EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

[Joer2]

Guys,

Just wanted you to know of my recent experience with tailoring a boat from down south to Boston in the hopes that someone could avoid a catastrophe.

Last week, I bought a boat down south and tailored it 1100 miles back to New England. The boat is a 20? Grady WA, hull weight 2800. It sits on a 10-year old EZ Loader bunk style trailer with surge brakes. The trailer model is a TA 24 -20. The trailer is an aluminum I-Beam with dual axels and has had recently installed new bearings/hubs/spindles and good tires.

Everything was going fine, until I got on I-95 in Connecticut. I noticed that the load was no longer sitting level. I pulled into a rest area, and couldn?t believe what I saw: the rear cross member had split, and almost completely severed. It cracked right near the u-bolts on the right side. I got shivers down my spine when I realized what could have happened had I continued down the road ? that cross member supported the weight of the entire back-half of the boat. Anyway, someone up there must like me, because I got it off the road, and got a yard to come out, jury rig the cross member and trailer the boat at 20 mph to their yard safely. We replaced the cross member with the original dimensions, expect with one critical exception: we used ?? thick 4-wall galvanized steel, instead of the 1/8? thick that came stock. Looking at the trailer now, it seems a matter of time till the front cross member suffers the same fate, so I?ll have to replace that one as well.

I have been in touch with EZ Loader, and they said it is not covered under warrantee, and they won?t compensate me in any way. Their attitude was pretty much ?its 10 years old, what do you expect?? I should add that the trailer is completely stock, not modified in any way, with the exception of newer tires and the above mentioned hubs/bearings/spindles. The weight of the boat is well within the load range of the trailer.

Anyway, take if for what it is worth ? check those cross members out on older EZ loaders and put the right steel in if you plan to keep it.

Joe

 

[brian_mcwhirter]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

I had a similar problem with an EZ Loader trailer many years ago. I bought the boat used, didn't pay much attention to the trailer, and had a neighbor point out that a cross-member was buckling. I ended up replacing almost all the steel in the trailer over the next six years. The 1/8" box tube could not handle the load.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

Guess I will be checking my 24 year old EZ-Loader tomorrow.

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

Most mass production aluminum trailers experience the same fate. Al is prone to work hardening from the repeated flexing while traveling down the road. My uncle has a two place jet ski trailer that is Al and it has had a steel superstructure installed under it since it had cracked so many times. I've owned easy loader trailers in the past, and they are very light for what the rating says they can carry. i haven't had one break, but have often wondered.

 

[upinsmoke]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

i'm waiting for the sun to come up to go inspect mine. thanks for sharing.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

While I agree that any older trailer needs to be checked, being that it was a used trailer, you have no idea what it's been through.
Aluminum also fatigues far different from steel. That cross member was probably more than enough when it was new.
I generally avoid aluminum trailers, but as far as it being an EZ Loader issue, it is 10 years old, which in most cases is far longer than most boat trailers last, especially aluminum trailers.
I just junked an aluminum trailer here, which was about 15 years old, with little to no issues other than some pretty nasty galvanic corrosion around all the steel fasteners. I just didn't like the way it was built. The cross members were I beams and had stress cracks all over around the bolts. The trailer was saltwater exposed all it's life, and had a minimal load on it. I replaced it with a newer galvanized trailer.

 

[PastorJoe]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

I just had the same experience, 3 days ago. As soon as I pulled into the boat ramp the crossmember broke at the same spot. I was blessed to have a friend who had an open dock on the water. My boat has been sitting out there as I am trying to get a new cross member.

Guys,

Just wanted you to know of my recent experience with tailoring a boat from down south to Boston in the hopes that someone could avoid a catastrophe.

Last week, I bought a boat down south and tailored it 1100 miles back to New England. The boat is a 20? Grady WA, hull weight 2800. It sits on a 10-year old EZ Loader bunk style trailer with surge brakes. The trailer model is a TA 24 -20. The trailer is an aluminum I-Beam with dual axels and has had recently installed new bearings/hubs/spindles and good tires.

Everything was going fine, until I got on I-95 in Connecticut. I noticed that the load was no longer sitting level. I pulled into a rest area, and couldn?t believe what I saw: the rear cross member had split, and almost completely severed. It cracked right near the u-bolts on the right side. I got shivers down my spine when I realized what could have happened had I continued down the road ? that cross member supported the weight of the entire back-half of the boat. Anyway, someone up there must like me, because I got it off the road, and got a yard to come out, jury rig the cross member and trailer the boat at 20 mph to their yard safely. We replaced the cross member with the original dimensions, expect with one critical exception: we used ?? thick 4-wall galvanized steel, instead of the 1/8? thick that came stock. Looking at the trailer now, it seems a matter of time till the front cross member suffers the same fate, so I?ll have to replace that one as well.

I have been in touch with EZ Loader, and they said it is not covered under warrantee, and they won?t compensate me in any way. Their attitude was pretty much ?its 10 years old, what do you expect?? I should add that the trailer is completely stock, not modified in any way, with the exception of newer tires and the above mentioned hubs/bearings/spindles. The weight of the boat is well within the load range of the trailer.

Anyway, take if for what it is worth ? check those cross members out on older EZ loaders and put the right steel in if you plan to keep it.

Joe

 

[iop]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

Everything was going fine, until I got on I-95 in Connecticut.

Pretty much everyman's horror in the NE!!
Glad you stayed safe!!

 

[dingbat]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

A lot of people where all too quick to jump on the aluminum trailer bandwagon a few years back. As people have already noted, aluminum has problems with fatigue, which is why you see minimal aluminum structural components in automobiles.

The 1/8? aluminum tube was more than capable of handling the load. As you found out, not so good at handling the fatigue.

 

[ghamby]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

Was the cross-member 1/8 aluminum or 1/8 steel?

 

[Sandra H]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

Had the same problem 3 years after got the new boat with new EZ loader trailer. Tire actually flew off going down the freeway. Boat place where we bought from supposedly repaired and said it was good to go and just a fluke happening. 6 months later - the same thing happened with the other side. This trailer was what they recommended to go with the boat we bought and both were new. Guess what - last weekend bearing blew on right side and went flying off. Repair place said it looked to be in good shape - repaired and checked other side and said it was fine. Well, had a repeat this weekend of the opposite side.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: EZ-Loader Boat Trailers - Beware

Here is what I know about alum. the guy who taught me to weld grew up with his dad building airplanes, they torch welded their planes, there was a safty bulitin sent out for the ones that were tiged. The alum would fail due to temper near the welds on tig welded planes. Wondering if his is the same problem with these trailers? I have a very old gator triler 1963, and an older unknown trailer for my other boat. Both are steel, and I inspect them over the corse of the summer when the boat is off the trailer. Yes metal fatage is a real problem with all metals. Alum is more so because it is more ridgid.