Trailer too wide for garage door

[medic181075]

Okay, I'm a bit stuck. I recently purchased a boat which needs some work. My plans were to spend the winter working on it in my heated garage. When I bought the boat, i kept this in mind and made sure the boat wasn't going to be too wide to fit through the door. My mistake was that I never considered the width of the trailer. The trailer is about 8 inches too wide to fit through the garage door. I have considered buying a smaller trailer just too store it on, but haven't had any luck finding a cheap used trailer in my area. Anybody have any ideas for me? Thanks.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

since its just for in the garage, maybe you can just build a wheeled dolly type setup.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

What kind of work are you going to be doing on it? Is pulling it off the trailer and into the garage a possibility? How big of a boat is it? You could use a winch or come-along to pull it onto a homemade dolly/trailer in the garage and when you are finished with it reverse the proceedure to put it back on the trailer. Just a thought.

 

[ne7800]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Ok take a tape measure, measure the height of the fenders on the trailer. Next take a chain saw and cut each side of the garage door in 6 inches.
Next take a sledge hammer and beat out any thing that is left in the way, then you can back the boat right in. lmao or you could just build the dolly thing that the other guys were talking about

 

[Stuff4Toys]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Backup FAAAAAAAST!

JOhn ><>

 

[medic181075]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Ok take a tape measure, measure the height of the fenders on the trailer. Next take a chain saw and cut each side of the garage door in 6 inches.
Next take a sledge hammer and beat out any thing that is left in the way, then you can back the boat right in. lmao

Don't laugh, I had considered that. It can be done with my garage without touching any load bearing structures.

Anyway, I did have dolly's in mind, but I'm not really sure how to go about making them. I'm dealing with a 17.5' deep-v that weighs around 1700 lbs dry (I think). I did just find some commercial boat dolly's that retail for about $300 each. I would need at least two of them. Is it possible to just get some 1000 lb aluminum movers dollys and use some 4x4's to build a vee? (stack & then cut the v) I could probably pull this setup off for $100 or less.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

The size of the boat matters. If it no too heavy, build a bench trailer in the garage with carpeted 2 by 6 rails. Then "come-along" it onto the bench into the garage. You will be able winch it back onto the trailer using trailer winch.
It would be a cheap version of a trailer.......without a long tongue which will give you more room in the garage.

 

[12vMan]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Will it fit if you remove the fenders and wheels? If so, it wouldn't be hard to put a dolly under the frame and still be able to back it in. Depends on the axle width.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Wheel dollies with casters. Something like this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=32052
Put one under each wheel so you can move the trailer sideways and in any other direction you want.

Think it might be possible to slide the wheels of the trailer trailer thru the door if the entire rig was at a bit of an angle? Just enough to get the tires thru the door? With these you can basically put one tire thru the door at a time, then straighten it out once you're past that wide spot.

No assembly (or dis-assembly) required...and they don't cost all that much and can be useful for future uses.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

i like this idea, " Will it fit if you remove the fenders and wheels? If so, it wouldn't be hard to put a dolly under the frame and still be able to back it in. Depends on the axle width." and remove the axle, then you can block the trailer is it is stable, rather than rocking while you work.

 

[medic181075]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

There is no way to fit the trailer through unless I remove the axle. I think I may be better off getting some furniture dollies and adapting them for the boat. It seems the last home owner may have had a similar problem as there is already a pulley system mounted to the back wall.

Thanks for all of the ideas.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Since you intend on keeping the boat and your garage will not suffer and structural damage.... You can cut the sides and make removable pieces for the fender wheel height which is probably not over 30".

The only problem I can see is if you have a garage door with tracks..... you would have to open the door, remove the tracks, remove the side pieces... back in and re-install everything.

You could go for a wider door but that would cost bigger bucks.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Ugh - I had the same problem. Length was fine, but forgot to measure width!

Ended up moving the work area outside.

I would think the easiest thing to do would be to find another trailer (I know you said you're having trouble finding one). Then you'd have 2 trailers - fix 'em up, sell, and make a few dollars on the side. Or, have a spare to pick up that "free" boat down the street.

You tried craigslist?

 

[QC]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

I have a dolly made from 4x4s. The two length wise ones double as bunks. If you used 4 x 8s for the longer ones or spaced them up, it could accomodate a V-hull. This bottom is very flat, so it doesn't need much "depth". Obviously upside down it doesn't need any, but it is very stout and would support it if it was complete with the engine etc.. Rolls and turns easily at about 700 lbs now . . .

 

[ne7800]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

you know the new garage door is not a bad idea it is a big investment but in the long run if you are going to put the boat in there every winter or want to work on other projects it would make it what you want and need not a garage that almost works and if you did need to use the garage for a car repair or somthing you could easily pull the boat out for a couple hrs the put it back in

 

[NoKlu]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

If you do the dolly thing use 6" wheels. The 3/12" get hung up on every little pebble or crack you roll over. We put 6" under oops! dolly when we had to rebuild it and it would roll across his shop with a little shove. Very easy to move. Try to avoid plastic wheels as well as they tend to flatten out and go square.

 

[littlebookworm]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

At our marina, the mechanic has a number of boat stands made of steel with wooden bunks to support the boats as he works on them. You could make up a stand using 4" x 4" or double 2" x 8" to support the boat. Carpet the bunks, center the stand in the car bay, bolt it down to the floor, back your trailer up to it, and use the back wall hooks to pull the boat back with a winch or a come-along. Then pull your trailer out and you're all set for the winter. In the spring, reverse the process. Good luck. Hy

 

[medic181075]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Okay, one more question. I came up with an idea for my problem but I want another, more educated, opinion before I move forward. I'm thinking of buying 3 of these -

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94778

- and connecting them together with some 2x6 or 2x8 bunks. I know lateral stability is going to be a problem and I have that figured out, but my concern is the ability of the hull to hold up with the bunks only being about 15-16 inches apart.

What do you think?

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Looks Good

 

[medic181075]

Re: Trailer too wide for garage door

Disregard my last question. I just saw a picture of a very simple homemade dolly on an ebay auction. It will work perfect. It is so simple that I can't believe I didn't think of it. Thanks for all the help.