Trailer Mods required overseas

[Phillip]

Here is how my trailers look when I have re-furbished them.
Keep in mind, this one was pretty bad....took 2 of us 3 days.....the bolts on the front wheel studs were so bad, they had to be cut thru then split with a cold-chissel, and the threads retapped.
I take my hat off to Roger MacGregor....that trailer is so well designed it can be worked on easily with min equipment.

Here is a trick for rusty wheels. When you have them cleaned back, and the steel treated with acid and primer, put a coat of Heavy Duty exterior clear (varnish) over them....must be enamel based....do not use acrylic. Then apply your undercoat, then another of the clear. If you really want to make it look a million $$'s, then put clear over the top coat too....but that is only for looks.
That clear coat seals it up as tight as a ducks butt.

All my trailers leave like this.

(guess what girls....I got an X coming on a new alloy trailer.....my guy in the States (the brains of the operation) set it all up....so when it shows, i will post some happy snaps)

Cheers
Phillip

[Mistral]

Phillip,

It won't pass in Victoria as I can't see the lights on top of the fenders. Are they there?
I like the look of the dual axles though

[Phillip]

yep, if you look closely, the base plate and tools and on the further-est away fender.
John was so well dressed, had to get him to down tools and move out of the scene.
Cheers
Phillip

[Boblee]

You've done a good job of the trailer Phillip, I think I was told the side light was supposed to be as far forward as possible here and I possibly should have used duals but was looking at the weight difference for towing and the manueverability.
Weighed ours the other day and we are over 2200 kg, some of that can be loaded in the ute but there won't be a lot of difference when we hit the road, the 100kg I added to the trailer didn't help.
Is it an illusion or are the tyres different sizes? and where did you mount the front hangers, looks like right at the curve.
One of the reasons I put the extra berth in was to straighten the rails as they were bowed out.
I really believe these trailers should be dual axle and rated at at least 2.5 tonne otherwise someday someone is going to get busted big time with overloading but then so will 90% of the caravans heading your way at present.

[Mistral]

Bet you, John was in Stubbies and a blue singlet, being in Qld.
No Wellies though.

Maybe you could make a business in importing the trailers as well. You should be able to fit another in the boat container still.

[Oskar 26M]

The trailer looks great Phillip.

After your mods, do you know its tare weight and carrying capacity?

I cant wait to get mine back from its upgrade. Hopefully around the end of next week

[Phillip]

Sorry, it came to me with the mods......just a little bit rusty.....yes, rusty!!

This I will register under the 2,000kg to save changes to I believe coupling and brakes....not sure....something changes apparantly.

Havn't a weigh bridge cert for it yet, but it will come in around 340-380kg.

The wheels are the same size....the rear ones are different style.

If you ever need to know how they set the duals up, I will photo before we crane the boat on. Very simple really. Let me know.

The rear lazy axel actually had an upward facing hump in it...never seen that before.....obviously a heavy load straightens it out.

I put the side markers dead centre, but have been thinking of putting them as far out as possible.....wonder if the bow of the boat (if I get off centre when driving it on) may wipe them out.

When they arrive, the Americans have their blinkers actually on the outside of the guards, pretty much level with the guards....been thinking about it....seems it is the safe-est place for them.

Yep, John is not the best dressed stud in the paddock....neither am I when I think about it.

Cheers
Phillip

[The Mutt]

Is the weigh bridge cert done with the boat removed? .... I always thought the boat had to be on the trailer.

Glenn

[Oskar 26M]

It might vary from State to State Glenn.
Here in the West after my my trailer was upgraded, it went over the pits for its certification inspection without the boat. Actually, it had to go through two inspections because the trailer guy stuffed up and fitted tyres with inadequate rating on the first time around, and it failed the inspection. So I guess the inspection was not just a tick and flick.

[Boblee]

In NSW the trailer is registered to the weight according to specifications of the trailer eg tyres springs etc.
I didn't have to weigh mine but it is restricted to 1980 kg by the coupling and brakes etc.

[Mistral]

After doing the mods to Aus standards I went to the RTA office and got the boat registered without having a weighbridge certificate. It was registered on what it said on the US certification plate and by the coupling and tyres, just like what Boblee said.

[The Mutt]

Did you need to get a road worthy certificate or blue slip to prove Oz Standards compliance from the mechanic prior to going to the NSW RTA?

Glenn

[Boblee]

I had to get a blue slip and have to get a roadworthy each year unlike small boat trailer?
Don't know how you go for documentation with S/H, new was supplied by Synergy.

[The Mutt]

I knew you needed a roadworthy each year on any trailer that has brakes fitted, I was only asking about the blue slip as it sounded like you didn't get one prior to going to the RTA with your paperwork, I know a few guys that are certified by the RTA to perform blue slip checks (I will get no favors, I trust them not to put me through the feces) I have no problem with bringing the boat up to compliance, just sorting out the fact from fiction to get it right.


Glenn

[WestonW]

Hi all,
Just got my trailer registered in NT (Darwin). I replaced the A-60 hitch with the A-75, which meets the Australian Standards .I have a copy of the Amdel tests done in South Australia. It also is adjustable for ball size. Which we don’t really need. The Department of Infrastructure in Canberra has sent me a copy of the info which states ball size 50mm plus or minus 1mm. As we all know 2 inch is 50.8 mm. This means it the 2 inch hitch is OK.