Trailers - recommendations please!

Janet and Bill · 11 July 2005, 13:48

Time to bite the bullet and invest in a shiny new trailer for our 6.5 m rib this year.

Would be interested in your thoughts and suggestions on (i) which make is best (ii) single or twin axel (iii) any other thoughts/tips/hints/things to know!

Thanks

Nauti Buoy · 11 July 2005, 14:04

Hi J & B

I have a single axle Indespenion for my 6.2 avon, roller coaster which I can say suits mine fine, as I know you use Chichester quite a bit you are welcome to try it out as it is currently sat in their Trailer Park as mine is in the Marina there. If you would let me know.

Best regards

Richard

ollyit · 11 July 2005, 14:06

hayling trailers built me a nice one, I can send you their price list if u want

Dave B · 11 July 2005, 14:29

Give Kristian Connors a call at Admiral Trailers, I have one for the Prosport. Easy to set up and well made, The price as I understand is also reasonable.
01884 251577
E-mail Kris@admiraltrailers.co.uk

Pete7 · 11 July 2005, 14:35

In addition to the 2 or 4 wheel arguments you may also want to consider whether you want sealed "Alko" bearing or more normal ones you can actually take apart. This is probably a good read before you buy

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....ghlight=Arthur

You could have either 2 or 4 wheels btw, my choice would be 2, and make, well De Graff in Surrey.

http://www.degraafftrailers.co.uk/

Pete

Janet and Bill · 11 July 2005, 14:45

Thanks - makes for interesting reading. I think we will be paying Degraff a visit.

Nick Hearne · 11 July 2005, 14:48

Not too far from you, not heard a bad word about them!
http://www.parrymoretrailers.com/Pag...e=MultiRollers

Louise · 11 July 2005, 15:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

You could have either 2 or 4 wheels btw, my choice would be 2,

Apart from the fact that a 2 wheel trailer is likely to cost less than a 4 wheeler in terms of both purchasing and servicing/maintaining, why would your choice be 2 wheels?

Surely 4 wheels is a safer option - if you had a problem with one of them, at least you'd still be able to manoeuvre to safety.

Janet and Bill · 11 July 2005, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louise

Surely 4 wheels is a safer option - if you had a problem with one of them, at least you'd still be able to manoeuvre to safety.

I had heard that 4 wheels makes the trailer much more difficult to manouvre when launching etc ... is this not the case?

Louise · 11 July 2005, 15:13

We crane launch Blue Ice so haven't had to manoeuvre the trailer on the slipway (although Alan has so will no doubt give you his views). We (well, Richard actually!) have, however, manoeuvred it around the yard where it is kept, in and out of some very tight spaces at times, and also taken it to the petrol station a couple of minutes down the road and to have the engine serviced at Bucklers Hard and, as far as I know, have not had any problems.

Pete7 · 11 July 2005, 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janet and Bill

I had heard that 4 wheels makes the trailer much more difficult to manouvre when launching etc ... is this not the case?

Very much so, moving a rib on a four wheel trailer is hard work.

If you loose one wheel on a four wheel trailer will the remaining wheel and axle take the full weight? I don't know but looking at the tyre ratings I doubt it, and on my 4 wheel trailer it would mean the remaining axle taking nearly 100% overload, so either way your not going far if you loose a wheel on a four wheel trailer with a boat on it.

Finally the cost. A 1500 kg axle from De Graff is £350, or £700 for a pair.

Pete

Bern Hanreck · 11 July 2005, 15:17

I wouldn't touch 'em with a Barge Pole . Unless you are happy to have the hubs & bearings fully serviced at ridiculously short intervals. As I understand it "sealed" means sealed against dust NOT water , especially the salty kind .

Louise · 11 July 2005, 15:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

If you loose one wheel on a four wheel trailer will the remaining wheel and axle take the full weight? I don't know but looking at the tyre ratings I doubt it, and on my 4 wheel trailer it would mean the remaining axle taking nearly 100% overload, so either way your not going far if you loose a wheel on a four wheel trailer with a boat on it.

Pete - when I said 'manoeuvre to safety' I meant get the rig to the hard shoulder/verge safely! Surely that's got to be better than having the rig stuck in the middle of the road? Or would that never happen anyway?

Nauti Buoy · 11 July 2005, 15:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janet and Bill

I had heard that 4 wheels makes the trailer much more difficult to manouvre when launching etc ... is this not the case?

We've got a twin axle caravan which is a b***h to move by hand. If we push it on the back of the car we get major wheel scrub, to the point where we removed a huge divit if grass on a campsite and had a very annoyed campsite warden!!

Pete7 · 11 July 2005, 15:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louise

Pete - when I said 'manoeuvre to safety' I meant get the rig to the hard shoulder/verge safely! Surely that's got to be better than having the rig stuck in the middle of the road? Or would that never happen anyway?

I have always known when a wheel was going to fall off, simply by the vibration and noise in the car, so it never came as a suprise giving me chance to find a nice spot to stop ( you will want a nice spot because its going to take the AA a while to get to you). the last time I had 20 miles of warning, just a shame I lived 22 miles away, nearly made it

guess whose trailer it was

Pete

Nick Hearne · 11 July 2005, 15:34

I have towed a 4 wheel horse box a lot years ago & it was hard work to move around! It is made essayer if you wind up the jockey wheel so lifting the first wheels of the ground!
I would stick with 2 wheels & check your bearings regularly & try not to submerge them when launching! I always keep mine dry

Bittentobuggery · 11 July 2005, 16:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

try not to submerge them when launching! I always keep mine dry

This I want to see.

Where do you launch from ? A skateboard ramp ?

When we launch at Crosshouse, the exhaust on our old Pajero is burbling under water and the sea is lapping at the running boards!

Took the Pajero back for a service a year later to the place that I had bought it from and they were truly shocked at the punishment I'd inflicted on it. 4 years later and it's still running (touch wood)

Nick Hearne · 11 July 2005, 16:24

Normally at the Hamble public hard!
Ideally would use something with a bit More gradient but it is doable with my coaster 3 trailer & rib!
Nick

eupa · 11 July 2005, 20:42

go for the Degraff trailer - but for more stability when towing go for twin axles-. Despite what previous posts say it is easier to reverse a twin axle trailer than a single one - as the single one turns very quickly and you end up at right angles to your hitch quicker than you can say " jack robinson".
But anyway - when backing down a slip- way - you are going to take it pretty cool. I have a 1994 degraff twin 30' trailer and only this year replaced
one out of the 4 wheel hub bearings. There are (were) rubber hub seals at the inner bearing. All bearings are TIMKIN ( USA) and require minimum maintenance.Wheel bearing replacement is DIY and you need a small sledge hammer,chaser and hub puller.
hope this helps

Jonathan

eupa · 11 July 2005, 20:48

taking nearly 100% overload, so either way your not going far if you loose a wheel on a four wheel trailer with a boat on it.

Pete, dont want to correct you- but the other day due to my inborn stupidity lost a back wheel as i had put the conical bearings in the wrong way.

The wheel went sailing pass me ---- but the trailer ( had the boat on as well) - was just as stable.

jonathan