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Trailer bunk replacement

Started by Norcalfish80, November 20, 2022, 02:40:38 PM

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Norcalfish80

Long story but my trailer bunks have broken half from towing a different boat.

Is there anything I should know about replacing them as regards the ARIMA hull design?
19HT, Yamaha 115
North Bay Area, CA

DARice

#1
Quote from: Norcalfish80 on November 20, 2022, 02:40:38 PM
Long story but my trailer bunks have broken half from towing a different boat.

Is there anything I should know about replacing them as regards the ARIMA hull design?

If it's just swapping in new bunks for the existing ones, it just takes some patience to find decent fir 2X6s, and you'll need carpet and a staple gun (I'm using 1/2" monel staples). I ordered boat bunk carpet from Pacific Trailer for my current job because the local Home Depot was out of stock, it's much more expensive and not really needed. Carpet recommended by martin3:  https://www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficMaster-Elevations-Color-Sky-Grey-12-ft-Indoor-Outdoor-Ribbed-Texture-Carpet-7PD5N660144H/203240740

Typically, you can attach the bunks with lags or recessed carriage bolts. Of course carriage bolts need to be installed before carpeting. On my EZ Loader those are 5/16" fasteners (I ordered 3/8" :doh:).

I'm adding a second set of bunks and am using stainless for all the fasteners--McMaster Carr has the best prices. For my new bunk brackets I went with Pacific Trailer--their hardware is beefier than others, but the galvanizing is very heavy handed/sloppy and I'm having to drill out all of the holes (OK, my son will do it when he arrives for the holiday--I'm in a sling for several weeks).

Dave
2005 Sea Chaser 17 Pilot House, Lost Sailor
'21 Honda 90, Yamaha T9.9

davidsea

 :yeahthat:
X2 on the monel or SS staples, available for most all staplers - mine were from Arrow.   Don't use pressure treated wood for bunks - the chemicals added to the wood react badly to all sorts of marine things.  When I had bunk trailers, I figured 4-5 years was a pretty decent lifespan, especially in salt water.  If you use a trim router to round off all the edges of the wood a little before you carpet, everything will last longer. I also cut a larger radius on the aft top edge of the bunks, to soften impact from a shallow retrieval, and extended them so that at least an inch was behind the bottom when the boat was tied down, to fully support the transom load.
1996 SR19 Hdtp. - 2018 Honda  BF115D
2009 Duroboat 16 CC, Honda BF50  -  SOLD
and 19 other boats (I think, lost count)

martin3


Dave,

I saw you quote about The Pacific brackets.
I know they galvi-dip all their brackets on site at their Chino location.
I've never seen them so sloppily done the bolts won't go thru the holes.

Did you let Pacific know of the problem?
If you have the drill them out,   I would be worried they would rust faster than normal due to removing some of the galvanize coating.



MJM3

1990 SR Skip Top  "Gypsea Soul"
2013 Etec 115H.O.

DARice

Quote from: martin3 on November 20, 2022, 09:42:48 PM

Dave,

I saw you quote about The Pacific brackets.
I know they galvi-dip all their brackets on site at their Chino location.
I've never seen them so sloppily done the bolts won't go thru the holes.

Did you let Pacific know of the problem?
If you have the drill them out,   I would be worried they would rust faster than normal due to removing some of the galvanize coating.

Thanks martin3, I haven't called them yet, but will.
2005 Sea Chaser 17 Pilot House, Lost Sailor
'21 Honda 90, Yamaha T9.9

GoodDays

Im not a bunk guy as I often launch off fairly rustic ramps and find rollers serve me better. Has anyone used the new "plastic wood" for bunks ?  seems like it would negate the need for carpet or high density plastic runners ??

GoodDays Greg

JDB

Just this summer the boat trailer got converted to hybrid bunk/rollers.  The bunks are the reclaimed rubber material that requires carpet over it, and the material is really dense.  The rollers in back, make loading on shallow ramps pretty easy, and the front bunks carry a tonne of weight.  So far so good, easy loading at any time from Coronet bay, and Swift Creek/Baker lake
'04 21 SR Skip '24 Merc 150 4S ProXS 04 Honda BF8
'19 Lund Fury 16SS '19 30HP ETEC

Action Front!

DARice

I've thought about using Trex/Timbertek or similar synthetic deck boards, but haven't taken it beyond that. The synthetic lumber is a lot more flexible than wood, so it might sag between the supports, depending on the span. Even if it needed to be wrapped in carpet, it would be an appealing solution.
2005 Sea Chaser 17 Pilot House, Lost Sailor
'21 Honda 90, Yamaha T9.9

christianbrat

I think plastic will still scuff gelcoat
1989 Sea Explorer 16 w/ Custom Pilot House
2007 Honda BF90 & 2002 BF5
Built not Bought

If I could be an appliance I would be a toaster

croaker stroker

Agree with DARice, Plastic will sag between supports. Not recommended for structural use.
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

JDB

So I just used the rails that the rollers and roller arms attached to- the middle 4 feet is supported fully, and it tilts fore and aft(balanced slightly to the rear) and side to side.

(Cut the bolts holding the roller arms to the 4 foot bracket, used the holes in the bracket to bolt on the bunk (recessed on the boat contact surface) only the front and back portion of the bunk is unsupported by galvanized steel.
'04 21 SR Skip '24 Merc 150 4S ProXS 04 Honda BF8
'19 Lund Fury 16SS '19 30HP ETEC

Action Front!

Lgrantslo

Hey JDB, do you have any photos of your conversion to bunks? I'm going to get rid of my rollers soon. I have an idea of what I want to do but any suggestions or ideas are appreciated.

Tom C

Quote from: Lgrantslo on January 02, 2023, 12:39:00 PM
I'm going to get rid of my rollers soon. I have an idea of what I want to do but any suggestions or ideas are appreciated.

Exactly what trailer do you have now?

Lgrantslo

Its an EZ Loader tandem axle. I can get the exact model when I get home but maybe this photo will help.

Tom C

The difficulty of converting this style of EZ Loader is that the two cross members on your trailer pivot so the rollers can meet the shape of the hull, but for bunks, the cross members MUST be locked to the trailer frame. This means new cross members and associated hardware. It would be very expensive to do with EZ Loader parts.

Lgrantslo

That is unfortunate the hear. I was hoping to utilize the existing crossmembers and supports. My thought was to remove the rollers and add some supports to hold bunks. I thought they would pivot into position when the boat was loaded on to them. I will have to call EZ Loader and see what they recommend. Thanks for the input. If anyone else out there has converted their trailer to bunks, let me know how you did it!

Tom C

I've seen it done, and it's a disaster. Don't do it.

davidsea

  :yeahthat:
With rigid crossmembers, OK.   With pivoting crossmembers, not OK......m2c
1996 SR19 Hdtp. - 2018 Honda  BF115D
2009 Duroboat 16 CC, Honda BF50  -  SOLD
and 19 other boats (I think, lost count)

Lgrantslo

I copy.  I do have rigid crossmembers, but called EZ Loader and got the correct parts to do this the right way.  Tom, you are right it is pricey.  About $900 in total.  In the long run, it will bring peace of mind now that I have my stringers fixed and believe the rollers were a contributing factor.  For those that have the SL, do you think just one bunk on each side is sufficient?  That is what EZ Loader builds but I feel like two on each side would be better. 

Tom C

One of the features I generally recommend for bunk trailers is keel rollers, which do two things:

- Help carry *some* of the boat weight

- Make launching and retrieving MUCH easier

For this trailer I recommend a pair of keel rollers on both cross members, 12" rollers for the stern cross member, 8" or 10" for the forward cross member

I only use Stoltz brand rollers, and I make the stainless steel roller shafts myself.

DARice

Quote from: Lgrantslo on January 03, 2023, 12:37:46 PM
I copy.  I do have rigid crossmembers, but called EZ Loader and got the correct parts to do this the right way.  Tom, you are right it is pricey.  About $900 in total.  In the long run, it will bring peace of mind now that I have my stringers fixed and believe the rollers were a contributing factor.  For those that have the SL, do you think just one bunk on each side is sufficient?  That is what EZ Loader builds but I feel like two on each side would be better.

I'm adding a second set of bunks to my SC17 because I drive long distances over bumpy roads several times a year and am not gentle with it. Probably overkill, and at the same time, cheap insurance.

Dave
2005 Sea Chaser 17 Pilot House, Lost Sailor
'21 Honda 90, Yamaha T9.9

JDB

Sorry, long time in reply.  Here is how the hybrid bunk-roller was done.
The modification seems to work well, load and unload easy (bug not too easy) and no more bent roller arms up front.
'04 21 SR Skip '24 Merc 150 4S ProXS 04 Honda BF8
'19 Lund Fury 16SS '19 30HP ETEC

Action Front!

Yachter Yat

  JDB: Just my opinion, but (in line with what Tom said) even 'one' big keel roller on that center crossmember might be just enough to prevent putting too much stress on that bottom. Not enough support in the center of these hulls can sometimes prove to be problematic. If going with bunks, I've always felt two on each side is the way to go.

Yat
History is not the past; it's the present, as we all carry it with us......James Baldwin    
16 SC/Honda 60  (sold)

JDB

Adding support to the bottom is exactly why the bunks were added up front (that and the weight on the front rollers kept bending the roller support arms).  The bunks are 6.5"x41".  I'm all about adding more support, but the center crossmember sits about 16" from the keel.
'04 21 SR Skip '24 Merc 150 4S ProXS 04 Honda BF8
'19 Lund Fury 16SS '19 30HP ETEC

Action Front!

Yachter Yat

  I think as long as you have support "close enough to the keel" you'll be okay. In fact, that's just one of the number of reasons I favor rollers. IMO, a trailer with just two bunks, placed "too far outboard", could have a tendency to make that bottom want to "smile", when the road gets rough. Under that condition, I'd be worried about compromising the stringers, or even creating a stress crack somewhere along the length of that bottom. 
  Oh yes, and being the "founding member" of "SMA"; meaning, "Sardonic and Metaphoric Authors" :facepalm:, I could simply explain it another way by saying; not having enough support close to the keel could result in your hull experiencing something similar to what might happen to a "fat man's pants", if attempting to bend down too far. :jester:

Yat
History is not the past; it's the present, as we all carry it with us......James Baldwin    
16 SC/Honda 60  (sold)