Restoring a trailer vs replacing a trailer

[matt167]

My big StarCraft is sitting on an older Holesclaw or Tee Nee trailer that is structurally sound. But it’s in sad shape. It needs new rollers and everything. Wiring, wheels tires and bearings even before I move it.
My little boat was easy as a brand new trailer was $900. I simply towed a new trailer home and i don’t worry about it.

I have 2 other trailers. One is a shoreline trailer that is nice galvanized. Fit for a 17’ boat. And then a 2000 StarCraft branded EZ loader that is a bunk trailer. I towed that junk boat home for the trailer.. that trailer by now may need just as much work sitting in the weeds.


Can I add a 2’ longer tongue to the galvanized Shoreline and make it fit an 18’? The tongue bolts in and is square tubing. My actual donor boat is sitting on it now which is a 4 winns freedom 160 fiberglass. My tin StarCraft Offshore 18 I think is lighter

 

[Chris1956]

You might see if eastern marine has a longer tongue that will fit. They are a pretty good source for trailer parts. You may need to move the axle to restore balance.

 

[matt167]

Looks like they have several lengths. I’ll have to measure and see what I need. The trailer has a few extra sets of holes to move the axle

 

[JimS123]

Back in 1986 I bought a fixerupper rig. I still own it - its the Sea Nymph in my signature.

The motor had just been serviced, so that wasn't an issue. We used Aluminum jelly and new decals and the boat was now perfect.

The trailer was another issue. 100% rust. I sanded and applied rust reformer and topcoated with rustoleum. New tires and rims, bearings, lights, wiring, rollers and winch. This was our traveling boat for vacations.

Every year it was something else. A fender vibrated and the metal cracked. I saw it in my rear view mirror flying thru the air at 65 mph. Yada Yada. After 15 years I finally gave up. Sold it for $150 and bought a new galvanized Load Rite for $500.

The only redeeming factor was that the paint job held up all those years.

If I had to do it over I would have bought the new trailer in the first place.

 

[rustybronco]

I have 2 other trailers. One is a shoreline trailer that is nice galvanized. Fit for a 17’ boat. And then a 2000 StarCraft branded EZ loader that is a bunk trailer. I towed that junk boat home for the trailer.. that trailer by now may need just as much work sitting in the weeds.


Can I add a 2’ longer tongue to the galvanized Shoreline and make it fit an 18’? The tongue bolts in and is square tubing.

Single axle Shorelandr trailers come with a 3x4 or 3x5 tube rails. My 18Ft SeaRay has 3x5 tube and originally came with C-78X13 (ST185 80D 13) tires. (Boat approximately 2800? Lbs. SRV1724 trailer) It has a 3000 Lb axle. If your boat is around the same weight and is 3x4 tube (12 inch tires?) I don't think I would consider the the longer tongue.

 

[matt167]

It’s a Shoreline that’s in question. Different company than shorelandr I think. They could be a subsidiary of the same. Anyway it has 14” tires if I remember correctly. The Tee Nee that the StarCraft is on is on 185/ 80 13s

 

[rustybronco]

It’s a Shoreline that’s in question.

Sorry, misread the manufacturer.

I "guess" then what will matter is the size of the frame tube and it's wall thickness.

My 1995 Escort trailer which held a 19' 5"? (20' Bayliner 1950) has 14" tires and it's wall thickness is 9 Ga opposed to the Shoreland'r's 12 Ga (11 Ga tongue) which held a 18' 2" boat.

 

[matt167]

It’s 3x3 Galvanized tubing and the tongue is. 72” long. I did the rough guess measurements and measured forward 2’ and it would still actually fit. But I’ve found 8’ tongues at eastern marine and the axle can slide forward. It has notches for it. I love towing with a long tongue trailer. Both trailers use the same 175 80 13 trailer tires

 

[bruceb58]

You can just go to a metal supply place and buy the steel piece. No need to order from Eastern Marine.

I am assuming this trailer has the proper weight rating for the boat you are putting on it?

I am guessing this trailer doesn't require brakes?

 

[rolmops]

My big StarCraft is sitting on an older Holesclaw or Tee Nee trailer that is structurally sound. But it’s in sad shape. It needs new rollers and everything. Wiring, wheels tires and bearings even before I move it.
My little boat was easy as a brand new trailer was $900. I simply towed a new trailer home and i don’t worry about it.

I have 2 other trailers. One is a shoreline trailer that is nice galvanized. Fit for a 17’ boat. And then a 2000 StarCraft branded EZ loader that is a bunk trailer. I towed that junk boat home for the trailer.. that trailer by now may need just as much work sitting in the weeds.


Can I add a 2’ longer tongue to the galvanized Shoreline and make it fit an 18’? The tongue bolts in and is square tubing. My actual donor boat is sitting on it now which is a 4 winns freedom 160 fiberglass. My tin StarCraft Offshore 18 I think is lighter

I did put on a a longer tongue bar on a shoreland'r Trailer just last week and mentioned this on another thread. Dingbat answered the thread and said that a 2 foot longer tongue bar increases deviation by up to 25%. that may cause the tail to wag the dog. Not being an engineer I do not understand why that is,but I do understand that Dingbat knows what he is talking about

 

[matt167]

I did put on a a longer tongue bar on a shoreland'r Trailer just last week and mentioned this on another thread. Dingbat answered the thread and said that a 2 foot longer tongue bar increases deviation by up to 25%. that may cause the tail to wag the dog. Not being an engineer I do not understand why that is,but do understand that Dingbat knows what he is talking about

Because you are increasing the size of the lever. The axle needs moved forward to balance the load. I’m changing the boat itself so that would need done anyway. The tongue weight should be 10% or a little more of the gross total trailer weight

 

[matt167]

You can just go to a metal supply place and buy the steel piece. No need to order from Eastern Marine.

I am assuming this trailer has the proper weight rating for the boat you are putting on it?

I am guessing this trailer doesn't require brakes?

Correct no brakes on either. I know I can go to a metal supplier and will as long as I can get it galvanized

 

[bruceb58]

Because you are increasing the size of the lever. The axle needs moved forward to balance the load. I’m changing the boat itself so that would need done anyway. The tongue weight should be 10% or a little more of the gross total trailer weight

if you wanted to keep 10%, you would actually move the axle backwards since the longer tongue would reduce the tongue weight. But like you said, everything changes anyway with a different boat.

 

[matt167]

if you wanted to keep 10%, you would actually move the axle backwards since the longer tongue would reduce the tongue weight. But like you said, everything changes anyway with a different boat.

I had to think about it for a minute but your right. I will probably tow test it to see where it’s at. Or put a scale on it

 

[cyclops222]

Do the Public Scale weighing. With a FULLY loaded fuel tank & equipment in the boat. You know how to correct anything less than 10 %. Enjoy the high speed trucks on the interstates.

 

[matt167]

Do the Public Scale weighing. With a FULLY loaded fuel tank & equipment in the boat. You know how to correct anything less than 10 %. Enjoy the high speed trucks on the interstates.

I don’t take the interstates. Don’t. Need to. I do have a blacktop company and a transfer station local so checking it wouldn’t be hard

 

[rustybronco]

It’s 3x3 Galvanized tubing and the tongue is. 72” long.

Both trailers use the same 175 80 13 trailer tires

I did a search on the Shoreland'r web site (Not Shoreline) and the closest I could find was the R1817 roller trailer that used 2x3 frame tube and 3x3 tongue tube with P155 80D 13 LR C tires. (Or B78 13 depending on year.) Anything bigger used 2x4 frame tube. That model is rated for up to #1700. I would assume your Shoreline would be in the same ball park. Thicker or thinner tube than 11 Ga would change the Load Rating as would method of construction. Upgraded tire size one would speculate increase the Load capacity but you would still have to consider the axles max capacity.

 

[matt167]

The StarCraft is almost 400 lbs lighter than the Four winns fiberglass 16 foot that it currently has on it. 1960 lbs per brochure vs 1,400 lbs per the 1971 StarCraft brocure… both the donor Four Winns and the shoreline trailer are 1986 so I can only guess they were sold/ put together from new

 

[matt167]

My only hang up now is. The tires on the shoreline might not make it to where I’m going to swap the motors. The starcrafts old trailer is 4 lug as well so I can’t buy just one set of tires. The shoreline has nice galvanized wheels so buying assemblies won’t make sense. But getting trailer tires to seat without a bead blaster is usually impossible.. I have all the tools to change tires by hand. So I may opt for tubes even though I hate them.


I looked at the registration and it’s good for 2,500 lbs so I can have 1,000 lbs of fuel and gear and still have 100lbs to spare on the trailer

 

[dingbat]

But getting trailer tires to seat without a bead blaster is usually impossible.

Starting fluid and a match works every time