Help finding trailer part.

[briannh1234]

Hi All -

I picked up a great galvanized trailer last summer. It needs a little work but is far superior to the steel rusting trailer I had.

One problem is that it's a tilt trailer. The tilt part is working fine, but the lock was rusted up garbage. I have been searching on "tilt trailer lock" and finding nothing. I will try to attach some pictures to help. It's a shoreline trailer.

- Brian

 

[rickryder]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

You can try these guys Trailer Parts Superstore - Shopping Index

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

These are the pictures ...

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

RickRyder -

Thanks for the link. They may have the part there somewhere. I just can't find it and I'm finding the same thing at all the web sites I have visited. I think I may be using the wrong part name. What are other names for the part I'm looking for.

- Brian

 

[colbyt]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

You are going to need to get closer if you want us old folk to be able to see the latch pin. Mine looks an awful lot like a yard gate dead bolt. You might go to Lowes or Home Depot sites and look at gate hardware.

OTOH, if you don't want a tilt trailer a couple of hardened bolts or u-bolts can usually make the conversion for you.

edit: tilt lock, tilt pin, tilt trailer lock or lock pin.

 

[rickryder]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

I'm not sure of the name either but like colbyt said you may be able to retro fit something from the hardware store

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

Thanks for the help.

I would like to keep it as a tilt trailer, although I have owned tilt trailers in the past and never used the tilt part. I have attached a better picture of the problem area.



As you can tell I found one solution at the hardware store already. And a u-bolt would be a permanent solution but defeats the tilt.

- Brian

 

[Don Hansen]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

Try "spring loaded latch pins"

Better yet. Spring Latch Pin on etrailer.com Search

DLH

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

That look like it would do the trick. Thanks Don.

- Brian

 

[colbyt]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

I agree with Don. The first one on that page mounted to the top to the tongue. What has me stumped is I see no evidence of any prior mountings.

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

I'm with Don too. I just ordered the part. What's funny is that I was also looking around for LED trailer lights and found them there as well. The old mount was a u-bolt and you can see some rust marks where it was mounted. I would like to mount the new latch without drilling into the trailer and up-setting the galvanizing. I'll let you all know how it goes and take some pictures of the results.

- Brian

 

[Don Hansen]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

It's stainless so that probably leaves out welding. Are you able to get inside the tongue to attach the nuts. Also I would think about drilling the holes in the latch to a larger size. Those mounting holes look kinda small. At least use grade 8 hardware.

DLH

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

There is no access inside the tongue. It's a square tube. I'll see if the part will do the trick and then worry about mounting it. It seems I could mount it to another piece of SS that would be wide enough to be secured with a U-bolt. In the mean time I have started in on the lights - the old ones are a mess.

- Brian

 

[colbyt]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

Brian, mine is mounted with bolts that go all the way through the tongue. My best guess is that the trailer is 40 years old with fresh water use only.

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

Colbyt -

Bolt's all the way through is another option. The trailer is old and has been in my neighborhood since I moved in around 2004. Last summer the owner of the lot it was on said to another neighbor to get rid of it. If the motor wasn't to big for my boat I would have grabbed it but we sold it. The boat was junk and was full of water from 2004 until last summer so it went to the dump. I did get the trailer but have no idea if it saw salt water or not. The axel is a little rusty, as well as some hangers and stuff, but the frame itself is great.

- Brian

 

[colbyt]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

At this point in time it would be your future use (fresh or salt water), not the past use of the trailer that might influence your choices.

I've never been forced to deal with salt water but from reading I understand it to be a completely different type of ball game.

I suspect I will be under my trailer some time today. I will see what size and how many bolts hold the lock in place. I know now it is attached to a 2 x 4 tube and there is no way they managed to get spacer bushings in there.

 

[Don Hansen]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

If you decide to do a bolt through, you may have a hard time finding grade 8 bolts that long. If so, try this place.

Hex bolts - Bolt Depot

DLH

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

Don -

Thanks for the bolt depot link. I have used them before and are right in MA. I can ask for ground shipping and it's here the next day.

Colbyt -

My boat's to small for the ocean, and even some of the bigger lakes, so this will be a strictly a fresh water trailer from here on out.

- Brian

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Help finding trailer part.

The part showed up yesterday and it looks like it will do the trick...



I bought U-bolts before that had a metal flange for the bolt end that would fit between the latch and the bottom of the latch bracket. I think I'll mount it with those. I will also have to have someone local fab up a part to fit over where the chain attaches to fill in the gap, but that should be no big deal.

Thanks again for the help.

- Brian