New front roller

[Mustang67ford]

I have a v-bottom fiberglass boat with a really small front roller. It is very difficlut to line up and hit it when trying to drive boat up onto the trailer. Looking for suggestions on upgrading the roller. Here are a couple pics.

 

[ahicks]

The brackets that hold that roller are bolted to the trailer frame/cross member. If you want an easier target, replace that small roller with one that's 2-3 times as wide and reuse the existing brackets mounted outboard of where they are at now. Holes to allow that don't even need to be drilled. They're there waiting for you!

 

[Mustang67ford]

Im not familiar with trailer rollers or the brackets. Any way you could provide some makes and models, pics, or website link? All the back rollers are the same, should i replace those as well? Thanks

 

[Horigan]

Here's one right here on iBoats. You'll need the roller shaft also.

 

[ahicks]

Im not familiar with trailer rollers or the brackets. Any way you could provide some makes and models, pics, or website link? All the back rollers are the same, should i replace those as well? Thanks

The "really small front roller" front roller you're asking about in the first post? Look what's attaching it to the trailer frame. Those are the brackets I'm talking about moving, to accommodate a roller at least twice as long as the "small" roller there now. Longer rollers are sold anywhere boat parts are sold, even WalMart .

 

[Mustang67ford]

Thanks, how about stoltz rollers? Ever hear of captain's best bow V-roller assembly?

 

[JimS123]

Stoltz self-centering roller. You also need a shaft and a bracket. I have one on each crossmember and its virtually impossible to load the boat crooked.

 

[gm280]

I didn't see any other boat supports in the pictures. Are there any carpeted wood bunks/runners that support the boat under neither or even on the sides? When you have the boat loaded correctly on the trailer, the actual "rollers" should just barely be touching the keel from front to back. And the reason why is so the boat doesn't take on a bent up shape from the rollers. The typical bunks are what usually holds the boat weight. And if they are installed and adjusted properly, your boat will load and unload with ease. And all the rollers will be just touching the keel then.

 

[Mustang67ford]

I didn't see any other boat supports in the pictures. Are there any carpeted wood bunks/runners that support the boat under neither or even on the sides?

Here is a complete pic of the trailer. Please let me know if any other rollers should be replaced along with the forward most one. The ones on the 2 sides, the roller tray, the rollers are held in with like a long rivet pin. Woukd need to drill pin out then put in some type of bolt. My trailer is a 1970 little dude trailer. Also, I dont have an issue with the rollers working properly. The problem is when i try to drive the boat up onto the trailer, i miss the front most roller.

 

[emoney]

I kinda 2nd what gm280 said. My 20' Center Console trailer doesn't have any rollers on it. The bunks are up high enough to support the boat and there's no a scratch on the keel. Can those roller bunks be raised? I'm not familiar with those type bunks, but it seems like the rollers shouldn't be carrying the weight of the boat for sure.

 

[gm280]

Here is a complete pic of the trailer. Please let me know if any other rollers should be replaced along with the forward most one. The ones on the 2 sides, the roller tray, the rollers are held in with like a long rivet pin. Woukd need to drill pin out then put in some type of bolt. My trailer is a 1970 little dude trailer. Also, I dont have an issue with the rollers working properly. The problem is when i try to drive the boat up onto the trailer, i miss the front most roller.

When the boat is sitting on the trailer, do the roller bunks fit the boat all the way from the transom area towards the bow? I ask because that is how they are suppose to work. They are to take the weight of the boat and not any center rollers. The center rollers are there to allow the bow keel to not hit the metal cross members when loading and unloading. Once it is in the final position, the center rollers are supposed to be just barely touching the keel. The roller bunks should be setup to help guide the bow into center position.

And I see you have side bunks to assist with that as well. Are they too far off the sides of the haul once it is resting on the trailer? They should be very close if not touching the sides of the haul when resting on the trailer. That is their job. So I think with a good trailer setup, your problems would disappear. However, that means some modification to the roller bunks as well as the side bunks and even replacing the center roller(s) if need be to help center the boat when loading. JMHO

 

[Mustang67ford]

The roller bunks dont extend forward enough to carry the boat. They only go as far as the side bunks. The side bunks are very close to the boat as well. When trailer is in water, roller bunks dont contact boat until pulling out. If i miss the front roller, boat keel his the front crossmember holding the front roller. Here is a side pic of the boat on the trailer.

 

[gm280]

If you have the means, you could fabricate a front "V" section roller setup that forces the bow to center itself when loading. It looks like you have a cross member closer to the bow end that you could make a metal bracket with angled side rollers to force the boat to the center. Not sure of your abilities or equipment, but that is what I would do AND install longer carpeted bunks to go forward further to support the boat more. But that is just how I would do it. I am sure others have different ideas and suggestions as well.

 

[Mustang67ford]

Do you have any pics of what you mean for the front? I do have the means for fabricating to some extent.

 

[JimS123]

Awesome nice trailer. I built one exactly like it a few years ago.

Replace the first roller (the wide aft one) and the third roller with Stoltz self-centering rollers. That will give you the cat's meow as far as loading. It will always be centered.

The keel rollers should be aligned with a straight edge so there is no hull deformation. The side roller bunks should then be raised to support the hull.

The keel is the strongest part of the hull and that's where the support should be. If it isn't you have a defective boat.

Over 50 years ago I built a boat trailer and those were the instructions given in the manual. After owning many more boats, the guide never steered me wrong.

I realize there are 2 trains of thought here. You pick the one that you believe best in. If you ain't happy with the results, go try the other way.

 

[Mustang67ford]

Awesome nice trailer. I built one exactly like it a few years ago.

Replace the first roller (the wide aft one) and the third roller with Stoltz self-centering rollers. That will give you the cat's meow as far as loading. It will always be centered.

The keel rollers should be aligned with a straight edge so there is no hull deformation. The side roller bunks should then be raised to support the hull.

The keel is the strongest part of the hull and that's where the support should be. If it isn't you have a defective boat.

Over 50 years ago I built a boat trailer and those were the instructions given in the manual. After owning many more boats, the guide never steered me wrong.

I realize there are 2 trains of thought here. You pick the one that you believe best in. If you ain't happy with the results, go try the other way.

Thanks. So are you saying not to replace the front roller? Keep in mind, when trailer is under water for loading. The only rollers that make contact are the front roller and maybe the second one back. Putting in self centering rollers in the aft and 3rd one probably wont help with loading as no boat contact. Not sure what you mean on raising the bunk rollers. The boat does currently rest on them.

 

[ahicks]

I agree this front roller is generally the one the boat contacts first (most of the time). Also agree that if you are trying to drive the boat onto the trailer, the narrow roller is going to be difficult to hit reliably. Just install a wider one, and if you want to use one of those self centering ones, go for it.

 

[JimS123]

Thanks. So are you saying not to replace the front roller? Keep in mind, when trailer is under water for loading. The only rollers that make contact are the front roller and maybe the second one back. Putting in self centering rollers in the aft and 3rd one probably wont help with loading as no boat contact. Not sure what you mean on raising the bunk rollers. The boat does currently rest on them.

"Trailer under water" for me is a concern. When I retrieve the rollers may be under water a bit, but not so far that they the keel won't touch them. Thus, the boat self centers as it is being loaded. My statement about the bunk rollers was to emphasize that they should not be carrying the load of the boat. That's what the keel rollers are for.

Once again, not everyone is in agreement on how to do anything. Just remember - i'm the guy at the ramp that never has a problem, regardless of what condition the ramp is in. And I never had a hull damaged by rollers.

 

[ahicks]

I would add to that, that I'm the one that does NOT try to drive a boat onto the trailer - ever.

 

[Mustang67ford]

I would add to that, that I'm the one that does NOT try to drive a boat onto the trailer - ever.

I prefer to not drive my boat uo either. However, the one lake I go to is very busy. To the point i have been 10 vehicles back in line waiting to launch boat. The ramp is 2 vehicles wide. There is only 1 dock enough to temporarily tie up 2 boats. Then you gave boats trying to come in also. It is a real mess. What people do if there are 2 is one person in boat and other in vehicle. Boat launches and stays out in water til other person gets to dock then goes to dock just long enough to load people. If by myself, then you have to hold up traffic to try to get ramp side by dock unless driving boat up on and off. Lots of anxiety just getting on and off the lake.