It’s custom made for the statement 380’s. So the bunks don’t even adjust, it’s laid out for the hull. I did noticed that the front rest was moved from its original position about 18” so my guess is that the boat got loaded wrong when it was pulled out of the water and then that was unbolted and adjusted back to meet the boat.
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Towing help needed for my 3500
- Thread starter Atlas717
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Yes it’s all fixed. Fenders and axles welded. It’s a beautiful trailer. Even lights up at night to match the gentian blue paint job haha.
I think I have a plan. I’m going to lift the stern area with my overhead crane which is good for 5 tons. Just need to lift an inch and then I’ll use the winch to pull it forward a foot or so. Hope that gets me what I need otherwise. I’ll be draining out 300 gallons of fuel.
If you pull that rubber insert out I think you will find a zerk fitting and that those are Dexter EZ-Lube axle spindles. They should be given a few pumps (of matching grease) every time you pull that out of the water for a trip. If it's red probably Lucas red-n-tacky, if blue, probably Lucas marine grease.
The inner cover is probably weeping a little around the hub, but pull the wheel and check everything.
Don't know how often it's in/out of the water but bearings should be periodically repacked depending on time/use, especially salt water. Is whomever is winterizing for you also doing bearing maintenance?
I carry extra sets of bearings for my trailers, but stay on top of maintenance. Never fun trying to change bearings on the side of the road, and super not fun not finding a local parts store with a set of bearings.
The inner cover is probably weeping a little around the hub, but pull the wheel and check everything.
Don't know how often it's in/out of the water but bearings should be periodically repacked depending on time/use, especially salt water. Is whomever is winterizing for you also doing bearing maintenance?
I carry extra sets of bearings for my trailers, but stay on top of maintenance. Never fun trying to change bearings on the side of the road, and super not fun not finding a local parts store with a set of bearings.
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Interesting that it’s all fixed, but the rest is moved. Is it possible it was for a Statement 350? Just thinking out loud.
Before draining fuel I would try to add ballast to the bow for the tow home. 500-700lbs up near the anchor chain locker will almost all be tongue weight. Maybe sand bags normally used for traction?
Even thou it’s winterized, any reason you can’t manually launch it and move the rest and then winch it back up?
Before draining fuel I would try to add ballast to the bow for the tow home. 500-700lbs up near the anchor chain locker will almost all be tongue weight. Maybe sand bags normally used for traction?
Even thou it’s winterized, any reason you can’t manually launch it and move the rest and then winch it back up?
Any marks on the trailer tongue from a prior location on that bow stop?
I was going to ask if you had a way to sling/lift it safely.
Probably can't use my method of 2x4 and floor jack.
Yea the bow was slide back towards the rear which tells me the boat was loaded properly for me in Miami and then that was just unbolted and move to make contact.Any marks on the trailer tongue from a prior location on that bow stop?
I was going to ask if you had a way to sling/lift it safely.
Probably can't use my method of 2x4 and floor jack.
I can sling the rear with straps and a spreader bar but I can only do one end. So I’m hoping I can slowly pull it forward with the winch and drop back down. Never done anything stupid like this before…
If that doesn’t work I’ll load the front with some bags of sand and hopefully that will be enough.
What a pain. I’m just trying to get this thing ready to head to the Keys in 3 weeks!
No it was custom made to my specs and for my model. So embarrassingly enough I can launch a boat, but I have no experience loading one. I always just have my marina crane it on the trailer for when I need to come and go spring/fall.
I looked it’s blue grease and does have a zerk fitting. And tell me about it with bearings. I have such bad luck with them. I got an entire hub, rotor, and wheel attached to the trailer for a spare just in case.
I might be a bit concerned about concentrating too much PSI on a bunk and breaking something - that's one heavy a$$ boat you got there. If you do decide to lift, just take the pressure off a little and perhaps some high pressure water on the bunks might help lube it enough to move? If you can lift closer to just aft of COG, that would be best.
Then again, I've seen the pic of the boat that launched over the top of the pickup at a stop light*. LOL
* probably on roller bunks.
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Lifting it with the overhead should get you the movement you need. If you ever repack the bearings lose that crappy blue grease and get some from Texas refinery its way better and wont wash out.
www.texasrefinery.com
880 Crown & Chassis Extreme
www.texasrefinery.com
Luckily I can get right where I think I need to be to really get the heavy weight between fuel and engines. The bunks are gator bunks which will definitely help. Very little contact due to the ribbing and its smooth HDPE type plastic. Worse case I’ll go back to my marina and kill a couple hours there on the way to Florida and have them lift it.
Anyone have any idea idea how much weight I can expect to move? I guess that is pretty unknown. But I’ll get about 18” forward I believe. I’m going to attempt to crane this thing tomorrow. It will either go spectacularly or catastrophically.
The 18 inches you gain at the front is 18 you lose at the rear. Heavy sucker like that will shift a lot of weight forward for that 18 inches.
Whatever you do, please record it and post the video here.
Lemme see if I can find my caveman load calculator and do some Jethro goesintas and ballpark it.
Did you find the original bow support location (marks?)
Assuming yo do this with it hooked to the truck (better catastrophic video that way), you should be able to dial it in with the weigh-safe hitch.
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18” is likely all you need for sure its amazing how a small distance can change the weights.
With HDPE plastic it should move really easy. I built a barge and trailer lined with UHMW plastic and the aluminum pontoons slid really nice.
The barge as not the same size but same principal with the plastic it slides incredibly well
With HDPE plastic it should move really easy. I built a barge and trailer lined with UHMW plastic and the aluminum pontoons slid really nice.
The barge as not the same size but same principal with the plastic it slides incredibly well
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OK, this is kind of a calculus problem, (one a solid mechanical engineer could womp up), but the general idea is based off the COG and it's placement fore/aft the center of axle(s).
In essence, if you want 15% tongue weight, the COG should be forward 15% of the distance of the axle(s) center to the tongue.
If the axle-tongue is 20', the COG should be 3' forward the center axle.
Did you ever get an answer form the builder where the boat COG is?
In essence, if you want 15% tongue weight, the COG should be forward 15% of the distance of the axle(s) center to the tongue.
If the axle-tongue is 20', the COG should be 3' forward the center axle.
Did you ever get an answer form the builder where the boat COG is?
Interesting there. No I never got a response back on cog. It will be really interesting to see how this plays out after, when I weigh it. I can see the original marks in the paint where the bow rest beam used to be. I’m going to put it back there. Get the boat to it, and then weigh it again. I’ll post back hopefully tomorrow.
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Once you get this all figured out I’d have a chat with the dealer, since it appears there is some shady and very unsafe stuff going on with their delivered product.
I’ll give you credit thou, you’re trying to fix the problem and not apply a bandaid. If this was a travel trailer forum you would have a bunch of people telling you to install a pro-pride/hensley as it’s the “only” way to eliminate sway, when the real way to eliminate sway is to make sure the load is setup properly.
Just take the stern tiedowns off and take it up to about 80MPH and slam on the brakes a few times.
I guess whomever the loadmaster was for that pick doesn't understand physics or weight distribution. That's just crazy that someone would just move the bow stop like that and expect it to go unnoticed.