www.iFourWinns.com

I'm curious to know how other FW's owners feel about their trailers? This is the second FW I've owned and I'm having many of the same issues as my previous one which was a '96. I'll preface this by saying my '06 already has 180 hours on it so I use it and trailer it alot.

Ok, here's my first gripe. The carpeted fender bunks (if that's what they are) have come off. Those self drilling screws just don't hold. Apparently, they cause the sheet metal to corrode and the screws pull out. This has already happened on my '06.

My second, the guide bunks are supported by weak metal and bend easy. I'm pretty good about loading and unloading but occassionaly the wind will blow me into one and the next thing I know, its bent.

Brake lines mounts coming off. Pathetic double sided tape to hold them on?? Geez.

Any thoughts? Love my boat but not my trailer. I won't even mention the blowouts on the junk tires.

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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 second the stupid stickytape brakeline holders, what a cheesy idea. I dont have many hours on my trailer yet and it is a 07 but the trailer even tho better than a shorelander definately needs some love to dial in. And who in the world thought that a plastic license plate holder was a good idea? DUMB

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Four winns 180 horizon

Txjole will be along shortly to confirm what pieces of crap these trailers are .

I dunno. I agree that the brake line "brackets" are stupid, cheap, inexcusable cop-outs. The side guide brackets do bend too easily, however I've seen the same on several other makes, including the trailers under several Cobalts. Mine are bent too. I don't know how the side bunks could come off, though, mine are bolted (maybe I'm misunderstanding that one).

The Carlyle tires are definitely junk, which is why the first thing I did after taking delivery was swap them with my friendly neighborhood Goodyear dealer - but you shouldn't have to do that. On the other hand, there are very few boat trailers that *don't* come with Carlyles standard. I'm not sure I've ever seen a license plate bracket that wasn't plastic, and I don't see anything wrong with that.

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

mike I think he was refering to the carpet that is on the inside of the wheel fenders.

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Four winns 180 horizon

Okay, I hated Carlisle tires too, but have re-adjusted my opinion. I just pulled my 288 Vista to and from Myrtle Beach from Tampa(~1200 miles RT) last week on 6 245/75R16 Carlisle tires that are over a year old. In fact, one of them has a nail in the side wall and was patched. Another has two patches. No issues.

Previously my trailer had (one stolen) 6 Good Year Marathons. I had issues with them. My friend has a Formula 27PC sitting on his trailer with 6 GY Marathons and has replaced 3 over the last year from side wall failures.

The opinion I have developed is "all trailer tires suck equally". I'm anal about the pressure and at every stop shoot the temps on the hubs and side walls. All are never overly warm.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Oh, OK. That's one I hadn't heard of, I'll have to keep an eye on that.

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

Just 4 weeks ago as we were cleaning up the boat in the parking area by the ramp at the end of the day, a guy came over asking about my trailer tires. He said he'd had nothing but trouble with his Carlisles, so he switched to Marathons. In the short time he's had them, he said 3 of them have failed. So I don't know what's going on with the tire situation. Flat tires on a boat trailer concern me greatly, especially since so much of my towing is done at night.

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

mike are the michellins radials or regular bias ply

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Four winns 180 horizon

I to would like to see a suggestion re the hydraulic lines on the trailer. The keepers are starting to fall of on the '07 trailer here too.

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Rob
2007 Four Winns 180 Horizon

yea i dont know what I'm going to do. I am sure it will be some kind of bracket and sheet metal screw BLAH

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Four winns 180 horizon

Wow I must have a good trailer. Mine is a 94 and the trailer is in great shap except for the surge brake actuator, which a rubber line broke and the actuator rusted (previous owner) but everything else is still in Great condition.

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Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

I really thought 4 winns would have built a little better trailer with maybe some welded in supports for the lines

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Four winns 180 horizon

I am in the process of refurbishing my '99 trailer right now. I was having some bake problems so I replaced the brakes with 4 new galvinized free backing clusters. This was cheaper than the parts(shoes , wheel cycls. and hardware) to rebuild them. New SS brake lines. The old steel ones were a mess. New carpet on the bunks. I replaced the inside of the fender wells with metal welded on. Removed the guides and replaced them with square tubing braced and reinforced on the unde side. New Imron paint with stripes and new logos. I will try and put some pictures up when it is finished.
I think FW should stick to boats and buy there trailes from a manifacturer.

My Carlisle tires failed after 5 years. I replace them with GY Marithons we'll see how they hold up.

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Inboard, outboard, onboard never bored
KUT 'N LOOSE
'99 258 VISTA

To be fair, many would say that if you got 5 years out of a set of boat trailer tires, they didn't fail.

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

Boy, I opened a can of worms! Its unfortunate, but I'm glad I'm not alone.

Yeah, Mike, I was refering to the carpeted wood pieces inside of the fenders. Take a peak under there and you see self-boring type screws. Mine have completely pulled out on one side from the sheet metal of the fender and I found the whole piece floating in the water at the ramp!! I either have to use bigger screws or try to bolt them.

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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