What constitutes a heavy duty trailer?
Submitted by Swompa on Fri, 2023-02-17 18:13
Evening team.
We're planning a trip to Steep point in September and will be taking the tinny.
It is on a 21 year old Dunbier trailer than is in good nick though in the last trip we busted a spring.
I have replaced both springs and replaced the slides so it is all Mickey Mouse now...but steep point road is making me nervous.
I got a ball park from the new incarnation of Tezzas for a Hd trailer and they came back at $7k...for a 4.1m 200kg tinny.
can get a new galvanised Australian steel trailer in kit form for just over $2k.
So now we look at building. What constitutes a Hd trailer? Has anyone made one before?
squidvicious1
Posts: 821
Date Joined: 22/07/10
Treg hitch heavy duty 'c'
Treg hitch heavy duty 'c' frame ,extra gussets ,shaped keel supports ( wouldn't suit any other boat except the boat being made for' no slipper springs . Extra leaf springs maybe shocks. Guards that don't fall off. Off road tyres.
just a guess .
SpotHound
Posts: 439
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Yes
I have made some, be aware that the galvanising is super expensive unless you have an account.
Its very easy to get an account but they did not tell me until afterwards and the bill could not be altered (apparently). A< holes !!
Eye to eye springs, steel mudguards, long a frame, LED techlogies brand lights in their click together format.
A pole and bogie style is easiest to make and the best off road, but not so good for launcihng as its higher off the ground.
SpotHound
Posts: 439
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Papas
Papas 14' trailer $2335 drive away !!
Billcollector
Posts: 2006
Date Joined: 16/05/09
Mates got a papas trailer.
Mates got a papas trailer. Way too flexy for off road. Everything needs to be rigid with no movement between trailer and boat.
Swompa
Posts: 3783
Date Joined: 14/10/12
I have a Papas trailer under
I have a Papas trailer under my other boat. I wouldn't buy one.
when I stripped it to rebuild, the galv guys were teasing me about my welding....but that was the factory welding.
sea-kem
Posts: 14853
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I made my own Paul and left
I made my own Paul and left no stone unturned for it to handle the Gnaraloo track. Still cost me as a fabricator 5k with all my contacts and accounts. But well worth it.
Love the West!
Swompa
Posts: 3783
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Cheers Andy,Good information
Cheers Andy,
Good information
timboon
Posts: 2924
Date Joined: 14/11/10
Don't over look the main
Don't over look the main factor here...
Speed and weight.
I towed ( admittedly it was brand new) a reasonably cheap dingi trailer 20,000kms including the gibb, into gnaraloo, the Ningaloo track etc many moons ago
I've just replaced the rear two struts ( totally rusted out ) on that trailer and I'd have no issue with doing another decent trip with it and it's over 20 years old now.
If you can keep the weight out of the trailer, let the tyres down and nurse it on the bumpy sections you'll generally be ok.
7k for a tinny trailer is ridiculous.
As long as the springs, axles and main frame in the gutz that bares the weight is ok you are laughing.
The generic trailer where everything is adjustable to suit different dingis are not ideal, at the end of the day once you have it set up for your dingi you don't want anything to move so I'd be tempted to weld everything that can move. When one thing moves it puts pressure elsewhere.
If you do buy new don't be surprised if you have to replace the tyres straight up as they'll throw the cheapest crappy tyres on a new trailer.
Good luck
sea-kem
Posts: 14853
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Good points Boony,
Good points Boony, especially the tyres. Always down to 30-35 on the track and good light truck brand.
Love the West!
Swompa
Posts: 3783
Date Joined: 14/10/12
When we were at Ningaloo,
When we were at Ningaloo, the trailer visibly handled it fine. The boat was strapped down to within an inch of its life and loaded to the gunnel (with both light stuff (swags, tent) and heavy stuff (drinks, food). It didnt move on the trailer.
We had out tyres down to 25 for the road in and sat between 60 and 80. The track was good.
On the way out, we sat for 20 for a good section of the track because it was horrendous.
On the last night, we got asked to help some people who had a spring fail on the way in causing one side of the axle to flick back ripping the mudguard off.
Lots of trailers there and the failures seemed to be springs, bolts and u bolts.
cruzy111
Posts: 274
Date Joined: 08/10/13
You want a full skid trailer
You want a full skid trailer or a bunk style roller trailer. You need multiple points of hull sitting on rollers or a flat skid and side bunks just resting and strapped down in a few spots. Offroad tyres running low pressure. I only drive down short not so bad tracks with my dunbier and it only sits on three spots. The rollers get a flat spot then all the pressure goes on the bunks. Ive put ally coatred rollers on it now which dont die but basically every trip would fuk the rollers. Ive seen so many tinnys in exmouth running on these style trailers that have been down bad tracks and pretty well all of them are completely fukd. Cracks everywhere welded up and holes from bunks going through the hull. So You either spend lots of money on a trailer or replace your hull when it gets to bad. Bare new tinnys hulls are not that expensive.
pelagicyachts
Posts: 1299
Date Joined: 23/02/11
the question i would be
the question i would be asking first is :-)
do you reckon you could get the boat-trailer/car up tin hill on the way in to steep point? - its been a few years since i was there last but if that big hill is still as it was when there last you would need some power to pull a boat over it
Swompa
Posts: 3783
Date Joined: 14/10/12
2020 3.2l angry Ford Ranger -
2020 3.2l angry Ford Ranger - plenty of ooft when towing a 4.1m tinny.
pelagicyachts
Posts: 1299
Date Joined: 23/02/11
ha - sounds like you have it
ha - sounds like you have it covered! - first time i went to steep point (hmmm it was a while back admittedly) my 2.4L diesel dual cab hilux just made it @15psi tyres and the wind behind us!
Swompa
Posts: 3783
Date Joined: 14/10/12
LOL!My navara need a tail
LOL!
My navara need a tail wind with the aircon off going up some hills.
Ranger is a totally different animal