk guide ons and tongue extension)

next up was extending the tongue so the boat fit on the trailer.
i ended up cutting 9" off the existing tongue because the joint would have been in the way of the winch stand. then welded on a 48" 3 x 3 x 1/8" tube onto the existing tongue.

cut it down to 28", and sandwhiched 4 pieces of 3/8" x 10 x 2.5" flat bar on each side, then through bolted. remounted winch stand, and used the spare tire to hide the joint. painted and she's ready to go. i'd much rather overbuild it than take any chances. I believe just the weld itself would have sufficed, as i stood on the tongue and bounced, plus picked up the boat by the newly welded on tongue.

launched the boat and adjusted the bunks forward.

Before:

After:

project finished. total investment is $50 or so,and 7 hours from start to finish.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: trailer project (bunk guide ons and tongue extension)

One suggestion, trim those bolts on the side bunks before you kill your self walking by them!

 

[bonz_d]

Re: trailer project (bunk guide ons and tongue extension)

Looks like a terrific job, well done. Nice rig!

 

[gm280]

Re: trailer project (bunk guide ons and tongue extension)

I have to second bruceb58's suggestion too. Trim those bolt threads down on the side guides and smooth them out OR put some plastic covers on them. Because as sure as you use that setup, somebody is going to get cut from them... Seen it happen, not pretty. Other then that, nice job. The setup looks quite nice and functional too... And a second function of those side bunk guides is it helps the boat stay on the trailer as well. :thumb: