Ideas wanted - Raise spool rollers on cheap boat trailer

GizmoFelix

Recruit
Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Messages
2
Hello friends,

I purchased a cheap boat Trailer from Harbor Freight a few years back to haul around my beater alumninum fishing boat. The trailer is identical to the one pictured in the link below. Long story short, my boat is very shallow-bottomed, so when it sits on the bunk boards it doesnt reach the spool roller in the back. I am looking for a way to raise this roller up, I can't seem to find a spool roller bracket that is tall enough however. I have been to quite a few trailer supply, marine supply, even local hardware stores and home depot/fleet farms, etc with no luck.

Any ideas how I might fix this problem as cheaply as possible?
 
Last edited:

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Welcome aboard, Gizmo.

It would help to post a picture of your boat on your trailer. That will go a long way to get good advice. It may not even be important for the boat to hit the roller and surely not after it's sitting on the bunks. Like I said - Pics help.
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
If I remember right, the back roller bracket on that trailer is only a couple of bolted on L shaped brackets with an axle that goes through the roller and cotter pins on the ends to hold the roller in, if I am remember right, it should be pretty easy to measure how high you need them, then take the existing ones to a metal shop and have them bend you a couple of new ones and drill out for the axle. Paint them what ever color your trailer is and bolt the news back on, mount the roller and away you go.
 

smokeonthewater

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
9,838
And MUCH easier would be to lower the bunks and or space the roller bracket up (using even a wood block) with longer bolts.
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
I agree with Kevin, in all honesty, it would make for a better trailer if you lowered the bunk, it would be much easier launching, getting the boat a bit lower, would not have to back in quite as deep and with the center of gravity lower it would tow better.
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
I second both MTBoatguy AND smokeonthewater's suggestions. Any boat trailers better the lower it sits. And it offers a better launch and retrieval capability as well... :thumb:
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Welcome to iboats!:welcome:

That roller is there for initial alignment of the bow on a semi-vee boat, and to prevent the keel from hitting the trailer crossmember. The bunks carry the weight of the stern when the boat is in place on the trailer, and the roller isn't needed at that point.
 
Top