Replacing trailer in driveway

I have a 1991 17 ft. center console on a trailer of the same age, which spent most of its life in saltwater. I am inland now, and had the boat parked for about a year. I took it down the road to the boat ramp and back home and found that the rear frame section on both sides are bent way down (I guess the surface rust I saw before the trip was more than surface rust). Obviously I need a new trailer but don't think I will be able to make it to the boat ramp again in this condition. Is there a way to jack the boat up, pull out the old trailer and put the new one under? Several years ago I jacked up the rear end and blocked it while replacing the bunks but can't figure out how to suspend the front end at the same time.

Re: Replacing trailer in driveway

You might could lift the back end of the trailer with a floor jack, and put it up on blocks.

Then go to a rental yard and rent an engine lift on wheels (like they use to remove auto engines.) Lift your front end with that.

Pull out the old trailer and slide the new trailer under the boat.

Re: Replacing trailer in driveway

There is always a way. Some are harder than others.

Is that boat a v-hull or flaat bottom. A picture or two might get better suggestions.

Re: Replacing trailer in driveway

colbyt said:

There is always a way. Some are harder than others.

Is that boat a v-hull or flaat bottom. A picture or two might get better suggestions.

Click to expand...

The boat is a v-hull.

Re: Replacing trailer in driveway

When I needed to borrow my bow rider's trailer to haul another boat I just tilted the out drive all the way up and let it down into soft grass/dirt in the back yard the pulled it back on a few weeks later. Now, in this case it was a roller trailer so it was much easier to get the boat to move off/on the trailer.
Do you have a tree around there that could support the front with something like a chain-fall, using a strap to the front eye?
The next idea would be tojack up the back of the boat then soap down the bunks to make the slick, if you don't already have bunk-slick on there, and then pull the boat off by tying the back to something, a tree or a truck, in the grass, ans pull the boat off by driving away with the trailer, slowly. Hopefully the new trailer has bunk slicks, and you'd just leave the tow vehicle in neutral as you cranked the boat back on, and the trailer would be pulled under the boat. Of course, this could end up being a little backing under the boat with the vehicle and cranking it on with the winch.
Another thing I'd think about would be to have a rollback come out and pick up the boat and trailer. At this point you could have them carry to to the water and let it down into the water so you could float off and onto the new trailer. Another possibility would be to find a dealer/boat repair place that has a boat lift and have the rollback carry it there for the trailer swap.

Chris

Re: Replacing trailer in driveway

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-topic...-your-small-boat-ground-5-minutes-527592.html

Re: Replacing trailer in driveway

smokeonthewater said:

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-topic...-your-small-boat-ground-5-minutes-527592.html

Click to expand...

Cool! Much simpler than what I was thinking of. Thanks.

Re: Replacing trailer in driveway

no prob... fwiw I have done the same thing with a 5500 lb 26' flybridge cruiser although at that size, a roller trailer is pretty much mandatory

Re: Replacing trailer in driveway

Looks like you got a quick weekend project coming up. Good luck and be safe.