Biggest towable boat
- Thread starter mateyboy
- Start date
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
How does everyone find their brakes hold up if they launch from a slipway? On my previous boat, the brake shoes fell out on one side when towing to the slipway one day, jamming the hub. Half an hour of swearing later and we were on our way again. Fine for a 15 foot boat, not so fine if you're at the towing limit.
With my current boat, I never immerse the trailer in water.
Not many seem to use cable or hydraulically operated disc brakes, actuated from either a compression coupling on the draw bar hitch or electrically from the vehicle.
They appear to be the only long term system(s) in play that will stand continual full salt water immersion, providing the operator rinses them off with fresh water each time and re-grease the moving parts on the calipers annually.
A single pump of the grease gun (don't over do it) into the 'bearing buddies' nipple or spring loaded grease caps on the wheel hubs, prior to immersion, also provide good protection for wheel bearings.
It's all about keeping the water out.
Last edited:
hlb
RIP
Hmm, having been an ex middle east trucker, I was fine with 130 tons on the back of my 56 ton truck.
Was I happy with over 2 tons on the back of a 4x4 drive. NO. Two tons is about the limit, it might go, but it dont stop. The secret being, the trailer needs to stop the truck.
Air brakes first apply the trailer brakes, then the front ones. With over run brakes you have the opposit.
Was I happy with over 2 tons on the back of a 4x4 drive. NO. Two tons is about the limit, it might go, but it dont stop. The secret being, the trailer needs to stop the truck.
Air brakes first apply the trailer brakes, then the front ones. With over run brakes you have the opposit.
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
IMO a well maintained tandem rig up to a gross weight of 3000 kgs will stop fine with 4 wheel discs on a compression coupling, providing everything is in premium working order and you have a suitable tow vehicle.
That's greasing the compression shaft, fine tuning cable adjustments (if mechanical) and checking disc pads, making sure everything below waterline has a good coat of 'Lanox' (except the pad and disc surface of course).
The problem is so few even maintain their boats correctly, let alone the poor old trailer.
That's greasing the compression shaft, fine tuning cable adjustments (if mechanical) and checking disc pads, making sure everything below waterline has a good coat of 'Lanox' (except the pad and disc surface of course).
The problem is so few even maintain their boats correctly, let alone the poor old trailer.
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
Indeed, go 8 to 10 ply with high air pressure, 45 to 50 psi during the boating season. The increased ply rating will reduce the risk of blow outs.
Running too low psi's is like pushing a wheel barrow full of rocks with a half flat trye, there's too much resistance.
Then in the off-season sit the trailer up on jack stands to take weight off tyres and springs, and reduce the psi's.
mateyboy
Well-Known Member
Hence why some articulated vehicles jack knife when the trailer brakes fail, the truck wants to stop and the trailer wants to keep going. Not a nice prospect with 3500kg's of boat and trailer at the rear of a 2000-2500kg 4x4. mmmm.....