Trailer rebuild

[jdavis]

I carved out two weekends (and a few nights in between) to refurbish the trailer under our SJ Mark II “Final One II". When my buddy and I brought the boat back from just outside Atlanta, we were on a whirlwind trip to make it up there, size up and buy the boat(me), and get back home the same day. When we got there, we found the seller had the boat cleaned up and new tires on the trailer. We threw the floor jack under it to check the play in the hubs, packed some grease in them and headed south to arrive back in Orlando late that night without incident.

This Texas shop built, drop-axle, painted trailer was not the original, it appeared to have been cut down in length and made to work. I cannot see how someone could beat up just about every single thing on the trailer. It looked like it was beat with a sack full of anvils, everything was bent!

I had already replaced the bunks and support brackets and re-positioned them during the bottom paint removal project immediately after getting her home almost 18 months ago (see previous post). The remaining trailer overhaul included moving the axle, replacing the bearings, and a fresh coat of paint including new wiring and lights. The trailer must have had over 300 pounds of tongue weight. I had sheared off several gear pins in the trailer jack just getting it on and off the truck. The plastic wheel on the trailer jack was shredding under the load while maneuvering the boat back and forth in the carport. The trailer side rails were pre-punched every 6” in the area of the leaf spring cradles, which made moving the axle pretty quick. The floor jack and jack stands made it safe. After moving the axle forward one foot (and just a couple of bolts to hold everything in place) I put the bathroom scales under the trailer jack and she weighed in at 175 pounds, pretty close to the target 10% of the gross boat and trailer weight, and now was no big strain on the trailer jack. After installing the rest of the bolts in the spring cradles it was time to move onto the hubs.

When I pulled the hubs off the axles, the rusty grease poured out along with a lot of water. It was obvious the rear seals were shot. And of course the axle couldn’t be a typical every day model easy-to-find- bearings-for, but nooooo, this one has ¾” outer shaft and 1-1/4” inner shaft. I cleaned the rust packed bearings to see what kind of damage there was. It was obvious the boat had sat for some time with water in the hubs because the bearings and races were pitted pretty badly. Thank you Lord for getting us home from Atlanta that day because finding these bearings on the trip would not have been fun! I headed to the parts stores with parts in hand, and got the usually frown treatment from the guys at Dismount Auto Parts, and the Parts is Parts place. They said to go to NAPA which I did, and I will always go there first from now on for any auto/trailer parts. The assistant manager (Clint) was up for the challenge. When the part numbers did not cross reference in the computer, he reached down and pulled up two old catalogues from under the counter. It seems the hubs were from a 1984 Ford something. That trailer shop probably got a deal on some overstock outdated hubs! Anyway NAPA had the parts! So after new races, bearings, and seals, I also rebuilt the Buddy Bearings to remove all the Georgia clay mud and rust. After that project is was on to the new paint.

I thought the trailer was going to need sandlblasting, but the rust was not bad enough to warrant that much trouble. And I would have lost all of the factory primer. I de-scaled the worst areas and applied OSPHO which turns rust (iron oxide) into iron phosphate which will hold paints. I used Aluthane as the finish which I had used on previous trailer projects. This product is aluminum powder suspended in one-part urethane. It is used industrially and works very well. At over $60/quart it better be good! The winds this past weekend were too much to allow spraying the finish so I brushed on the Aluthane to all the welds and tight corners, then rolled the balance with a short, small diameter foam roller which worked great in the small areas. After that I moved on to rebuild the trailer winch and trailer jack also coating them with the same finish. Now how did they bend the trailer winch drum? After re-assembly I moved on to replacing the wiring and lights, and getting the Aluthane out of my hair and off my hands. Once this stuff dries it will not come off.

The trailer isn’t perfect, but I am not embarrassed now at the traffic lights or at the ramps! We are ready for all the road trips to the Spring regattas, and looking forward to hauling “Final One II” down to the Keys in April. Y’all come with us!
Jim

[Capndar]

We just did a similar project for son Kevin's old fleet captain trailer - I pulled the axle, we replaced the springs (COMPLETELY FLAT) with new and replaced the bearings - surprisingly trhe axle was not pitted or scarred too badly. Getting the spring bolts off - hah! Hacksaw!

A media blast and a gray primer, some new lights and tongue jack, and we are on the road to Columbia in June!!

I wish I knew how to attach a photo here

Mike R
#1694

Kevin R
#1598

[cklamp]

Mike, in your reply click "upload attachment" and just follow the bouncing ball:)

later
C