Offroad boat trailer

[Pilbara130]

I am toying with the idea again of beefing up the Suspension on my trailcraft trailer so that I can get into some more remote places.
Has any one done the same thing on the forum? If so can you send through some photos of what you have done.
I am thinking along the lines of 15'' wheels rated springs on greasable shackles and heavy duty axel.
I want to keep it a single axel due to the boat ony being 5.5 mtrs.

Thoughts???
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/214.jpg

[LandyAndy]

Mate.
Have a look at some of the pics already in the fishing shack.
Dont recall the thread title,but there were some great pics,not many to search!!!
Isuzurover is looking at doing similar if that helps the search,he was one of the posters in the thread.
Looking forward to your upgrades,I have the same trailer,looking at extending the drawbar by 300mm,incorporating a swing away extension and dolly wheel.
Andrew

[Pilbara130]

Mate.
Have a look at some of the pics already in the fishing shack.
Dont recall the thread title,but there were some great pics,not many to search!!!
Isuzurover is looking at doing similar if that helps the search,he was one of the posters in the thread.
Looking forward to your upgrades,I have the same trailer,looking at extending the drawbar by 300mm,incorporating a swing away extension and dolly wheel.
Andrew

Cheers Andy,

Will keep you posted.

Just have to wait until we move back home to Moora end of January so that I can get my boat back in the shed. As you would know you can't touch any thing with out getting third degree burns in the Pilbara sun:pthis time of year. I want to add a fold away extended draw bar and third wheel as well.

Dan

[LandyAndy]

ONYA
Just looked at your pic again,same trailer except yours must be drive on.No rollers on mine!!!
Andrew

[roverrescue]

pilbara,
the trailecraft trailers are a reasonable platform to start with.
Unless you are prepared to axe the chassis width though you will be limited by the wheel track.
In soft conditions mud or sand having the wheels track outside the 130 will be your rate limiter to excellent offroad performance.
I have conveted a few from where yours is to acceptable.

First, pull the suspension bogeys. Make up some new ones to accomodate 78 series tojo rear leaves. For that rig just lose the heaviest overload leaf. IMO stick with the 14 in rims and light truck tyres. Otherwise you will raise her high but still not gain the track benefit that makes a boat trailer truly offroad. Run a pair of shocks from axle up to brackets that beef the side boat rails. For a rig that size i would consider nothing less than Ford slimline hub and bearings and even still they will need reg work. If you run bigger tyres they will flog nearly every reasonable offroad trip. Also consider better keel support. From hazy bad memories of my old mans short affair witha traily a solid hard wood timber keel rail would be appropriate

Im happy to send pics of a 4.5m makocraft with 60 4st i converted recently.

Regards,
Steve

[Pilbara130]

pilbara,
the trailecraft trailers are a reasonable platform to start with.
Unless you are prepared to axe the chassis width though you will be limited by the wheel track.
In soft conditions mud or sand having the wheels track outside the 130 will be your rate limiter to excellent offroad performance.
I have conveted a few from where yours is to acceptable.

First, pull the suspension bogeys. Make up some new ones to accomodate 78 series tojo rear leaves. For that rig just lose the heaviest overload leaf. IMO stick with the 14 in rims and light truck tyres. Otherwise you will raise her high but still not gain the track benefit that makes a boat trailer truly offroad. Run a pair of shocks from axle up to brackets that beef the side boat rails. For a rig that size i would consider nothing less than Ford slimline hub and bearings and even still they will need reg work. If you run bigger tyres they will flog nearly every reasonable offroad trip. Also consider better keel support. From hazy bad memories of my old mans short affair witha traily a solid hard wood timber keel rail would be appropriate

Im happy to send pics of a 4.5m makocraft with 60 4st i converted recently.

Regards,
Steve
Thanks for the info Steve.

The roads that I am looking at taking are more corrugation than undulating ground. I realy want to get up to Kalumburu and do a 2 week mission from there.

Would be great to see some pics of your set up.

Cheers

Dan

[roverrescue]

If that be the case.
Stick light truck 14s on. Change out the springs to something that actually provides suspension. Short trailer springs are evil for corrugations! Support the hull better.

I'll grab some pics of the mako raft trailer when I get home to cook town.

S

[Pilbara130]

If that be the case.
Stick light truck 14s on. Change out the springs to something that actually provides suspension. Short trailer springs are evil for corrugations! Support the hull better.

I'll grab some pics of the mako raft trailer when I get home to cook town.

S

Thanks mate

[roverrescue]

Sorry mate super slow to post these ups. Springs are from 79series rear with heavy load leaf removed. Dampers are 79series cruiser rears. Bottom mount welded to 45mm solid axle. Springs mount to 50x50 angle 4mm which is U-Bolyed to chassis rails. Channel and scrub bars are essential to get trailer round tight tracks. Keel supported by hardwood - hard to beat for offroad support.

[Pilbara130]

Sorry mate super slow to post these ups. Springs are from 79series rear with heavy load leaf removed. Dampers are 79series cruiser rears. Bottom mount welded to 45mm solid axle. Springs mount to 50x50 angle 4mm which is U-Bolyed to chassis rails. Channel and scrub bars are essential to get trailer round tight tracks. Keel supported by hardwood - hard to beat for offroad support.

Great job mate thanks for posting the pics.

Ive now moved back home and the boat is in the shed so its now on the list to rebuild it after I get all the jobs around the house done to keep the old girl happy:p

What size is your boat ? Im wondering if my I beam trailer will go the distance for strength I may need to beef it up with a couple of cross beams and extra rollers.

[roverrescue]

That trailer is for a relatively heavy 455 Makocraft with 60 merc 4banger.
The trailbasher trailers are pretty well built. I would beef up the centre section and run with a solid keel support (Hardwood) but feel confident without much extra chassis work.
If you use 50x50 angle to mount the long springs to, you will find the spring loadings are then spread over a very long section of the outer chassis rails.

The channel trailcraft use is relatively light but should not flex overly badly.

As I mentioned before. If you dont intend to narrow up the track there is very little point in running larger than 14" LT tyres. If you move up to 16s and say 235/85s to match the fender you will have to upgrade the axle and hubs to take the load reliably. Once you head down that path it is ridiculous to not run same track width as tow vehicle.

Support the keel, change out the springs to something that can be classed as suspension (as opposed to trailer industry BS) a pair of dampers, and bolt her down solid and call it good.

S