Trailer info

R

rottenron51@yahoo.com

New member
Good Morning and this will be seem like a simple but stupid question. I have a 78 Wellcraft V20 Cuddy and 140 Johnson on the back. The trailer is a 79 Magic Tilt tandem axle. Ok here is the problem. It does not have the factory axles. I just bought the boat and trailer. It is on mobile home axles. Now it pulls great but when I launch the boat the trailer is to tall and I struggle to get it off. Ok simple answer Ron fix it and replace the axles and springs right. I trailer about 8 miles, and I understand the benefits of a tandem. However I have seen the same boat and trailers as single. If anyone has a single axle set up, how has it worked for you. My goal is to lower the trailer. The springs and how they were installed are ineffective at best. Mobile home wheels are 14.5 and the rims are unique. So by reverting back to a conventional set up makes sense. Cost is a factor. So if a single will get the job done it seems to make sense. Be gentile I am a Ol' Geezer and I don't to use my next 3 social security check to fix it. Thank You for any input, Ron
 
Single axle is doable for that boat, but , depending how much was removed to go to mobile home axles, probable easier to buy new axles with hubs and go back original. If you go single, torsion axle might be easier and cheaper in the long run, no springs or hangers to contend with. U-bolt it to the frame, easy to slide around to get the tongue weight right. The axle and hardware would be around $350-$400, couple of wal-mart tires $250.
 
Thank You PhatDaddy, The driving reason I ask this is due to these reasons. Mobile home axles have a single leaf and they will hold up the earth. The wizards who removed the original stuff took it all off. The trailer frame it self
is intact. I also have a Shorelander and the springs and everything else on that trailer will unbolt at the U-bolts and I can slide it under the Magic trailer and bolt it down. Once the balance has been established I should be in good shape. Hopefully someone here has their V20 on a single axle. Ironic I've waited for 45 pus years for the boat and a tandem trailer and it was hacked up. The boat made up for it.
 
I have both of my boats on tandem trailers... BUT.... both of them were on single axle trailers before I transferred them, and both of them pulled nice and straight with no problems. As long as the trailer is rated for the length and weight you are putting on it it should be fine. My V20 used to make the trip to Fla and back once a year (1600 miles) each way on the single axle with zero problems. The primary advantage of a tandem is the extra tires if you get a flat. Most times you can still (carefully) get home.
 
Welcome to the site!

If you don't have the slider brackets I'd be more inclined to find a different trailer, cost being the factor. Obviously the frame is rebuildable but to what cost extent.

I am using the original frame, axle and hubs on my "75. Most everything else has been replaced at least a couple of times.
The single axle is doable IF properly balanced and most any 1/2 ton pickup can safely handle towing the short distance you are doing. Presently I've not trailered mine over 10 miles to the farthest ramp.
If you were regularly trailering say more than 30 miles one way, I'd be really concerned and want a dual axle setup.

A dual axle setup may also improve your launching height problem by the ability to use smaller tires.
phat's suggestion of a torsion type axle is worth considering.

These are probably the only usable photos of mine.
002-22.jpg

003-11.jpg

truck020.jpg
 
Dang Tsubaki... looking at those pics... Mine never came with a motorcycle.... I guess you have a later model with better appointments. I'm jealous :head:
 
If i'm reading right, you have a donor trailer you can get running gear from. If so, your good to go. Just make sure that its all rated to carry the load.

Also you don't say if its a bunk or roller. The one you have pulls great and carry load great, just hard to load and unload. Might look into why that is. If its a bunk and your used to roller, just put more of it in the water.

With the mobile home stuff, it's probably not galvanized, so it won't last long in the salt anyway. Most of the ones i've seen, they had to cut a section out of the axle to shorten it and that starts rusting pretty fast.
 
tsubaki said:
Welcome to the site!

If you don't have the slider brackets I'd be more inclined to find a different trailer, cost being the factor. Obviously the frame is rebuildable but to what cost extent.

I am using the original frame, axle and hubs on my "75. Most everything else has been replaced at least a couple of times.
The single axle is doable IF properly balanced and most any 1/2 ton pickup can safely handle towing the short distance you are doing. Presently I've not trailered mine over 10 miles to the farthest ramp.
If you were regularly trailering say more than 30 miles one way, I'd be really concerned and want a dual axle setup.

A dual axle setup may also improve your launching height problem by the ability to use smaller tires.
phat's suggestion of a torsion type axle is worth considering.

These are probably the only usable photos of mine.
002-22.jpg

003-11.jpg

truck020.jpg
Click to expand...

Cool pics. Is that where you put in?
 
The first two are within 15' of where I keep the V under a shelter which is about 50' from the corner of our house.
We have about 2 hours twice a day of usable tide to put boats in or take them out.
I was raised in that ditch till I was 8 years old then I moved back to it when I was 20 years old.
 
Trailer Info

Thank You all for the great info and the pictures. Ironic the trailer pictures is my donor trailer. On the Shorelander by removing the Ubolts the axle assembly will just roll out from under the trailer. I am kinda cheap here. To drop 4-500 for axles then tires I would be better off to just buy a tadem trailer and swap parts. So seeing the pictures that nailed the answer for sure. To to it off the tow vehicle is a 87 Grand Wagoneer. It pulls the trailer and doesn't even know anything is behind it. I wish I could say mileage was good. 10 mpg on a good day going down hill with the engine off. As for the ramps here they are awesome but the mobile home axle just sits to hi so I back up the jeeps rear tires. So that is why I'm looking to fix what was butchered up on a otherwise great trailer
 
tsubaki said:
The first two are within 15' of where I keep the V under a shelter which is about 50' from the corner of our house.
We have about 2 hours twice a day of usable tide to put boats in or take them out.
I was raised in that ditch till I was 8 years old then I moved back to it when I was 20 years old.
Click to expand...

Beautiful.
 
Trailer looks good Tsubaki, I'm a chevy guy but like the older dodges.

I had a heavy equipment trailer with the big single leaf springs and thought they would be good for a boat trailer, no friction between leaves and you could zinc coat or cool seal them.
 
I'm using a 3100 single now. No problem for the annual launch & recovery, 15 miles, no hills or highways.

It worked out cheaper to buy a brand new single/no brakes than to repair the springs, brakes, actuator, hubs, rollers, ubolts & 4 tires on my tandem.
 
Agree with Skunk, you can buy a new trailer for about double what it costs to fix up an old one depending. My next one will have torsion axles, tired of doing springs every few years.
 
Trailer Info

May I Thank everyone for the excellent responses. I unbolted the Shorelander and moved the axles, springs and mounting plate and it slid in perfect to the Magic lift trailer frame. A check of the axles rating and bearings and they are 3500lb rated. I will replace the springs "Just Because" and bearings. I'll do one more trip with the mobile home axles and get my last battle during recovery and launch. As my Wife Lyn would say, Recycle, repurpose. I say being cheap can be a useful tool to look at all options. Thank You, Ron
 
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