Trailer rust mishap. The saga continues.......

[Compromise]

Decided to pull the X out from her slip and store in mast up facility. After completing a nice cruise around the bay we headed for the ramp at the new facility. Unloaded the kids and Admiral, went to get the truck set up to take the boat out. I lined everything up and tied the bow to the trailer winch. I realized I had opened the aft ballast valve bot forgot the front valve. While she was still in the water and not yet sitting on the trailer, I decide I step up on the trailer and use the ladder to climb in the forward hatch. That's when it happened! As I stood on the trailer just aft of the surge brake tank it gave! The rust had finally crept into the neck of the trailer.
I immediatly stepped off, double checked my chains were secured to the truck. Then I rigged the tie down from the V in the trailer to the chain hooks on the truck. I lowered the wheel for support and my wife then climbed in to open the fwd ballast valve. After letting her sit to drain for about five minutes I carefully moved forward and pulled her out onto dry land
After further inspection, the weld at the bottom gave way and was still barely holding on the top part. I was able to at least back her into her spot in the storage yard. I guess I was really lucky on this one because the last time I used the trailer was to haul the X on an 1100 mile trip. I'm just thankful it didn't happen then. The trailer is a 2000, and I plan on keeping her at this facility for the forseeable future. My plan is to have the surge assembly grinded off and have a new hitch attached where hoprfully there is some life left in the metal frame!

[zuma hans 1]

Yipes!

How old is the trailer?

Do you launch in salt a lot, or sweet?

[Frank C]

Hmmm - mine is a 2000 also, always in salt. Guess in FL, yours is too.

I just bought the A-60 brake actuator (for disc brakes) by UFP Products. Send a PM if you need sourcing - I can search out the web-address of the distributor I finally bought from, around $200.



It comes with a weld-on cover housing, or optionally with a coupla different bolt-on versions. The version for disc brakes comes with integral backup relief valve - all for less than the competitve models. Just need a welder to cut loose the old one and drill some bolt holes through the main trailer spine. If we can believe the factory's 'parts pages' this is the same actuator now used on the new M trailers ... (kinda makes me believe it really is the least-cost option).

Since you need a new brake actuator anyway, it might be a good time to upgrade to disc brakes too. Search on the term [Kodiak] to find recent discussions of disc brakes. IIRC, the Kodiak vented discs are $125 each, plus shipping, and they use GM replacement parts. I know for sure that I bought the brakes from these guys, eTrailerParts.

[Compromise]

Thanks Frank, I figured I'd spend close to that on a basic coupler!
As far as discs, I just spent close to $700 on new disc brakes, hubs and bearings before taking her to Texas.
I'd appreciate a link to a source for the A-60, it looks like I'd get to keep the brakes. I was at a point with this trailer where I was just going to use it from the storage spot at the marina to the ramp and back again. I think this will be the last $ I spend on it though. Time for galvinized or aluminum!

[Frank C]

Okay - heave-to & stand by.

Update re Disc Brake Actuator:
UFP (unique functional products) is a Calif mfg. of trailer parts like brakes, couplers, actuators, axles, etc. Their disk brake actuator is designed with an internal cartridge for all the operating mechanics and heavy duty rollers, plus an outer housing in various designs that connects it to the trailer spine. Their design has the backup relief valve pre-attached to the MC, pre-plumbed and nestled safely within the assembly. The picture above showed the weld-on outer housing, painted blue, and you can download a PDF that shows exploded views. The following example shows the taller housing, which lifts the hitch position and makes for a shorter trailer. They also offer a longer, lower housing style with 4 bolts at its end section, but the taller one just seems to me a more sturdy way to attach. I feel better about being able to completely remove it, so I wanted the entire thing bolted on instead of welded. I haven't yet had time to float the boat and schedule a welder to mod the trailer for me.



UFP doesn't try to distribute for the retrofit market (thru Champion, etc.), relying instead on these custom builders to fulfill that market's needs. Some of the trailer builders I canvassed were Eagle, Dorsey, DHM and Arrow. At the time I needed the part I didn't realize that Macgregor has now switched to the UFP actuator. I think your best first bet might be calling the factory in Costa Mesa, just to see how much they'd charge you.

Dorsey Trailers in OK offers only a PDF catalog, but IIRC they offered the UFP actuator "internal member" at least cost of $172, shipping to CA at $12. That was less than any of the CA trailer guys. But Dorsey offered only the weld-on style of outer housing, so I ordered the bolt-on version from someone else at about $35. (The Macgregor factory probably has only weld-on housings too).

[Jeff S]

Compromise,

I had my 2000 trailer break at exactly the same spot. Their are no drain holes in the tongue and it rusts from the inside out. My snapped on the bottom while driving! Fortunately no other damage was done. I had a welder come out, cut the tongue and reweld the coupler onto a shorter tongue. It worked as an interim fix, but the rust was still in there. I eventually had a boat trailer place cut out the entire tongue and weld a new galvanized one in there. He put the ladder assy back on as well. I have peace of mind now. I recommend people to check inside their tongues as best they can for rust- I could pull out chunks of rusted metal out of the old one. You may be able to get away with a shorter version of your same tongue, but the same conditions that caused your failure are likely to exist in the whole tongue. I also recommend to store the trailer bow down to allow water to drain out.

[Frank C]

Additional thoughts regarding the UFP Disc Brake Actuator.

• - I was at the marina last evening and measured my 2000 X trailer.
  - The trailer spine extends about 16 inches forward from the winch post.
  .....(so after removal of factory actuator, that much will project forward)
  - The factory actuator is about 18 inches long, with only a 4-inch welded overlap.
  - Net distance from winch post to hitch is ~30 inches.
  
  - UFP with housing is about same, 18 inches.
  - However, the bolt-on (as diagrammed above) will overlap ~12 inches for bolts.
  - Means the net tongue-length (hitch to winch post) will be 8 inches shorter, ~22-inches.
  - This probably means my truck's rear wheels will get a salt water dunking.

Hmmm - might need to reconsider which outer housing I want. Guess I might need a call to UFP. Note there's a 3-bolt housing flange that "saddles" down over the trailer's spine... it appears that thing could be bolted with only the aft 2 bolts, perhaps w/ a third bolt betw them, thus adding about 5 inches for tongue length @ 27".
Or, welder might "nest" a channel inside the spine to help align an 8" tongue extension. Hmmm?

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Well damn...something fun to look forward to on my 2000X trailer. So you mean that spray painting it frequently from the outside won't help?

So far, I have had to re-attach 4 broken off bunks and have a broken goal post welded. I suppose a welder can keep one of these trailers going for a long time and a lot cheaper than buying a new one...but I also suppose the peace of mind is nice with a beefier trailer...although from what I hear, it will sit a lot higher and be much harder to launch.

[Jeff S]

Dmitrit- see if you can pull out any rust "chunks" from inside the tongue. That is what mine had before failure.


Here is my love affair with my trailer:

Tongue gave out on highway due to internal rust- removed completely and replaced with galvanized.

Bunks broken- replaced all bunks, recarpeted and put in new SS bolts (old ones were barely recognizable as bolts)

Sheared off hub (my fault!) Replaced Axle with galvanized axle.

Broke off all lugs to remove lug nuts- replaced rusted frozen drums with disc brakes and new coupler.

Added second galvanized axle, new wheels, new 2 axle fenders, spring hangers, etc.

Stripped, sanded and completely repainted trailer with POR-15 rust preventive paint. Touched up again 2 years later- it is working well.

Removed goal posts. Plan to replace them with PVC (read UNRUSTABLE) posts soon.

Rewired trailer completely with new tail lights and side lights.

Replaced frozen jack with bolt on swivel jack.


Honestly I have lost the tally on the cost and I cringe to think anymore as I may have been able to replace the whole thing with an alumimum trailer. I use it in salt water and wash it off every time I use it. It was used in the NE salt before. I call my trailer Frankenstein as it is almost half galvanized now except for the main frame. I am now convinced that the trailer is actually better than new, even without the disc brakes and second axle.

The moral here is meticulous care of the trailer is required for salt water users to delay the onset of trailer failure. Even with that level of care a painted steel trailer will develop rust .

This is why I think when buying a used Mac (4+ years old), especially in salt water, either take a real good look at the trailer or just factor in buying a new one or spending a lot to keep it alive. (My lovely experience) It has been my single biggest expense by far. The boats are likely to be fine unless they have experienced major damage. I even had a ballast leak that was fixed with $30 epoxy easily. Heck, a few grand more and I could have had a brand new motor.... Oh well. Trailer is a safety issue and I don't plan to have trouble with it again! Taking it 2500 miles tommorow (well, at least starting tommorow) will test it out pretty well.

[delevi]

gotta love those Mac trailers. I think a new one is about $750 + $350 for surge breaks. Might be worth considering before spending a bunch of money on fixing a rusty trailer.

[Compromise]

Taking it 2500 miles tommorow (well, at least starting tommorow) will test it out pretty well.

Jeff I truly wish you the best on your 2500 mile journey. Thanks for sharing your "rust experiences" These things scare me at times

[Compromise]

I think a new one is about $750 + $350 for surge breaks. Might be worth considering before spending a bunch of money on fixing a rusty trailer.

Delvi- sign me up! I haven't come across anywhere to buy a Mac trailer for that price. Got contacts?

[zuma hans 1]

I paid $3,000 for an aluminum trailer, or rather, the other guy's insurance policy paid "whatever it takes."

I consider it money well spent.

[Compromise]

I found someone to weld the coupler back onto the trailer tongue. Launched her twice since. As I was pulling her out today the trailer gave way right where the I beams form a 'V'.. It was held in place by a ver thin piece of metal. I had no choice but to put the boat back in the water and hope I would not lose the trailer at the bottom of the ramp.
I have now given in to the Mac trailer, piece of #$@@$@!.
My new dilema now is....... whether to shell out $3000.00 for a new trailer or go ahead and have bottom paint applied. The water where I keep her takes no more than 7 days to begin growth.
I know it's a matter of personal opinion, I don't plan on hauling her to distant waters too often, although it's nice to know I can
Appreciate your thoughts.......
Has anyone else had a similar dilema??

[DLT]

Having a trailer is a nice option... Required if you want to be able pull her out without lifts and the other stuff non-trailables have to deal with...

Also, keeping her in the water requires more than just bottom paint. You also need a slip or at least mooring...