Homemade PVC trailer posts/guides

[gt2003]

I'm considering adding PVC trailer post guides to my boat trailer. The trailer gets lost behind my truck when retrieving boat. My trailer tubing is 2"x4". Any ideas on how I would attach the guide posts to the trailer frame? I was going to use u-bolts but can't quite figure out how to attach one on the top side of the trailer frame and one on the bottom on each side (yes, I need a drawing, sorry). I could always drill through the trailer frame and attach u-bolts that way OR simply drill through the PVC and the frame and attach with stainless steel bolts. Have any of you attempted this project? What worked for you?

 

[T_Herrod]

You can't go wrong with this deal.
http://www.iboats.com/LED-Load-Mate...7948868--session_id.478261264--view_id.483825

 

[momule]

My local welding/fabrication shop does this all the time. They have the square stock handy and can do a great sturdy job while I wait. I paint the steel bar stock with primer, slide a peice of PVC tube over each and it's good to go. Cheaper than buying a ready made product that usually doesn't quite fit your trailer.

 

[Grandad]

You’ll need to reinforce the PVC with steel supports. If you design your own, I’d recommend that you don’t have anything welded directly to the frame. I have the following set-up for my 2”x 4” steel trailer frame. The brackets are made from angle iron that are welded to 1-1/2” schedule 40 galvanized pipe that I bent myself. Yellow underground 2” natural gas pipe sleeves worked well for me. - Grandad

 

[airshot]

I used PVC trailer guides for a very light weight 12' aluminum boat once that worked well but....if your boat has any size and weight to it then as the previously mentioned posters have said you need inside reinforcement with a steel tube then use the PVC to keep it from marring your boat. I have them on my trailer now, found steel pipe that just fit inside 2" PVC, added the steel pipe to the fenders with brackets and covered the steel with PVC and put a cap on the top.

 

[sphelps]

Here are my home made brackets if your interested ..
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gene...d-towing/655379-building-home-made-guide-post
So far they work great !

 

[gt2003]

Ahhh, that's the exact video I watched on youtube Sam! I should have figured you were an iboats guy!

Ok, I looked through the thread, watched the video and still don't see a good picture of the home made brackets. What I am missing or where am I missing it?

 

[smokeonthewater]

steel tubing can easily be clamped to the trailer frame with u bolts and then pvc is slid over it... done deal


the u bolts go around the tubing be it square or round and either go through holes drilled in the frame or better yet holes in a flat plate behind the frame....

the steel tubing might be straight or might have to be bent to clear the boat...

 

[sphelps]

or better yet holes in a flat plate behind the frame.

Yep , I used 2 pcs of galv angles because thats what I had laying around but a single flat plate large enough to mount all bolts through would be best ....
That can be done horizontal or vertical depending on the style of post .. Mine worked out to be just a straight post mounted to the side of the frame . Yours may need to be made different ..

 

[gt2003]

There is a local shop that sells "everything metal", literally. There is a 'scrap pile" so I'm sure I can find some 1/4" ateel that I can use. I might even be able to find something at work. I would like 2 pieces about the size of a light switch cover. I can figure a way or find someone to cut them to size if needed. I'm really looking forward to the build. Should be exciting!

 

[oldjeep]

There is a local shop that sells "everything metal", literally. There is a 'scrap pile" so I'm sure I can find some 1/4" ateel that I can use. I might even be able to find something at work. I would like 2 pieces about the size of a light switch cover. I can figure a way or find someone to cut them to size if needed. I'm really looking forward to the build. Should be exciting!

Easier to just use u-bolt plates that already have the hole spacing you need
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Suspension-sf-U~Bolts.aspx

Although honestly for the price of the premade setups I can't understand why you would want to build one if you don't have materials sitting around already.
http://www.etrailer.com/Boat-Trailer-Parts/CE-Smith/CE27640.html

 

[gt2003]

It's more of the "i did it myself" aspect of the whole thing. I've already got the PVC laying around so thought I'd just pick up some mounting hardware and get it done. I'll run to the local hardware store and see what they have here shortly.

 

[oldjeep]

It's more of the "i did it myself" aspect of the whole thing. I've already got the PVC laying around so thought I'd just pick up some mounting hardware and get it done. I'll run to the local hardware store and see what they have here shortly.

You are going to need some galvanized steel tubing as well. Just PVC, even sched 80 is not ridged enough to keep your boat in place.

 

[gt2003]

Yes, I'll be gathering something to add rigidity. Not sure when the project will happen as the rain has just about everything on hold for right now.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Are these guides to be just for visibility re: where the trailer is, or do you want guides the boat can bump off of while retrieving? If just the latter, it seems PVC alone would be enough.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Unless you ever bumped em lol

 

[gt2003]

They are really just for visualizing the trailer when it gets "lost" behing the boat. I will be adding rigidity somehow just in case. I'm sure they will get bumped eventually! I was even thinking last night about possibly some "removable" ones that I could just slide on and off at the ramp...

 

[JASinIL2006]

The commercially available guides I've seen look like little more than a metal bracket with some sort of bent/angled steel stock (pipe or square pipe) that has PVC pipe that extends up from the bracket. Most look like they don't have any stiffener inside the PVC.

I'm pretty interested in this because I'm thinking of adding these kind of guides (or something similar) to my trailer to aid in backing up when the trailer is empty and I have a tonneau cover on my truck. Thinking about my trailer, if I ran into one of these guides, I think I'd have bigger problems than a broken PVC pipe... I'd probably have a chipped keel from hitting the trailer frame. If I was far enough out of alignment that I hit guidepost, a broken post would be the least of my worries.

 

[Grandad]

Unless your guides are reinforced, PVC can't stand up to even minor abuse. In the picture below, you'll note that there is no side wind and no waves. The problem with this "natural" rock ramp, if you look closely is that it slopes sideways as evidenced by the height difference of these guides out of the water. A couple of minutes after this picture was taken, I managed to bend the starboard guide outward when my boat settled off center on the trailer as it was towed from the water. These guides are made from 1-1/2" schedule 40 rigid electrical pipe, bent to shape in a hydraulic bender. Use PVC for "flags" if you want, but they can't possibly function as guides for your Tahoe I/O, which must be much heavier than my aluminum Starcraft. - Grandad

 

[oldjeep]

The ones on my trailer are 2" x .120 steel tube all the way up, with a PVC outer and the guide pads over that. The tubes go into sockets on the trailer and are retained by a pin and a couple tensioning bolts - so the are easily removable. They will take quite a hit.