Trailer for my planned boat trip

Just a tip from someone who has had many tyre problems. If you are thinking of towing abroad don't fit Avon Europa tyres, you can't buy replacements anywhere. If I were still in the towing game I would fit Mitchelins because they are obtainable at most Continental service stations.
A puncture on a trailor usually means a totally destroyed tyre.
 
I have a Hallmark Super Roller Coaster 7 which has a gross weight listed as 2600kg and a carrying capacity of 1900kg. I don't know how old it is but I got it with a Freeman 22 4 years ago and it has stood in my paddock with occasional moves around the paddock since.

I sold the Freeman last weekend and delivered it to the Medway, 170 miles away, and it towed very well behind my Discovery. I did put 4 new tyres on and checked all the brakes and bearings. The bearings had been packed with grease just before I bought the boat/trailer and I don't think they had ever been in water of any sort.

It has 48 rollers and one keel roller and is 24ft long and 7ft 6inches wide. It is 100% sound but doesn't look brand new at all, not helped by some antifoul on the rollers.

I am just about to advertise the trailer for £1,250. PM me if you have any interest. I am just off the A1 near Newark.
 
Just a thought, seeing as everybody is in trailer mode at the moment.

If you have 'bearing buddies' (a spring loaded device with a grease nipple to force grease into bearing cavity), don't bother pushing grease in prior to departure, wait till you get to your destination. The hubs are warm from the trip, and if you emmerse them in cold sea water straight away, they tend to draw the water in.
Pump the grease into the bearing cavity, just before you back into the water, this limits water ingress and prolongs bearing life.

We tend to favour long wheel base vehicles for towing, seems to stabilise the whole rig more efficiently.
 
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We tend to favour long wheel base vehicles for towing, seems to stabilise the whole rig more efficiently.

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absolutely... the idea of a SWB Shogun pulling this load would worry me...

I've towed 1000's of miles with various hobbies I've had, classic racing cars to speedboats etc. always towed with LWB vehicles, had 5 Land Rover 110 Tdi's & latterly Land Cruiser Amazon V8's.. the trouble with the Amazon is you forget anything is on the back!!! does like a drink too...
/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
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Yeah thanks, giving me all the confidence now /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

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OOps, sorry! I'm sure it will be fine.. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

You just need to take care when the load you are pulling with a car far exceeds the the weight of the car. Go careful in a cross winds and be wary of lorries pulling out on you!! You just don't want to be swerving at speed, that's when a long wheel base helps....
 
You should be fine..... Have you a load equalising hitch? They are sometimes a requirement from the vehicle manufacturer to achieve the max. towing capacity. Lots of after market stuff around, makes a big difference.

Rear tyres pumped to no less than 40 psi, maybe slightly more.

If the tow vehicle is ageing and has coil springs in the rear, its quite cheap to have the coils replaced with heavier duty ones. The 4x4 guys can advise on that, it doesn't make the car ride any harder either. Still do the equalising hitch though.

You can never check your trailer wheel nuts enough! Before you leave home, half way through the journey, and if you have left it at the ramp for a few days, check before your return journey. Sometimes vindictive people will loosen wheel nuts at boat ramps /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Carry plenty of tools: Good bottle (hydraulic) jack, blocks of wood (in case working on roadside, uneven ground), strong jack stands, spare wheel hub with bearings fitted, several wheel studs and nuts, grease gun, plenty of rags toolbox and wheelbrace.
Usually if you are fully equipped, nothing will happen /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Probably the most important thing is to not drive too fast, as you said sit on 50, just that slight increase in speed can make all the difference. Its very tempting to speed up, with the traffic behind you.
Maybe leave extra early, and avoid traffic?
Never rush, start you holiday from when you leave your house, stop and have a coffee, keep the stress levels low.

Good luck and enjoy your holiday!
 
If I was clever with the computer (which I'm not) no doubt Mr. Google could show the item. The caravaners use them all the time.

Rather than go into a lengthy banter, go along to a caravan supply store and see for yourself. Essentially they transfer the weight down on your towball, which is important to have, back through the vehicle. You can adjust with chains, until the whole rig sits square.

Especially with coils in the rear, these take out any porpoising, and give a real feel of control. Like BartW said before, when you are setting up the trailer, you must get the right amount of weight down on the drawbar. There is sometimes a fine line between a joy to tow, and a headache to tow.

A company called Hayman Reece make them in Australia, I would reckon the idea was probably pinched off the Americans, as those boys tow some mighty big gear.

Sorry I can't show you any pics!
 
The similar principle, but you can crank up a heap of pressure on the bars with adjustment chains that will lift and hold the rear of the car up. As long as they do similar, the effect should be very helpful to you.
 
Did someone say there was a weigh station somewhere near the HYS Universal Marina on the Hamble? Anyone know? Post code even better? Might see if I can get the trailer and so on weighed tomorrow.
T
 
There's one by Fareham train station that I've used in the past, guess its around 10 miles from HYS /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
wheiing the jocky wheel is not accurate enough (not the right position)
put some wood blocks on a bathroom scale, 40cm total hight, and put the hook on top of them, and lift the jocky wheel.
 
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