Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Our Trailer is heavy galvanized, it's in great condition despite being dunked at least 12 times a year for 10 years in salty south florida waters.
We rinse the trailer after every dunk, but never thought to rinse the underside of the coupler.
We did a major trailer overhaul 2 years ago, new brakes, axles, primary coupler, electrical connection (trailer to truck), restraint cables, bearings and upgraded to LED lights. It should be good for another 10 years.
Definitely good information. One of the advantages of fresh water, I guess. My C22 trailer is OEM with the boat, 1975. Wesco brand (I think Frank Butler had an interest in that company), painted steel. It's been painted a few times over the years, and I do occasionally grease the ball. I've also had to replace the bunk boards a few times and the carpet many times. I had the original coupler on it until last year when I added Tie-Down Engineering brakes to the trailer; had to change out the coupler to an actuator. Took it to a welding shop for that part of the job, did the hub to brakes change-out myself. The coupler was on the captive slide-out extension tube, which is a smaller tube than the actuator required, so the reason for going to the welding shop was to have the old coupler cut off and spacers welded on to increase the width of the tube for the actuator. Also, holes had to be drilled in the now-wider tube to secure the actuator. I didn't want it welded on like the coupler was, and the installation instructions recommended bolt mounting only.
DavidP 1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52 PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess" Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN
By the way, I know that many of you with C25 trailers use a 2 5/16" ball, but for anyone interested in a heavier duty 2" ball and mount, Curt sells a 2" ball and mount rated to 8,000 lbs. My C25 trailer took a 2" ball. The guy who sold it to me had to replace the actuator before I picked it up and he put a 2" actuator on it. Worked fine the few times I hauled out the boat
DavidP 1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52 PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess" Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN
Paul's right... sometimes the couplers actuators aren't galvanized... and are first to rust out. Either way one should inspect them and the safety chains, and get this, the safety chain attachment points.
I've had 6 boat trailers and have had the safety chains save my keester on 3 of them. One was a failed coupler. One was a failed bolt in an extending tongue, one was a poor hitch up (not by me). Safety chains are your last line of defense, make sure they are up to snuff too. its the differece between a busted up trailer tongue and a totaled boat.
Agreed, safety chains are vital. I had the coupler come off the ball once (probably my fault) going through an uneven intersection. The chains kept the rig attached and the skid loop under the tongue saved the front of the trailer. I also saw a C22 trailer come off the ball at a very steep launch ramp at Privateer Yacht Club outside Chattanooga. The driver had only one safety chain attached with an open-style hook. The parking lots are a good 40 ft. higher than the lake. The boat and trailer weight straightened out the hook and the boat/trailer took off down the ramp. Fortunately for the boat owner, there is a turn and dirt embankment at the bottom of the ramp (it's wide enough after the turn for side-by-side launching), and the boat/trailer hit the embankment and stopped, traveling a total of I'm guessing maybe 30-40 ft. Amazingly, the rudder and outboard were not damaged, but it did break the tiller, which must have been slammed into the cockpit seatback! It was an amazing and scary thing to watch.
DavidP 1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52 PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess" Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.