www.iFourWinns.com

Original thread is here

I cut out a groove in the guide bunks on my Four Winns trailer. Now, the upright supports are countersunk into the bunk and do not protrude. It was this that caused the damage in the link above.

Some items I noted while doing this project:
- While I had not had the trailer in the water for over a week, it had rained about 24 hours earlier. The wood was still very wet.
- The carpet is held on to the bunk with staples only. They are not stainless and were rusting.
- The hardware was also not stainless and there was evidence of rust on the bolts.
- The carpet is ordinary indoor/outdoor carpet. Nothing special as far as I could tell.

The first step was to remove the carpet from each end of each bunk. This involved avout 10-15 minutes of time prying out about 30 rusted staples per end. Once the staples were out, I simply folded back the carpet.




Here it is all peeled away



The next step was measuring where and how large to cut the groove. There were imprints on the wood, but I measured anyway. It's ~ 1/2" from the top and end.


I used a router with a flat bit to cut out my groove. The wood was wet so the cut wasn't clean all the way around. Doesn't really matter, though, since it's going to be covered up.



The last step was to install the new hardware and cover it back up. The carpet still fit well despite a 1/2" deep groove. I used an electric staple gun and re-attached the carpet.

The finished product!

_________________
SOLD! 2006 30th Anniversary Vista 278
"Conch'd Out!"

http://vista278.com

Good job!

_________________
Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Shanman 14,

Thanks for taking the time to document your experience with the guide bunks.

Interesting. I have a 1996 Horizon that used the same type bunks, rusty hardware and all, which I have long since replaced. You'd think they'd use someting made for water immersion, wouldn't you? I had some fun with the drum brakes initially, too. The heavy iron castings ("made in China" cast right into them) were WAY out of balance, which ruined some wheel bearings right away. I had to have a machine shop drill and grind them a lot to get them in balance, but it did solve that problem. Then there was the automotive style one piece instrument cluster. Went through four of them before I stopped blowing out the speedo.

Glad to see some things never change, but I wish a few would.
Every time I read about the experiences of new owners, I rethink trading my old debugged Horizon in on a new one.....

_________________
1996 200 Horizon SunSport
5.8 FSI, V-P Duoprop
2005 Expedition

Shark,
I've been following this since the original post. Couple observations. It sucks that it happened. I would have been P.O.'d big time. After I discovered it was done by the bunk bolt.....I would have raised holy you know what with the dealer who sold me the trailer. My main question would have been....why in the "H" did they install that bolt with the threaded size inward, toward the boat?

It may be early in the morning, and I haven't had all my caffeine...but it appears that inward facing bolt was the entire issue here.

Four Winns needs to hire some rocket scientists at the trailer plant.
1. install bolts outward
2. don't use ungalvinized materials
3. don't use staples that will rust.

At least they used a lot of staples to ensure the carpet would not come off the wood!

Great job on the fix it and thanks for the detailed pics.

_________________
1995 190 Horizon
5.0 OMC w/EFI

the bolts are on the outside, shanman just missed hitting inside the bunk and when he backed up, the bolt on the outside scraped the hull.

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2005 Funship 214 5.0GXi/DP | 2006 Yamaha FJR1300

shan,shan,shan.........

i take back the rocket scientist remark.

jka

_________________
1995 190 Horizon
5.0 OMC w/EFI

Actually, it was NOT the bolt. It was the leading edge of the upright, painted support. One of my images shows the rust mark where the boat made contact and took paint off.

I recessed the painted supports, installed new bolts and used a hack saw to shorten the distance they stuck out.

_________________
SOLD! 2006 30th Anniversary Vista 278
"Conch'd Out!"

http://vista278.com