www.iFourWinns.com

Lack of stainless hardware on the FW trailer has always been a disappointment to me - I would have paid a few hundred bucks more for stainless bolts etc. on my galvanised trailer rather than have to go round replacing them one by one as they start to deteriorate. Especially on mine as I mainly use it in salt water. Apart from that, I have no complaints at all about the trailer and am very happy with it - sure there are some out there that are better, but there are also a hell of a lot out there that are worse!!

Pivot point on the folding tongue is interesting topic. I have dragged my boat thousands of miles over some pretty ordinary roads at a fair old pace and it still works perfectly with no sign of wear or degradation at all. I too am amazed at how strong it must be.

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

I agree. I think part of the issue is that for the things FW trailers do well, they do so well that it's easy to take them for granted. Mine pulls so well that at times it's easy to forget that the boat is back there even though I'm only about 700 lbs. under my truck's maximum tow capacity. I believe there are many same-sized boat trailers out there that would be more dangerous and maybe unusable unless I'd bought a bigger truck.

It's just frustrating that they couldn't use stainless hardware, paint a bit more carefully, and do a better job on the side guides. LED lights were available but hadn't really taken off yet when my boat was new, so I can't fault them for not being included on mine, but if I'm not mistaken some of their new trailers still don't have them. In other words, the things they could do to eliminate 95% of the frustration would only cost them perhaps another $100 per trailer, $175 if the LED's are added in.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Anyone have an idea what it would cost to have a some rust spots removed and completely re-painted with a more durable paint and good clear coat?

I think in a year or so I will probably gut my trailer and build it back up. Structurally it seems great but its looking a little rough with all the miles I put on it. The question will be how and where I store the boat while its being done.

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

I don't know about the re-paint part but I plan to rust proof-the inside of the frame. I do not recall what the name of the product is but we used to send barrels of it out to the rigs to spray inside the preload tanks (huge portions of the hull pumped full of seawater to load the rig before jacking up, then dumped).
It was an all-natural product made of animal fat - a byproduct of food processing. Stuff was like an axel grease and worked like a charm creating a barrier against air & seawater. The biggest problems it created was people slipping on the stuff when they were inspecting the tanks. The rep would actually stick a blob in his mouth and swallow it so I guess it would have to be enviro friendly. Gotta dig up the contact info on that stuff - I have a truck that needs attention prior to next winter also - should be great for the chassis.

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2008 Four Winns 210 5.7 GI/SX
2007 GMC Sierra 2500 Crew
1966 Fed-Up Wife

The issue you may have with that is that the inside of your trailer was rusty before you took delivery. Unless something has changed recently (and that's always a possibility), they build the trailers separately and store them; when a boat comes off the line that needs that model of trailer, they grab the next one. That's a bit of an oversimplification, but the point is that your trailer was probably sitting around outside for some time, with the inside of the frame completely unprotected.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

IMO your best bet is to just buy an aluminum I-beam trailer for it. Had I bought my boat new I would have taken the trailer delete option and gone that route.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

I'm not a fan of the ultra light trailers. Too many negatives compared to positive. Floats, suck dead heading, warps easy, ect. Good wont rust and light.

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New Member but am on my second Four Winns. Agree that Carlisle tires SUCK!!
Two trips to lake=two blowouts. Am now running a Maxim or Maxis tire 80 psi load range D. Both boats have trailered like a dream when all is working well. As to plastic brake line mounts; a simple zip tie around the axle encompassing the plastic mount worked for me.

The FW trailers we get delivered here in Australia all have LED lights (we require amber turn signals by law) and the brake lines tied on with cable ties by the local dealers. Unable to get the trailer reistered without these mods.

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

I recalled reading this post a while back and before I took the boat out this past weekend I got the creeper out and rolled underneath. I found some of the same issues everyone else has been complaining about here. The plastic stick-on mounts for my break lines had fallen off, so I ziptied the lines back to the frame member. To my suprise every single one of the bunk bolts was loose , some more then others, but I'm sure glad I found that before one of them fell off at the ramp. After rereading this entire post I have a few more items to look over. I don't hate my FW trailer, but like anything you own and use it requires regular maint.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

Not sure I ever got around to posting this. I fixed my flopping brake lines. At some point I'm going to convert it to flexible lines. At that point all I'll have to do is swap the stainless insulated clamps for larger ones.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Thanks for the update Mike. My zip ties are still holding fine, although I had to redo my fender bolts. I just used a lock washer last time, and not a normal washer as well so a few worked loose.

I'm checking my bunk board bolts, washing the boat, and calling it a night!

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

I replaced all my fender liner screws with stainless flathead bolts and stainless nylock nuts. Not much to take a picture of there, but it was a project that had to be done.

Now I'm prepping my hubcaps for painting. From the factory they were left unpainted but had blue overspray on parts of them. I meant to take care of that a long time ago.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Mike where did you find the hardware for the brake lines? Did you do anything special to the metal after you drilled the holes?

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

Stainless rubber insulated clamps and stainless self-tapping screws. Any good hardware or home improvement store should have them; they're sometimes sold in the electrical department. The hardest part was drilling the holes - those axles are hard steel, and thick. I just used silicone on them when installing the screws.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic