Trailer rant!

MikeR · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:14 am Post subject: Trailer rant!

Brand new 2013 EZ Loader trailer, has been sitting in my garage since purchased new just over a year ago. First two trips with the trailer were launching from the sling at Edmonds in August. Third trip was last weekend, launching the trailer at a ramp into the water for its first time ever. It was salt water, and yes I disconnected the lights before launching, and yes the trailer was rinsed with fresh water both ways.

Today, only one week after its first dip, we hitch up, check the lights, and no tail light on right side! I opened the light fixture to find a burnt bulb that has already rusted itself to the socket. Seriously?!

I've had same problem with other trailers (although usually it takes a couple of years to get to this point), so it makes me wonder...in this day and age, why are the lights on my 2013 trailer exactly the same design (but apparently lower quality construction) as trailers I've had that were 30+ years old? If better lighting systems are available, I would have gladly paid more, but unfortunately this was the only roller trailer on the dealer's lot that fit my boat when I went to buy it. Searching the forums here it sounds like even LED lights can also suffer from water intrusion.

So after scraping off as much rust as I could and replacing the bulb, we launched on the sling at Cap Sante in Anacortes today. No more salt water for this trailer...lights are just the first thing on my gripe list for so-called "salt water" trailers!

End of rant. Thanks for listening!

joefish · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 6:36 am Post subject:

I'm with you! Just wait. A year ago the wheel of my custom 2012 trailer passed me going down a hill. All five lugs had sheered off. It bounced about 10' in the air, demolished a mailbox, and almost crossed the median into oncoming traffic. Before that the trailer had a shock break off, and a number of other problems, including lights out almost immediately after purchase. My wife will no longer travel with me when pulling the boat because of all the problems, breakdowns, flat tires and inconvenience involved with repair. New Load Rite trailer is good so far. Have only had to fix one light and another is out right now. Trailers -- not just a pain butt, consider them armed and dangerous. Thumbs Down

Robert H. Wilkinson · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 10:29 am Post subject:

RobLL · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:50 am Post subject:

Has anyone ever experimented with optic fibers for those pesky lights. The lights source would be out of the water, and glass is pretty resistant.

rogerbum · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:02 pm Post subject:

Jazzmanic · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:11 pm Post subject:

Totally agree with the title of this thread. I maybe use our King trailer twice a year, usually from Anacortes to Seattle. Last year, I decided to have major service done on the trailer by Karl at EQ Marine. The work included replacing the calipers with stainless calipers, packing wheel bearings and generally getting the trailer back to "new" condition which was not cheap). So I used the trailer once this summer going from Edmonds to Bellingham and back and rinsed the brakes with fresh water. I go to use the trailer again and hear and metallic "grinding" noise on one of the wheels. I have it looked at by Les Schwab, thinking it's a bearing and they tell me its the caliper rubbing against the brakes. So I call Karl and he says no, this is normal because the calipers are "floating" not fixed. Doesn't sound right to me.

Trailers....arghhhh!!! Angry

Sunbeam · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:36 pm Post subject:

Okay, now I don't feel so bad. When I bought my boat, the boat itself had always been stored indoors, so that was great. The trailer really hadn't been used, but had been stored outdoors, so was not in great shape. Also only had drum brakes on one axle, ancient tires, cracked/aged bunks, etc. So, I had to decide whether to just buy a new trailer or fix this one up. The galvanizing was in good shape and it was a welded frame so I decided to fix up. Still wondered if I should have gone new, but now it sounds like new isn't always perfect either (how annoying).

One thing I did do in my extensive rebuild was to always try to upgrade all the parts. Not having trailered a boat before, I was somewhat shocked at how cheesy many of the parts are!

So, for example, I immediately took the new bearings from the wheel kit and put them aside as spares (they were no-name made-in-China bearings), and went down to a bearing house and got Timken, made-in-USA bearings instead. Kodiak disc brakes (both axles), flexible brake hoses, new, much more powerful winch, new cypress bunks (not treated lumber) with Monel stapes on the carpet, better fasteners, and right on down the line. Maybe even a new trailer would not have had some of these parts (but maybe they are options - I don't know).

Two things I changed later/and or am still going to change:

1) As part of my rebuild, I had put on new taillights, but just "regular" ones. After one launch they had water in them. So I went to all LED's. They look much better sealed and are a lot brighter to boot.

2) I re-wired at the time, but just with a regular "cheapo" trailer wire set. I have had no problems yet, but very few launches. So now I bought some dedicated, better/thicker Ancor trailer wire (looks like Romex and has four wires in it), and will run a separate skein of (4-wires) down each side with a full ground wire and a separate "outshoot" for the clearance lights. Just as insurance against what seems to be a common problem (as in, "It's always the ground!").

I have now ordered some of the tall "goalposts," and they will have lights at the top, but I may just leave them as auxilliaries - have yet to see them in person so not positive yet. Thing is, if they are the "real" lights I think it might put them further forward than the taillights I have now, and I already have more distance than I would prefer from the taillights to the back of the engine.

Trailers... a blessing and a curse combined!

Captains Cat · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:40 pm Post subject:

"its the caliper rubbing against the brakes"

Peter, do you mean the caliper rubbing against the rotor disc? If so, sounds like the brake pads are worn to where they need to be replaced and the rotor should be scored somehow... Smile

Sunbeam · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:50 pm Post subject:

When my Kodiak disc brakes were first put on, and I started out on my cross-country trip, I had all kinds of problems (basically ended up re-doing everything that shop had done, as it was almost all wrong). One issue was that one of the calipers was "riding" on the disc. I called Kodiak and found out that they typically put them on the side (so like a parenthesis) not on top, as mine were. Although they said on top was not totally unacceptable either (but it does seem it would make it more likely to "ride down" onto the disc). I also found that you could lift them up slightly and re-tighten... something (sorry, that was two years ago so I have forgotten the details). Also one of mine had been put in sort of "wedged crooked" and had worn down as a result, so I had to replace that one set of calipers (in the middle of Montana, of course!).

Upshot was that after I did some adjusting, the calipers longer ride on the disc, so maybe yours doesn't have to be that way?

journey on · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:06 pm Post subject:

MikeR,

I assume your trailer has incandescent lights, since you discuss cleaning the socket.

When we got Journey On, it came with an EZ Loader trailer. This was 9 years ago and it had LED lights. I'm surprised that yours came with incandescent lights. I'd call up EZ Loader and discuss that with them. They've been pretty good with me.

LED lights are "sealed" so that they can be dipped in salt water and the salt doesn't get to the light element. Sometimes the sealing isn't perfect and I've had to replace a couple. Since that infant mortality, I've had good luck launching in salt water without unplugging the lights. Good thing since I have electric brakes on the trailer. Just remember to seal the connections.

One problem is that since the LED's draw so little current, when I plug the trailer into the truck, I have to jostle the connector to ensure good contact.

I had bearing problems, but I fixed that by replacing the Chinese bearings with Timken. End of problems.

Boris

Jazzmanic · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:23 pm Post subject:

Charlie, I was told that the brake pads were in good shape. I believe I had the same problem as Sunbeam, the caliper "riding" on the disc. It's hard for me to accept the explanation by Karl that this is normal due to floating calipers. I think I'll try my hand at "adjusting" the caliper much like Sunbeam did. I'm in a bit of a time crunch however because the rains up here in the PNW will be starting soon and I want to get this sorted out before the weather turns. Sad

Thanks for the good explanation Sunbeam.

Sorry if I highjacked the thread. I took it as a general rant on trailers.

Peter

Will-C · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:32 pm Post subject: Trailer rant!

For those of you still using bulbs, I would try removing and coating all your bulb bases with Vaseline before they corrode in place. If you get a quality set of LED type lights, they for us, at least seem to hold up much better. I don't bother unplugging them when launching I also silicone seal any plug in splices in the wiring harness an effort to keep corrosion at bay. I have also mounted my left tail light and license plate to some 3/8 thick conveyor belt as the regular hardware will more than likely leave you license plate laying along side the road somewhere if you travel enough. I added gussets to all the tail light mounts in an effort to prevent them from shaking around which also leads to failures. Using anti seize on your lug nuts is also recommended especially for the salt water bunch. We remove, clean degrease and replace the grease and replace the grease seals, check the brake pads every year. Also take a look at any brake lines that might be rubbing on anything that could cause them to fail. We slit clear plastic tubing and tie wrap it in place to prevent that. If you do salt water and still have drum brakes, I'll pray for you. Check out trailer modification in our album. It never ends.
Hug

D.D.

RobLL · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 4:33 pm Post subject:

My intention if I get a 22 footer is for dry storage in Everett or Edmonds. I will take a year or so learning the boat and use of navigation equipment. Maybe then I will be brave enough to learn trailering - or maybe not.

If I get a boat with a trailer what should I do with it - sell or store on bro's property.

ps - I have found these discussions really useful in the number of issues which I need to know about.

rogerbum · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 4:40 pm Post subject:

NewMoon · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 10:05 am Post subject: Re: Trailer rant!