Trailer too bouncy?

[biffer]

You mention you NFB steering. Can you move your engine so the wheel spins round

[jyasaki]

BA; does your motor support have spring section, or is it a single piece of tubing?

The spring ones compensate for changes in length as things bounce; they should be a little quieter.

If you're handy with wood (or better yet, metal), you can fab up a piece that holds the LU more securely, which would help with keeping the motor from flopping sideways.

jky

[ba_fisher]

Originally Posted by biffer

You mention you NFB steering. Can you move your engine so the wheel spins round

I cannot turn the wheel by moving the engine. However, there is a little free play in the cable so when the engine moves the cable clatters. I'll see if I can tie the wheel down to reduce the clatter.

[ba_fisher]

jky,

Thanks for the suggestions. I have ordered these from Amazon:

Transom saver with shock absorber:
Amazon.com : Attwood Shock Absorbing Transom Saver : Boating Navigation Lights : Sports & Outdoors

Hitch tightened to reduce clanking from the tow bar:
Amazon.com: StowAway Hitch Tightener: Automotive

My trailer is pretty flimsy. The steel section below the transom is just 1" x 2" in a "C" shape. I'll bring the trailer back to the dealer and see if they have any recommendations.

[MatFromPoland]

Originally Posted by ba_fisher

Took my 14' RIB to the water for the first time today. I noticed that whenever I went over bumps on the road, I heard bouncing noise from the back. So I took this video of the trailer going over a speed bump.

Is this normal?

Do you have the same hook like mine in your ODY



It caused noise. There is too big gaap between hook and this mounting element. Any force to pull hook up or down cause noise in my ODY

I have used some 3M tape and now it is much better

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by ba_fisher

My trailer is pretty flimsy. The steel section below the transom is just 1" x 2" in a "C" shape. I'll bring the trailer back to the dealer and see if they have any recommendations.

Is it a straight section, or curved? If straight, I'd replace it with a box tube. You can get structural HDG steel and mounting accessories from a variety of places, Champion Trailers among them.

If you want to go cheap, you could bolt a flat bar to the open side of the C, essentially forming your own box section.

Never seen the second link you had there. Nifty idea. The transom save link is essentially what I use.

jky

[ba_fisher]

Do I use u bolts to attach a square steel tube onto the trailer? I really don't have any means of welding.

Do you have any photos that shows how that could be done?

[ba_fisher]

@MatFromPoland

I don't have the Odyssey factory hitch. I installed a cheaper aftermarket hitch made by Curt.

My tow bar is also loose inside the hitch, making a lot of clanking noise. I installed the "StowAway Hitch Tightener" and the nose is all gone now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elHsHeCLu9g

[ba_fisher]

Before



After





The u bolt is kind of short. I'll buy a longer one.



The pin also makes a little bit of noise, so I wrapped it in tape and that made the noise go away.

[MatFromPoland]

This is mine. Without tape it was very noisy when you pull it up and down

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by ba_fisher

Do I use u bolts to attach a square steel tube onto the trailer? I really don't have any means of welding.

Do you have any photos that shows how that could be done?

Couple of ways of doing it:

Flanged coupler (flange fits over tube and is bolted to the trailer rails)

U-Bolts over the tube to a plate on opposite side.

If you're launching in sea water, either try and get hot dip galvanized stuff or plan on replacing hardware every couple of years.

jky

[MatFromPoland]

Originally Posted by ba_fisher

Do I use u bolts to attach a square steel tube onto the trailer? I really don't have any means of welding.

Do you have any photos that shows how that could be done?

Thanks for a picture.
I have found similar U bolts in a box left in garage (it was box for original hook). Yes welding is not require now.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by ba_fisher

Before
The u bolt is kind of short. I'll buy a longer one.

Well, the bolt makes it all that way through the nuts, so...

jky