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Another FW's Bashing Post!!!
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Author:  jacknbella [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:14 am ]
Post subject:  Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

Will our trailer issues ever end??? While trailering the boat from our storage garage to our home (less than a mile), I heard something rattling only to discover one of the metal casting brake calipers sheared off in 2 places. Took the wheel off then removed the brake housing altogether and will order a new one (thankfully, it's still under warranty). Therefore, no brakes for a while. Since yesterday's weather was stellar, we decided to take the boat out anyway. Then, during retrieval, the freakin' winch crank handle broke!!! Thankfully, we were able to use a crescent wrench to finish loading, albeit, some verbal FW's bashing the entire time.

Now, we LOVE our boat and we've never had anything wrong with it (knock on wood). But our trailer needs to be scrapped!!! The rear fixed tie downs haven't worked from day-one and the surge brake reservoir leaks periodiclly. Sorry for venting...

Unfortunately, the nearest FW's dealer is a couple hours away so I'm hoping they are able to send me new parts and I will replace them myself. Has anyone had any luck with this before?

Author:  jacknbella [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

Sorry, I meant to title this post as:

"Another FW's Trailer-Bashing Post"

Author:  Cap'n Morgan [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

jacknbella wrote:
Sorry, I meant to title this post as:

"Another FW's Trailer-Bashing Post"


Click Edit on your original post, you can change the title there.

Author:  cougarcruiser [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

Sorry to hear about the problems...

However - are any of those parts actually specific to Four Winns?

The winch they use is common amongst other manufacturers I'm sure... and I don't think FW makes their axles/brakes.

Author:  aguyindallas [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

Thats exactly it Courgar.....I venture to think that Four Winns makes the frame and the bunks. Everything else is built by other people.

Author:  millhaven_nice_guy [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

aguyindallas wrote:
Thats exactly it Courgar.....I venture to think that Four Winns makes the frame and the bunks. Everything else is built by other people.


I have to agree ... you surely don't expect FW to make every little component. I would be willing to bet that most trailer manufacturers buy alot of the specialty components from outside sources. I am thinking that jacknbella got a "lemon" or that their conditions are extreme (speculation).

There are people here that seem to want to jump all over FW because they make their own trailers. Other than paint issues (cosmetic) most of the incidents involve hardware or outsourced parts. Structurally I find my trailer to be excellent, the brakes work fine and I have little to no issues with the trailer.

As an aside, my trailer just recently returned from a 1000 mile road trip (empty one way) and came back with a blown tire and a bearing that has puked grease all over my rim (on the same one that blew). These are no fault of anybody except maybe me for not doing some maintenance before sending out my trailer!

I treat my trailer as it was meant to be used ---As a tool --- to get my boat in the water so I can enjoy the boat not the trailer...If it breaks I fix it.

Author:  cougarcruiser [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

That's not to say that FW 'could' cut corners and use sub par OEM supplies in their trailers. I just haven't found that to be the case at all.

Our H240 had the gatorhyde trailer... and it was fantastic. Not perfect by any means, but didn't give us any issues other than I cranked on the winch too hard (the wrong way as well) and I bent it pretty good. Bent it back and back to goodness.

They are a great value considering they are included in the already fantastically priced boat... When you go to Sea Ray and pay 20% more for the boat, and then tack on 5k for a trailer -- you'll wish you only spent a couple hundred bucks on upgrading FW trailer parts.

Author:  millhaven_nice_guy [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

Cougar I think you and I are on the same page!

Author:  aguyindallas [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 2:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

millhaven_nice_guy wrote:
Cougar I think you and I are on the same page!



By the way - you know those bolt on straps I got from you? Guess what...they are made in CHINA....the sticker says so. Guess what...THEY ARE IDENTICAL to my factory installed ones on my Four Winns trailer. The ONLY difference is yours has a label of a brand on them and mine (from Four Winns) have nothing.....but they even have a little "slot" where the label would go.

Author:  millhaven_nice_guy [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 2:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

aguyindallas wrote:
By the way - you know those bolt on straps I got from you? Guess what...they are made in CHINA....the sticker says so. Guess what...THEY ARE IDENTICAL to my factory installed ones on my Four Winns trailer. The ONLY difference is yours has a label of a brand on them and mine (from Four Winns) have nothing.....but they even have a little "slot" where the label would go.


Wow! I never looked at the origin so I hope you're not disappointed. It doesn't surprise me though. It seems these days everything is being made in China aka PRC (Peoples Republic of China) :? I hope the straps are working well for you! The one on my bow is working flawlessly. Unfortunately business is about profits and the US/Canadian manufactureres just can't compete.

Author:  Aussie_Horizon_190 [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

Brakes, hubs and coupling used on FW trailers all seem to come from Tie Down Engineering http://www.tiedown.com/amarinedls.html. My guess is FW then get the spring assemblies from somewhere else, the wheels and tires from Carlisle, winch from somewhere else, and fabricate the trailer frame and axles themselves, then paint and assemble the lot.

So it's a bit unfair to blame FW for all of the trailer problems. As pointed out, they are built to a price point but the component suppliers have a hell of a lot to answer for as far as quality goes... My guess is that almost all of these components are actually made in China and not the USA... for example we all know the Carlisle tires are Chinese, and I know that the spring rockers on mine are.

Now Chinese made does not always equal poor quality... I used to race engines with Eagle con rods in them (Eagle is a US company, but the rods were forged and machined in China with just the final finish completed in the US). Never had a single rod or bearing failure and used to spin these small block Chevs to as high as 8500 rpm. I commented about this to Eagle once, and they said they have a stringent incoming QA and inspection procedure and all of their agreements allow them to return any substandard parts to the manufacturer at no cost. They paid a slight price premium, but got 100% quality checked components with no duds.

I suspect that back when FW started making trailers, all of these components were made in the US, but doubt if any are these days. FW need to revisit their component suppliers and re-establish quality standards. Make the suppliers pay for any warranty repairs due to their product failure. Once you do this, they will push back on their Chinese manufacturers, the quality will improve, and everyone wins! Believe it or not, I am not pro-Chinese by any stretch of the imagination, but the Chinese can make good quality products if the price is right, unfortunately most companies seem to buy on price alone and are quite prepared to sacrifice quality for a low price.

Author:  wkearney99 [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Another FW's Bashing Post!!!

Aussie_Horizon_190 wrote:
...but the Chinese can make good quality products if the price is right, unfortunately most companies seem to buy on price alone and are quite prepared to sacrifice quality for a low price.

Trouble is you can't trust them to keep making the parts at the same quality level, regardless of the price. It's known as quality fade and the commies have been infamous for it. The parts look the same but it's only when the customers actually put them under the stresses of *normal* use that the shortcuts become obvious. By that time the 'factory' has probably closed and 'reorganized' as another company. No pride in workmanship, no long term integrity.

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