Not my week for the F-350

[Al Gagnon]

After getting my new tranny for $3770, they told me I need to have the rear brakes looked at. I was going to ckeck myself but I figured take it to my trusty brake person and have him do the work. Quote for $800 Everything rusted. Pads are actually part metal wich salt water takes its toll. I have to come up with a way to flush the brakes after dumping the boat. I think when I bring the trailer out of the water, I need to have a spray rig with fresh water and flush the brakes and when I pick up the boat I need to pressure wash brake4s at home. Anybody have problems with rusted brakes on the truck? I think my son baked into the water and buried the axle and brakes. Tail pipe was almost under water. Live and learn. Mike should have a answer since he puts boat in the water about 2 x's a week.

[NoSlack]

Longer tongue on the trailer. I know that might not be the pratical answer for your boat, but it's worth looking into.

As far as flushing the brakes in the lot, I want to get on the water and get fishing ASAP, not spend a 1/2 hour spaying my brakes in the lot while the other boaters are getting pissed at me for hogging up the dock.

There's my 2 cents.

Mike

[Al Gagnon]

Thanks for your input Mike. I have thought about extending the trailer two feet and put my v bow stop, back about 6 inches. Not sure if I should get bids from welders or just take to FE. I do not think Aros does stuff like that any longer. Adding two feet to the tongue, is going to make it more difficult to turn tight corners with out jumping a curb.. Another thing I can do is take the bunks down a little. They are 2 boards 2x6 to get the boat up higher so the props do not hit the street and also flipped the leaf springs are under the axle. . Maybe when I get the extention on the tongue of the trailer I can get something welded on the back to protect the props so they dont hit the ground when going over dips or backing into a steep driveway. Anybody know any good welder that knows stuff about trailers.

[Royal Hook]

Hey Al
Maybe just try lowering the bow bunks as low as the'll go as this will put more of the bow in the water to help it float. Doing this I have shortened my tongue to help in my tight driveway.
Good Luck

[Al Gagnon]

Thanks for your input. My boat is a very heavy Outerbanks and does not float like most Blackman, since it is another 4 foot and twin TAMD41's. When the boat is put into the water, I have to drive it off. It takes both engines about WOT to get it to move. And coming onto the trailer, same thing, I have to kick it in the butt to get it onto the trailer and then back off just prior to hitting the bow into the trailer >. If you are not a good driver you can either over shoot or under shoot the trailer. A few times when I have the driver at the bow to secure the safety chain, they thought I wa goingto run them over. The back scubbards are under water when sitting on the trailer at the ramp. As it sits on the trailer at home, I can raise the bow and the front wheel is still on the ground and most wieght is on the rear wheel and I can drain most water fairly well from the bilge and water just starts to drain off the back deck. So anything I do with the boat sitting on the trailer will effect how it sits on land. Forward or backward will effect how the wieght is distributed on the trailer. So the only thing I have come up with is extending the trailer tongue or lowering it on the trailer. I wanted to lower the boat on the trailer but then I worry about the props hitting the street. So that is why I thought about a type of cage on the lower back of the trailer. It used to have one but the previous owner took it off. I need to ask him again why he removed it. Thanks again for everyones help. Still waiting for the light to go on and be satisfied with modifying the trailer. I just spent all my fishing money on the truck tranny and brakes, so I will have to wait on the trailer. Such is what goes on with having a fishing boat.

[Freespool]

Al,

I have the same issues with my old trailer. I lowered it about 3”or 4” (not sure I didn’t measure it) and that didn’t help one bit. I think the bow eye is hanging up on the v block. With the tires of the truck half under water I still have to lift the bow up to get it over the v block when loading (not an easy thing when you are alone). When the boat is on the trailer the eye is 4” above the block. On the new trailer I had the block moved to remedy this, unfortunately it is still sitting empty next to the old one due to work schedule.