Roger's New Aluminum Trailer

argonaut · Post by **argonaut** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:06 pm

So, what is the concensus on the new style aluminum trailer. Does it at least get the get the tire and axle loads down to something resonable, or is it another case of marginal loads for the 14" tires?
Used to be if you put a motor on the boat (!?) and stuff in the boat you were over the weight capacity for the 14" trailer tires, and gilding the lilly on the axle weight.

Thinking about replacing an X trailer.

kziadie · Post by **kziadie** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:15 pm

14"? My 06 trailer (old style) came with 15s... not that I think frankly that it was very good... still marginal for the boat IMHO. I cant comment on the new trailer.

Kelly

delevi · Post by **delevi** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:37 pm

I am close to pulling the trigger on buying the new trailer since my current one is in complete shambles and would be too costly to repair. Would also be very interested in any feedback on this.

Leon

Frank C · Post by **Frank C** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:48 am

Leon ... instead of that, we should phone Adam to ask if a "2-boat deal" can reduce the cost of bottom paint ...

Hope that Euro-trip was terrific. Welcome back!

jeffz · Post by **jeffz** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:32 am

Towed at 70 mph from Seattle to portland, 160 miles. New M with 70hp Suzuki. Trailer has the surge brakes. Everything ok for now. It has a tendancy(sp) to keep the brakes on when you disconnect the light cord for launch. I noticed it when backing down the ramp but pulled forward a few feet and they released. Not locked up but even with the Ram 2500 could feel the resistance while backing.

Jeff

tangentair · Post by **tangentair** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:59 am

If the trailer wiring didn't change (and it should not have) the blue wire from your back up lights is used to release the trailer brakes when backing up. If you disconnect the wiring, then there is a place on the side of the coupler that a key can be inserted (not like a lock and key but more of a bent piece of metal inserted in a track) which will also keep the coupler from activating the brakes. I would have thought that your dealer would have gone over this with you. Mine did and added a couple of wire ties to help hold the key in place when you use it. Since I am in fresh water and old and forgetful I just back in with the lights connected and tell my son to replace the bulbs as needed when I do the final walk around after loading the boat.

baldbaby2000 · Post by **baldbaby2000** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:12 am

Mine came with cheap 15" tires that sucked and came apart after a few thousand miles. I went to good 15" radials (had to modify the fenders) and haven't have a problem and we trailer a lot.

Post by **kmclemore** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:18 am

tangentair wrote:...Since I am in fresh water and old and forgetful I just back in with the lights connected and tell my son to replace the bulbs as needed when I do the final walk around after loading the boat.

IMHO, "sealed" or "waterproof" trailer lights almost never are. After a long drive that lamp housing is nice and hot... and when it hits the water and cools down rapidly it causes a vacuum inside, in time invariably rupturing the seal and drawing in water.

I use lights that are open on the bottom and sealed on top. They trap a pocket of air that protects the bulbs, and never form a vacuum or build up pressure. Plus, the bulbs are open to the air, staying cooler and lasting longer. (As a matter of fact, I can't think when I last had to replace a bulb!)

Frank C · Post by **Frank C** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:42 pm

jeffz wrote: ... It has a tendancy(sp) to keep the brakes on when you disconnect the light cord for launch. I noticed it when backing down the ramp but pulled forward a few feet and they released. Not locked up but even with the Ram 2500 could feel the resistance while backing.

Jeff,
My 26X trailer has been modified with aftermarket disc brakes (by Kodiak). You're not supposed to reverse the rig without either the lights connected, or inserting the key Tangent described.

If I disconnect the light cord, my Sierra pickup simply cannot overpower the trailer brakes to move the loaded rig in reverse. (Or maybe more correctly, I wouldn't dare abuse the truck and the trailer by trying to overpower those brakes.)

Since you can back up with only slight resistance, I wonder if your brakes are operating correctly?

jeffz · Post by **jeffz** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:34 pm

Got the key but must have had other things on my mind during delivery. But I solved that problem and rented a slip today. We got good at setting her up but for a couple of hours on the water that mean't about 50/50 setup load unload versus water time.

Appreciate the info.

delevi · Post by **delevi** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:57 pm

Got the new trailer to replace my old "totalled trailer" I like it a lot.

Leon

Lease · Post by **Lease** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:28 pm

A couple of questions that were raised elswhere in regard to the new trailer:

1. Torque axles put a large centralised load on the frame where they mount (whereas leaf springs spread the load across their span). Is th I-beam enough for this, or should the axle be attached to a load-spreading bar?

2. In the pictures, the galvanised axle appears to be mounted directly to the aluminium frame. Is there a separator (rubber membrane perhaps) between these two reactive metals?

MrBarry · Post by **MrBarry** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:22 am

My 1.73c

1.ok. the mounting flange on the rubber torsion bar suspension axle is considerably larger in surface area than the traditional hangers on steel trailers, albeit not as greater span.
More importantly, much (or indeed most) of the weight on the trailer is taken directly onto the 'fixed" axle tube. Transferring that weight directly to the rubber torsion bars and to the wheels to the ground. So the I-beam is hardly troubled by that at all.

BUT far more importantly.......
What is happening in the field? are they failing/bending?

End users find ways of discovering failure modes that developers never can. I have read only of pleasing ride characteristics with the new trailer.

2. at least it would be pretty easy to fit a shim, perhaps HDPE or the like.

James

Chip Hindes · Post by **Chip Hindes** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:48 pm

I have never disconnected the lights when launching since my boat was new in Sep '00. It's got the OEM Wesbar sealed units and they're about as waterptoof as anything can be. Last year one of the sealed units burned out a bulb (first time) and I decided to replace both sealed units; I believe $8/ea from Champion.

Six years, and something over 15,000 mi, plenty of night driving. I think that's not bad.

On the other hand, the cheapie OEM unsealed marker lights on the fenders (which aren't lit when you launch) were dead every time I hooked up the lights; I replaced the bulbs severaltimes per season for several years; brand new cheapie light units twice. I finally got fed up in '05 and replaced them with some WalMart LED sealed units; $13/ea. I've never lost one since.

TAW02 · Post by **TAW02** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:55 am

Having owned an 07 Mac M since July, I have trailered it all over Florida. Few thousand miles perhaps. No complaints. In fact my boat was delivered to me from Marina del Rey, so when I got it, it actually had a few thousand miles put on it then.

I also own a 1980 MAC25. Trailering it abroad is an experience one should have before testing the new aluminum trailer. Looking in through the side mirror one can see the boat gently bouncing up and down as you roll down the highway. Nothing to worry about there, that's just the trailer frame flexing. Next, you check out the way the trailer is tracking. No sway and that's definately good. But you notice the tire/wheels are not truly perpendicular to the frame. Seems they (wheels), are angled in toward the top. I believe the alignment term would be cambered negatively. Mmmm, but not to worry. It's only because the axle is bowed under the weight of the boat. Gives that faux cambered effect. It all goes away once you take the boat off the trailer. Having had strong thoughts about installing a 2nd axle. But then that seems to be a popular subject when trailer talk comes about.

Now what did I get when I got my new aluminum model? Larger wheels for sure. Fifteen inchers. I suppose that helped a lot because towing the boat now (the new MACM) is a dream. No frame flexing. No wheel cambering. No Rolaids. It's poetry in simplicity. Brake lines are no longer steel tubing, but rust resistant flex hose. Disc Brakes and no leaf spring hangers to rust because there aren't those nasty LEAF SPRINGS to hang from them! Best of all ... it trailers the M in a most efficient way. That is, no excessive hardware such as a 2nd axle. Once you see and feel the difference, you will know this is the trailer for the

Big T

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MacGregorSailors.com

MacGregorSailors.com

Roger's New Aluminum Trailer

Roger's New Aluminum Trailer

Aluminum Trailer