Capt K - I don't envy your task . . . having been through this last year. *Those hog rings have a nasty tendency to rust up and snap off inside the aluminum support arms. * *
First - put your boat in the water. *It's much easier to work on the trailer when there's no boat there. *So . . . send someone out fishing in the boat or rent a mooring/slip for the day.
Second - Grab the hog ring with locking pliers and twist. *
One of two things will happen
it'll snap off inside the top hole or it'll come off.
If it snaps off then you'll need to remove the aluminum arm, find a drill press/cutting oil and drill from the bottom hole until the rusty end of the hog ring pops out. *This procedure takes about 15 seconds with a drill press and 15 minutes with a power drill. *
Good Luck!!! ;)
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Here's the post from last year.
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/cgi-bin/...num=1052238403