Boat Trailering Mistakes

Hey Sean, have you ever considered stand up comedy I think you wpould be GREAT at it

I live in the Midwest. I replace my tires at the end of the 4th year. I’ve learned from experience that 5 and beyond is questionable. 27 years of 1200 miles a year of trailering the boat. 5 is probably OK but I worry about a failure on the road instead of enjoying the trip. Lol. Proper inflation is critical. I check the bearing temp at every stop on longer trips.

Something to note is that the jack that comes with your tow vehicle may not necessarily work to jack up trailer to change a flat. And your lug wrench may also be the wrong size to fit the trailer lugs. I carry an old spare scissor jack, breaker bar and right sized lug socket in my truck in case I get a flat. I just leave them in my truck for the summer so I never have to think about loading them ever time.

I carry a spare hub and 2 spare tires (one on the trailer, one in the truck) because once you replace a flat on the road you don't have a spare for the return trip. If you replace your hubs on a regular basis, keep a good one in a large ziplock bag all greased and ready to go. Carry a short piece of 2x4 and a rubber mallet if you have bearing buddies. I carry two floor jacks since a ruined hub on a soft shoulder means you need to get the trailer high enough to get a jack under the axle, then I carry a piece of thick plywood to use as a base for the jacks. Yeah I carry a lot of stuff.

Also, it's a good idea to disconnect the power from your lights prior to backing the trailer down into the water. Water and electricity don't play nice together, especially salt water.

Good info here. Since retirement, I tow my boat round trip from NY to FL every year, and total close to 5K miles a year. The additional miles have made me more attentive to my trailer as previously, the only issue was age. One thing I screwed up for years was tire pressure. I had no idea that trailer tires call for much higher pressures than car tires. My one bearing failure occurred after my dealer changed them (perhaps he over tightened one of the four). Now, I have bearings and tires checked at least every year. Thanks for the video.

Check the two rear straps after you have gone down the road for a while.

I thought I knew everything about my trailer....but nope. Thanks so much for the video!

Sorry I always think of other things after I post. I also use 303 protectant spray to keep the tires from drying out. Tire foam and the tire shine products make the rubber in the tires deteriorate faster, 303 protectant helps keep the rubber moist and flexible.

I like to carry a laser temperature gauge. ($20) After trailering for at least 20 - 30 minutes check the temperature of the hubs. If you have one on its way out it will start to run hot. I like to see them at around 95 degrees. If you have one exceeding 105 on a regular basis, it's worthy of a closer bearing inspection.

When not using your trailer, don't leave it parked on grass or any other organic material such as grass. It will degrade at an increased rate. Use dead mater instead, such as a concrete slab under each tire. Also avoid leaving it in direct sunlight, the UV radiation also takes a big toll on the rubber. Good video!

If you have a E-Z loader,or any trailer with roller bunks,beware!If the rubber wheels wear out ,the brackets that hold them will go right through your hull ! I drilled a hole though the washer that helps hold the rubber wheels on and spray a lubricant in every year .White lithium works well.Happy boating!

Regardless of outside appearance, I wouldn't use a trailer tire over 6 years unless: 1) It was a radial 2) It is stored inside and off the floor (Trailer jacked up). 3) The travel is limited to local boat ramps. Like you said, after 10 years it doesn't matter what they look like. Great video.

Level towing is important. Measure distance from ground to bottom of coupler when trailer tongue is level. Measure distance from ground to top of receiver on the tow vehicle. The difference between these two measurements is the rise or drop needed to position the trailer ball for level towing. Then the proper height ball mount can be selected for the vehicle and trailer being towed.

Great Video! Thanks!

I just saw you guys making the mistake of jacking the trailer up by the axle. Can bend the axle doing that…especially if you have the weight of a boat on it. You of all people should know to jack up a trailer by the frame. Pick closest point to the wheel. Also careful you don’t pinch any wires that may be coming out of the frame at the jack point you pick.

Thanks for the tips and reminders!

This is a great info video 👍👍

I know all of this but it's good to get a re-fresher every once in a while. thank you

One thing I would add to your, very informative video, is to check the shackle bolts and bushings :)