Project Fuggly - No Longer Fuggly And Splashed!!!!!!

[Keith Ogden]

Well, great whites have to eat too. ound:

I say feed them " Jet Skiers "

 

[archbuilder]

Ok I finally had time to get back to the boat today. I have next week off, so I should make some progress. Its 50 today, nice day to finish up pulling out the trailer.



I put the front of the trailer on the floor jack and slowly moved it out until the guide post got to the shoring. Then I put more cribbing up and another cross member in place. Then pulled out the front 6x6 and the got the trailer the rest of the way out. Hopefully I can start on the paint prep work tomorrow.

 

[archbuilder]

Here's a couple more pics from tonight.

 

[archbuilder]

Not that it has anything to do with the boat, but I finished up this gag gift for a friend today......She has a bit of a wild streak, went to red box one night for a movie, ended up a local pub and had a "Tequila night" lol Think there is a country song about it! Couldn't pass up the opportunity to give her a "red box".

 

[GA_Boater]

This one? LOL

 

[archbuilder]

Lol GA, I'm guessing most of the guys were hoping for that, but I think it was a lot closer to this

 

[jaggededge]

Whew.... I had the misfortune of running into one of "these" once.

 

[Patfromny]

Couldn't pass up the opportunity to give her a "red box".

Easy boss, that's getting awfully close to harassment, LOL. You really needed to add that pic to make that statement right. I once went to a Giants-Dallas game and wound up at an Islanders - Rangers game by the end of the night. That was one for the record books. Long Island to Jersey to Long Island to Manhatten with 5 of my buds. One long day/night of drinking there. We just walked right into the hockey game. No one was watching the door at the very moment we arrived. We went to the first beer vendor and there was a buddy of ours. He had bought tickets for his moms birthday and we followed him down to their seats at ice level. And there we all were watching a hockey game. You couldn't ever do something like that again. The plan was for my buddy who was NYFD to get in with his tin and find tickets for everyone else somehow but when we got to the garden, no one was at the door so we all just walked in. I know, horrible plan but it was worth the ride to Manhatten in his conversion van and a cooler with the boys. Ahhh, the good old college days.

 

[archbuilder]

Pat not even close to harassment, you haven't met Leslie, lol. I am now top of the favorites list...at least for a while.

I did get some time to strip down the trailer, jacked it up and pulled the bunk boards, springs axles etc. I supported the back end on two jack stands and the front on the trailer jack. I really want the paint on next week. I was winding things down and leaned on the goal post at the front..... the frame rails deflected about 3/4" of an inch (twisted). I knew this trailer was an issue when I bought the boat, wish I had sold it and just built a new one. Everyone talks about the boats, but if the trailer doesn't get you there safely then nothing else matters. Sigh......looks like time to head to the steel supply for some plate, get new springs, 14" tires and wheels.....paint and a lot of welding. Ug, I wish I had sold the trailer and bought some tube steel for a new one! I really didn't want to box the frame rails but it needs it.

 

[Patfromny]

Surprising that your weight would flex an I beam of aluminum. 3/4" is surprising.

 

[archbuilder]

Pat its actually a 4" steel C channel. Should have been a tube or a deeper channel. Tubes are much better in torsion, and for that matter bending. Boxing the channel more or less makes it a tube, but the process is a little messy. I leaned on the goal post which works like a big pry bar, but the deflection was still a lot more than it should have been.

 

[archbuilder]

I need to take a pic, I can see how my post would be confusing..... the trailer frame is twisting when I lean on the top of the goal post, which works like a pipe wrench twisting a pipe. I I sit on it, the vertical deflection isn't that much...The front part I rebuilt is super stiff, but the back part is like a wet noodle flopping around.

 

[Patfromny]

I got the boxed reference. We used to box lower control arms or some might say trailing arms on the rear suspensions of "A" body GM's to make them more stout. Just surprised you get that much travel out of just leaning on it.

 

[archbuilder]

I was too, Its more work but Id rather do it now than later. It will look better too, I never liked how the channel legs were turned out on this trailer. I think Northern Tool has most of what I need in stock, so hopefully I can go by there and the steel supply on Tuesday. I have a lot of prep work and welding that can be done tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a great Christmas!

 

[sphelps]

Maybe your like me and just need to go on a diet ! :facepalm: :lol:
Merry Christmas arch !!

 

[mickyryan]

merry Christmas man hey instead of using axle and stuff check out the axle less suspension!

 

[archbuilder]

Hey Micky, are you talking about torsion bars? I have thought about that and they are nice and work really well...but I am already spending more than I wanted on the trailer. But more than that I really want to get paint on this thing this week and I think that is going to be pushing it with everything on the list. January is supposed to be cold and i want to get the painting wrapped up while I can.

Tonight I added steps between the rear of the fenders and back of the trailer to the list. I think I will regret it if I don't. I also leveled the trailer tonight. Long story short, there was a lot of deflection in the frame rails just from its own weight. I think boxing the frame channels makes a lot of since. I ran the numbers and it adds about 70 pounds, not to bad. The 13" wheels that came on it actually limit the trailer capacity to about 2700 pounds. The springs and axle are 3500 pound from what I can see. Changing the tires / wheels to 14's will give me the full 3500 pound capacity. I don't think I have added more than 400 or 500 pounds in steel on the trailer and motor. So we should be good and have a much stiffer trailer.

I also pondered the wire routing tonight and think I came up with a good solution, similar to Miss Morgans. I also added two more marker lights, just for good measure.

I have a lot of shopping to do tomorrow and Tuesday....hopefully get some welding in also!

 

[archbuilder]

and yes Sam I do need a diet!

 

[archbuilder]

Went to northern tool this morning and picked up a bunch of goodies..



I stripped the hubs off the axles and picked up some new seals. After lunch I see a bunch of welding happening!

 

[GA_Boater]

Hope you had some coupons, Arch. LOL

Only one fender?