Need Trailer Bunk/Roller Advice

[minuteman62-64]

My boat unloads and loads OK and also tows OK. However, there seems to be a lot if weight (at least percentage-wise, the boat/motor/gear package only weighs about 800-900 lbs.) on the bow roller. It shows with significant keel imprints (about 5/8 inch deep) in that roller. From my readings here it's my understanding that the bow roller should mainly function to keep the keel off the trailer frame, and not be a major weight carrier.

Its a 1982 and the setup is the same as when I purchased it from the PO back in 1985. I did replace the bunks, but with exact copies of the previous ones. The current bunks are 2x4 in the vertical position - same as the previous ones. Point is, it has been configured like this (see attached) for a long time.

You can see the existing bunks in the attached photos. If you look closely you can see that the rear of the bunks extend to just under the transom (while the stem is up against the bow support with the bow eye just under the bow support). The front of the bunks extend only about 4 inches past the mid-crossmember of the trailer.

So, I'm wondering if my understanding of the bow roller function is correct (shouldn't be bearing as much weight as it apparently is).

If I have too much weight on the bow roller, would lengthening the bunks (towards the bow) lessen the load? Or just put too much stress on the portion of the bunks overhanging the forward supports?

Would it be informative to drop the bow roller and see if the keel drops all the way down to the trailer frame? I assume this would mean that the center of gravity of the boat is forward of the bunks?

Appreciate any insight from you trailer experts (an expert defined as anyone who cares to offer an opinion).

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Need Trailer Bunk/Roller Advice

The problem may not be with the setup but with the roller. Many of the keel/spool rollers that are on the market today aren't very good. Too soft and no support between the roller and the roller axle shaft. I had the same proble with some new rollers that I had purchased. Only got 1 year out of tem and they were just as you discribed. This setup was also very simular to what you have in design, load and setup.

I would reccommend these. 5" Heavy Duty Keel Roller - Black Rubber, 5/8" I.D. #5244-105EC

Another alternative which I did was to add another roller to the tongue under the bow.

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: Need Trailer Bunk/Roller Advice

Yeah, I was thinking of one of those poly rollers that West sells - look a lot more durable than the rubber ones.

Is there a bracket available for mounting a roller on the tongue? On my trailer, a Dilly tilt, that roller would be upstream of the pivot point for the tilt mechanism. Doesn't look like that would be a problem though.

Even with a more robust bow roller, or adding another one, I'd still be concerned about the weight on it. Seems contrary to what I've read on other posts here.

 

[colbyt]

Re: Need Trailer Bunk/Roller Advice

Please don't mistake me for an expert but in my opinion those bunks need adjusting so that the entire surface is in contact with the boat. Maybe the keel roller could be adjusted down to accomplish the same thing.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Need Trailer Bunk/Roller Advice

So that is a tilt trailer. With 3 rollers or 4? Yes they make a bracket that will mount a roller on the tongue. Adding another roller would help spread the weight in front of the bunks which like mine is were the problem arises. 900# total weigh really isn't alot.

My 14' Lund started on a trailer just like yours, an old Gator tilt and it goes about the same weight as yours. It now sits on an all roller trailer that has only 2 keel rollers and 8 bunk wobble rollers, 4 on each side. With the boat fully loaded I can crawl under it and turn each rear wobble roller by hand.

The problem is like I had that there is only one or two rollers forward of the bunks supporting all the weight. Which is why I added another roller. Also again is that most spool rollers are too soft and they crush easily. And while using the tilt you are adding a lot of pressure to the rollers while cranking it on. Which is why I reccommeded the rollers that I did. I also though of adding the roller axles that are drilled and fitted with grease fitting to aid in keeping the rollers rolling.

Anyways that's how I did it and it worked. Something to think about. Also I couldn't extend my bunks forward because of the way the bunk brackets were built.

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: Need Trailer Bunk/Roller Advice

Please don't mistake me for an expert but in my opinion those bunks need adjusting so that the entire surface is in contact with the boat. Maybe the keel roller could be adjusted down to accomplish the same thing.

The bunks are in contact with the hull along their entire length. Kind of hard to see in the photos, but the bunks extend from the transom to just shy of the forward guide-on support post. They show up as the grey pieces at the bottom of the hull.

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: Need Trailer Bunk/Roller Advice

Appreciate the input. Mine is a 3 roller trailer: one at the transom, one at the mid-trailer cross member (which puts it just about at the forward end of the bunks) and one towards the bow, just shy of the tilt pivot point. The two aft rollers do not bear on the keel when the boat is all the way on the trailer. The forward one obviously does.

I did locate some tongue mounted roller brackets - I may be able to fit one in forward of the existing front roller (vertical clearance may be an issue - if I raise the boat any more I'll run into winch post/bow-stop/bow eye problems). I'll do some measuring before I purchase anything.

I think I'll begin by trying to fit in another roller forward, to share the load. Since I do have the ability to extend the bunks, that will be a follow-up step, a little later in the year.

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: Need Trailer Bunk/Roller Advice

Fiddled around with boat/trailer and determined that with the current bunk setup I have a "3-point" support system - two bunks in the rear and a single roller in the front. No way the current bunks will support what seems to be the desired 90% of the boat.

Strolled around the Shelter Island launch ramp Sunday and looked at similar trailers. Pretty much the same configuration as mine and obviously (from the way the rollers are chewed up) a significant portion of the boat's weight on the front roller.

So, here's where I am now (photo). Set the boat so the flat aft portion was parallel to the trailer & bunks. Brought the old front roller and a new tongue mounted roller up to the keel and secured them. Then lowered boat on the rollers. I'll see how that works at next launch. Hopefully it will, as a minimum, take some of the load off the front rollers.