trailer bunks loose or tight?
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Category: General Correct Craft Discussion
Forum Name: Common Questions
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URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=38496
Printed Date: November-24-2024 at 8:39am
Topic: trailer bunks loose or tight?
Posted By: spiralhelix
Subject: trailer bunks loose or tight?
Date Posted: April-25-2016 at 7:00pm
If the boat isnt perfectly square when loading, at least one bunk will shift 90º (so the boat rests on the narrow edge) despite the bolts being as tight as I can get them. I didn't catch that it had flipped in march and i didn't have tools to fix it yesterday. So should the bunks be loose enough that they move freely as the boat is loading, or should they be tightened in the orientation they would rest with the boat loaded? If they should be tightened, is there anything I can do to help prevent them from flipping (other than loading the boat square  ) I don't have a pic of the bunk flipped, but here is one with them tightened in the correct orientation.
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Replies:
Posted By: quinner
Date Posted: April-26-2016 at 9:44am
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Are the outboard bunks 2x6 or 2x4, they look wide like a 2x6 which could be part of the problem?? Not sure exactly what your describing but every trailer I have owned, Ramlin or Eagle, the bunks are always tight and do not move. BTW, Hollywood rides the same bike as yours ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1143" rel="nofollow - Mi Bowt |
Posted By: scootdogydog
Date Posted: April-26-2016 at 10:07am
Chris, close, but not the same. IIRC, Kevin's bike has handlebar streamers on it. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=7183" rel="nofollow - 1999 Python 1980 Ski Tique 1968 Mustang WIP |
quinner wrote:Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: April-26-2016 at 10:16am
| and quinner has the same pool |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: April-26-2016 at 10:20am
It sure sounds like you two have plenty of fun together on play days! |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: April-26-2016 at 11:22am
Dang, i left the house this morning before getting the responses, so I didn't snap a pic like I wanted. The outboard bunks are 2x4 with a 45º bevel. Since I am not the original owner, I simply copied what was there when I redid the bunks (they were pretty rotted). I figured they should be tight. So I guess I will just either hit the gym to bulk up or make sure I keep a wrench and socket in the truck so I can fix if it flips. The red line represents it's normal orientation, the blue line represents when the bunk flips.  Thanks for your input! And we stole that bike from HW, I was hoping no-one would notice. We cut the streamers, took off the training wheels, and added the basket to help throw off the police. Apparently the CCF police are quite adept. |
Posted By: tryathlete
Date Posted: April-26-2016 at 3:58pm
| And that's Zach's luggage on the back end before he landed the sweet job with The Cat Dealer. |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 2:12pm
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So we took the boat out yesterday and I made sure i had all the tools to fix the trailer bunk. Got the bunk in the right place and with all my might tightened the bolts. Took the boat out of the water to find the bunk had flipped back yet again and the boat was loaded perfectly square. Not sure what the best approach would be at this time. Im thinking either to just weld those brackets in place (harder to change the bunks later, but still doable) or remove them entirely (i only suggest this as other trailers don't have these bunks, but seems like these bunks do support the boat). I put the trailer in the water to where it just covers the fenders, so maybe i just need to back the trailer in a little farther? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated? here is a pic of it flipped:  here is the starboard side for comparison: 
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Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 2:39pm
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Might be a balance issue if they are inclined to flip the wrong direction. I'd shift the bunk so that it always fell in the right direction if you were set on leaving them loose. Or lock them down in the position where they support the hull? What year boat? What model trailer? Looks like a flat bottom (SN)? Normal (non-delux) #3's didn't get those inner helper bunks until much, much later (early 00's). #4-dv's got them around '80-81. |
Posted By: quinner
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 3:09pm
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What about just adding a u bolt plate combo to the C-Channel just below the bunk support (steel angle?) which would prevent it from rotating past what you see in the pick, say 10-15deg from horizontal?? ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1143" rel="nofollow - Mi Bowt |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 3:16pm
'89 sport nautique. not sure what model trailer it is. the 89 SpN was a mid-year production boat, so the brochure doesn't show this particular boat, and they did change a couple things for '90 SpN. The trailer is not the same as in the '89 brochure and the '90 brochure does not have trailer pictures. I'm assuming this was the original trailer as it does have a Sport Nautique decal on it. I've been trying to tighten them the best i can, all the other bunks are tight and not shifting, just the rear port side one. Since our water is pretty muddy, it's hard to see the point in time when/where the bunk will flip. The boat has to be flipping it as they won't budge with my scrawny arms and I doubt the calm water is flipping them. The helm is starboard, i can't see (or feel) an imbalance to the port side. If i do leave them loose (which we tried when we redid the bunks in 2014), they tended to be "floppy" in the opposite direction of the picture (they would flip inward, not outward) with the boat again resting on the narrow edge of the bunk so that is when we tightened them all down. When loading the boat, I don't notice any change either. Usually very smooth loading. So not like there is a hard "hit" or sudden shift. Thinking about this, The angle bracket that connects the bunk the the trailer is wider than the trailer upright, so I could weld some steel that would "box in" the upright so it would prevent the bracket from rotating yet leaving the bracket still easily removable. hmmmm |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 3:19pm
well, that would definitely be easier. I'll see what I can do this route. Planning on heading out sunday with a possible thursday, so i'll try this out. Thanks quinner. |
Posted By: Air206
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 3:30pm
+1 if it flips the wrong way, I bet the bunk as re-installed in the wrong direction, or not using the correct bolt placement, etc.... They should lock down in place.... ------------- https://tinyurl.com/y6t5e3bu" rel="nofollow - 04 Air206 http://tinyurl.com/9urzgls" rel="nofollow - 91 Barefoot 78 SkiTiq |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 3:46pm
Not quite sure how I would have installed them wrong or backwards. They are installed as a mirror image to the starboard side and there is only one bolt hole per support/bracket. I would agree that they SHOULD lock down in place  But i will take a look tonight to see if anything seems odd. If you look at the photo in the first post, the bunks are lined up and symmetrical. Also like i said in the original post, i thought it was due to the boat not being loaded perfectly square to the trailer, but yesterday it was right up the middle. The downside, I just don't have a way to work on it without the boat sitting in water. I don't have anything that could lift or support it to reset the bunk. so any repair have to be done at the public marina  I certainly appreciate everyones thoughts and suggestions! |
Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 3:54pm
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You could also drill a hole in the bunk L bracket and put a bolt through to "pin" it from flopping out of place.. . Going deeper with the trailer will make the problem worse, you should go shallower. |
Posted By: JPASS
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 4:09pm
+1 on that. Probably the easiest fix. ------------- '92 Correctcraft Ski Nautique |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 4:10pm
The pin was one of my original ideas, so I haven't completely ruled that out, just didn't want to drill through the bracket...sounds like i'd get metal in my eye. I think my options pretty much are to keep the bracket from rotating by: 1. U-bolt with plate 2. Pin through the outboard side of the bunk bracket. Should the pin go through the bracket and the c channel? 3. horizontal steel plate "shelf" welded to the outboard C channel upright preventing the bracket from rotating 4. vertical steel plate welded to the outboard bracket boxing in the C channel. from our experience, if we go shallower, it seems like it needs a lot of power loading to get it to the front of the trailer. with the fenders just barely covered, it still requires some power, but i don't have to "gun it". I will play with trailer depth sunday if the ramp isn't too busy. |
Posted By: DrCC
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 4:21pm
| Safety Glasses |
Posted By: quinner
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 4:33pm
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Or mask and snorkel Have you tried removing the bunk, rotating 180 deg and reinstalling?? If that is an angle and the top leg is above the C-Channel that may prevent it from rotating ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1143" rel="nofollow - Mi Bowt |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 5:42pm
both the c-channel and bracket are 90º square. The angle is created by the rotation of the bunk and bracket pivoting on the bolt. rotating the bunk 180º wouldn't work as the angle of the bracket would be inline with the c-channel, so the bracket would have to be reversed on the bunk putting it in the same configuration as it sits now, ie the board would just be the only thing rotated 180º. I do have a bevel cut across the grain at the aft of the bunk so there isn't a sharp edge as the hull comes in contact with it. It's hard to see in the close up pics as it is only about 1 1/2" bevel face. |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 5:56pm
| Assuming you centered the angle bracket on the wood bunk? If so, you've got a 50/50 shot of it rotating out once it comes level (which may be happening when they float). Move the wood bunk an inch to the outside and it'll increase your chances of it falling inwards. I would do this for both bunks. Pin it to prevent outwards rotation if you want belt and suspenders. |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 7:39pm
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That makes sense TIm. I did have it centered. I'll move the bracket a bit to the inside of the wood pushing the bunk outward. And I'll pin it. Talking it over with a friend just now and i think we are all in an agreement that is the best and easiest solution. Unfortunately my curiosity has the best of me wanting to know what part of loading it would cause it to do it...but i may never understand why. Ill follow up after I try all of this. Thanks! |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: May-09-2016 at 8:39pm
| I think you have it backwards. |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-10-2016 at 11:19am
this didn't seem right to me, hence why i wrote it the way i did. i got a message that HW had posted the opposite, move the bunk inward (dont' see it as part of the thread though). by moving the bracket towards a side, it creates a lever arm to to opposite side and I would want the "lever" to the inward side of the trailer. I guess realistically, it will be moot as I will do as suggested and pop a pin in it. |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: May-10-2016 at 12:03pm
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My post was poorly worded, but you interpreted opposite. Move the angle bracket outwards on the wood bunk. This will allow more bunk to overhang inwards. This inwards weight bias should make it prone to rotating that way. |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-10-2016 at 12:07pm
| ok, great, that makes more sense to me. Glad we are all on the same page now :) |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-13-2016 at 1:16pm
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So after looking at that bunk with the boat off yesterday, I have determined that when I attached the angle brackets to the wood, i must have made the brackets 1/8-1/4" closer together. The front bracket was tight up against the c-channel and the aft bracket had just a tiny bit of space to it which i am guessing kept the two parts from really tightening down on each other. So we used the winch to slowly load the trailer and kept watch on that particular bunk. It is now laying correctly and I will fix it with a second bolt tonight. Thanks again for everyone's input and I'll be glad not to worry about it anymore 
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Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: May-23-2016 at 6:28pm
thought i would follow up with pics of the pins. Launched and received the boat without any flipping of bunks. I did the starboard side just as good measure. Thanks again for all the input. 
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