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Trailer springs
Check your bloody trailer springs. If you have a spring type setup and not a set of them fancy torsion jobs.
I have had no issues for 10 years with this trailer. Did I say that out loud? I pull the boat out of the barn for a little clean up and notice the tire is on the fender. Broken spring. Took it all apart and all four springs were broken where the bolt holds the individual leaves together. Basically the u-bolts holding the axle to the springs was keeping everything flying in close formation. Not easy to inspect with the boat on the trailer as you have to get on the ground and climb underneath the boat but I will pay closer attention to that area of the spring from now on. This trailer was an accident waiting to happen and I would not have appreciated starting the weekend off with a roadside breakdown. That said I need opinions. Are the coated springs any better than the painted? AND There is a little slop in my shackles. The holes in them are egg shaped by about 1/16". Replace it all? What do you think? Thanks Vic 
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#3
06-30-2010, 10:53 AM
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A little trick I've learned over the years is to add a helper spring to the originals. It's small money vs a towing bill. The extra capacity helps when you're all loaded with fuel, ice, etc etc. Especially when you hit a pothole at highway speeds.
 PS... I forgot to mention...If you get the helper spring, make sure when you buy the new shackles that you buy slightly longer "u" bolts to allow for the added stack height you'll have with the new spring.
__________________
1987 V20 w/1987 150HP Yamaha on a Shoreland'r Trailer 1978 16.5 Airslot w/1996 120HP Force on a Four Winns trailer 1996 V21 w/1993 200HP Mercury on a Shoreline Trailer All towed by a 5.7L Hemi Durango. If God didn't have a purpose for us we wouldn't be here, so Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly. (Leave the rest to God)  Silence, in the face of evil, is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak, not to act is to act. God will not hold us guiltless. Last edited by Destroyer; 06-30-2010 at 11:37 PM. Reason: Added more info
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#4
06-30-2010, 02:14 PM
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Quote:
The shackels I have that are slightly egg shaped are Hot Dipped Galv. The shackels I can get my hands on quickly are the electroplated variety. This thing must be ready no later than Friday at 2:00 pm according to the CEO. Destroyer, I never thought of that. The boat is near 6000 lbs and the axles are 3500 lb so it is very near max weight especially if I fill the tank. Great idea about the helper spring, I have a spring shop down the road I bet they could help there. The only reason I ain't going torsion is this rig is up for sale.
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#5
06-30-2010, 02:40 PM
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I just purchased a v20 CC this year with a Continental Galvanized steel tandem trailer. The trailer looked pretty good. After the fourth or fifth time out I noticed that one of the shakels which was welded to the frame appeared to be coming loose. We took the boat off the trailer the other day an found one of the springs on the same side broken. While replacing the springs that shakel fell off. We re-welded it back on....I am hoping to get through the rest of the season...Still gotta replace the hubs......
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#6
06-30-2010, 08:31 PM
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Yeah...you've already had your share of those for this year...helper springs and new shackles sound like the way to go...
__________________
'74 V-20/ BF 150 '95 V-21/ BF 150 '84 V-20/ 200 2.4 Merc '87 V-20/'18 F150 Yamaha 
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#7
06-30-2010, 09:17 PM
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Replace everything suspension related! Springs,bolts,shackles and equalizers. How far is the launch from ya Reel? If not far then the standard springs will last a good long while. Rinsing the trailer along with the motor is part of our regular routine here on the Acid Water Coast now the Oil Coast.
__________________
Elbow Room '85 V-20 Step-Lift Express "Take A Fish Boating" 
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#8
07-01-2010, 08:38 AM
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Bonita Dan, If I lived in Pensacola I would never need to buy Corrosion X again.
I had to edit cause the oil situation ain't even funny. And I rinse it all, sometimes dunk it in the lake after a pure salt run. The original drum brakes were toast due to corrosion. There is just no stopping it, but we can slow it down. Reel, that is cold but accurate.  I travel all over to launch and play. My favorite spot is about 180 miles one way. Lakeland to Suwannee. The verdict-- All new, save for the equilizer which got new bushings. Went with the regular springs but the 2000# variety instead of the 1750#. To add a leaf would have pushed the repair into next week. The factory used Galvanized 1/2" bolts in several places that should have been 9/16". I used a wire brush to clean up the already galvanized spring mounting points on the trailer and then sprayed with cold galv for a little insurance. It sure was easier to take apart than it was to put back together. The torch don't play. Got it all together but need to tighten everything and replace a grease seal on the STBD Front hub. I will spray it all down with Corrosion X HD, bolt on the wheels that just got 4 fresh 6-ply Radials ($300) and hope to have it all done before midnight, again... Then I can get the balance of the supplies ready for departure.  Bust Out Another Thousand. Last edited by RidgeRunner; 07-01-2010 at 08:45 AM.
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#9
07-02-2010, 09:34 PM
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I know how ya feel Ridge. A little while back Tsubaki posted that he had to work on the springs on his trailer and I commented that his springs looked better than mine. A month later I noticed one had broken in half and was more of a trailing arm than a spring. I replaced all four and took the V to my mechanic to work on my old 225. He called me to tell me that one of the spindles had FALLEN OUT while they were moving it in the yard. Turns out the spindle had just been sitting in the axle tube and the weld had rusted out long ago. Only by the Grace of God it didn't fall out while I was pulling it down the road. Had two new axles built and now I've got two crossmembers rotted out because of galvanic corrosion between the aluminum crossmembers and the galvinized steel bunk brackets.
Not to mention I blew some rings on the 225 and broke down and bought a new engine. Break Out Another Ten Thousand
__________________
1985 Wellcraft V-20, Evinrude ETEC 150: SOLD 1979 Marine Trader 44, twin Ford Lehman 120s 2006 Panga 14, Tohatsu 20 Last edited by bradford; 07-08-2010 at 12:18 AM.
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#10
07-02-2010, 11:51 PM
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Quote:
__________________
1987 V20 w/1987 150HP Yamaha on a Shoreland'r Trailer 1978 16.5 Airslot w/1996 120HP Force on a Four Winns trailer 1996 V21 w/1993 200HP Mercury on a Shoreline Trailer All towed by a 5.7L Hemi Durango. If God didn't have a purpose for us we wouldn't be here, so Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly. (Leave the rest to God) Silence, in the face of evil, is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak, not to act is to act. God will not hold us guiltless.
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