Re: Working on the new FW Aluminum I-Beam Trailer - FINISHED

rpengr · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2014 3:51 pm

I have started progress on making a new frame for my FW H240 trailer. It will be Aluminum I-Beam, and Hot Dip Galvanized steel tongue.

Here is a CAD preview of the frame and tongue.

The two side I-beams are already in my shop and I have done the bends.
The steel tongue is already cut, drilled and welded, and currently out for hot dip galvanize (inside and out). Tongue is 3" x 4" x 1/4" wall tubing. Same for winch posts.

I will keep the same axels, spring, brakes, receiver, winch, and bunks from the old trailer. Fenders, brackets, LED lights, etc will be purchased from http://www.expediter.com/. I will use SST U-bolts and hardware, and apply TefGel wherever dissimilar metals come together http://www.tefgel.com/

I have ordered Navy Blue decals for inside the I-beams. 10ft long "FOUR WINNS" towards the front. 3.5' long "Knot Easy" has the matching stripe size and will be behind the wheels. $160 worth of decals seems a little superfluous, but that is what keeps it from looking like a home-made trailer.

Right now, I am thinking I will keep the same VIN number. Or I could get a homebuilt VIN

The project is going to sit until I get back from my Sept 17-21 trip.

To be continued...

Ray

deafwish · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2014 4:43 pm

Nice work, Ray!
Consider welding on a spare wheel carrier with stub axle, so you can carry a ready-to-go spare hub & wheel.

LouC · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2014 5:11 pm

Looks awesome ..... What are the requirements for home built trailers in Fla? I know in some states you have to show receipts for the materials and in others you have to have it inspected.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2014 6:21 pm

Home made? Bring it to the dump scales and get a weigh ticket, bring the ticket to the DMV and pay for the registration and plate. Done. No serial/vin needed. Florida does not title trailers under 2000lb.

If you're junking the old trailer, just goto Harbor Freight and buy a $6 metal stamp kit and stamp on the old trailer's VIN and save the $80 bucks.

rpengr · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2014 7:38 pm

Yes, that's true. Under 2000 lbs does not require an inspection (2000# trailer weight, not gross weight). My welder friend has gotten registrations for several trailers that he has built. Did not even have to get it weighed...just self claimed the weight.

But since I am scrapping the old trailer, I am thinking of keeping the same registration... as you can see, it will have a big Four Winns label on each side. I haven't looked to see if I could remove the capacity plate and install it on the new frame. And I have a metal stamp kit, so I can consider that.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:03 pm

All the law cares about is if you have an up to date sticker on the tag, and the tag registration says it for a trailer of it's axle quantity and approx. weight.

Trailers are not titled, so there's no VIN/Serial#/brand that has to be hardcoded and associated with that tag. The only way you could get in legal trouble is if the registration has one serial # on it from an OEM, and you put it on another OEM trailer with a different serial #.

You swapping serial #'s from a trailer you're trashing? You're 100% fine.

rpengr · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2014 10:08 pm

ric wrote:

All the law cares about is if you have an up to date sticker on the tag, and the tag registration says it for a trailer of it's axle quantity and approx. weight.

Trailers are not titled, so there's no VIN/Serial#/brand that has to be hardcoded and associated with that tag. The only way you could get in legal trouble is if the registration has one serial # on it from an OEM, and you put it on another OEM trailer with a different serial #.

You swapping serial #'s from a trailer you're trashing? You're 100% fine.

I think so. After all, I'm just replacing a piece... the frame.

In my opinion, it will still be a Four Winns trailer, and that's what it will say on the decals.

RichA · **Joined:** Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:37 pm **Posts:** 98

ric wrote:

All the law cares about is if you have an up to date sticker on the tag, and the tag registration says it for a trailer of it's axle quantity and approx. weight.

Trailers are not titled, so there's no VIN/Serial#/brand that has to be hardcoded and associated with that tag. The only way you could get in legal trouble is if the registration has one serial # on it from an OEM, and you put it on another OEM trailer with a different serial #.

You swapping serial #'s from a trailer you're trashing? You're 100% fine.

In case someone not from FL ends up reading this advice, please keep in mind that the requirements change from state to state. In CA, trailers often (but not always) have titles, and usually have to be inspected before they are first registered.

Having said that, you could still probably do the "extensive repairs" that rpengr is undertaking, even here, as long as the axle count and approximate weight stayed in line.

DaleG · **Posted:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:57 pm

If you are really converting to sale -- in my opinion essentially every bolt should be changed to stainless. I have done this on my Continental galvanized trailer over the years, and I am pleased every time I have to renew something. I just changed fenders last weekend, and all the bolts came off easily even though they had been in salt water numerous times, and never touched in the last roughly 6-7 years. Fender replacement was easy.

rpengr · **Posted:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:16 pm

DaleG wrote:

If you are really converting to sale -- in my opinion essentially every bolt should be changed to stainless. I have done this on my Continental galvanized trailer over the years, and I am pleased every time I have to renew something. I just changed fenders last weekend, and all the bolts came off easily even though they had been in salt water numerous times, and never touched in the last roughly 6-7 years. Fender replacement was easy.

Yes, I agree. I can get hardware at wholesale. U-bolts for only $1.65 each.

rpengr · **Posted:** Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:43 pm

OK, it's time to renew my old thread. I have finally been building the new trailer frame.

Here a little teaser:

This is the Four Winns trailer in it's coffin (a dumpster).

It didn't survive the very last launch (the day I was transferring to the new frame).

When I cut the trailer in half with a sawzall, their wasn't much steel left to cut. Tubing was full of rust that had been flaking off in layers from the inside.

Keep in mind that this trailer did not look that bad from the outside. 6 months ago, the rust spots on the outside did not look very significant, but I knew it was very bad on the inside when you stuck a finger in one of the drain holes. The trailer seemed to decline exponentially fast in the last 6 months...I would say because the accumulation of rust flakes held water continuously on the inside, and no amount of rinsing would remove all the salt water.

More to come...

LouC · **Posted:** Tue Dec 01, 2015 4:43 pm

Well it was certainly time that's for sure! You can see the way those frames are made, not only is the issue that its just plain steel, but look how many closed ends there are esp in the front A frame area that will trap water and moisture. On a galvanized frame, the frame is more open to allow water to dry out and also the cross members have drain holes in them. The galvanized '94 Load Rite I have been using since I got this boat is still in pretty good shape.

rpengr · **Posted:** Tue Dec 01, 2015 4:55 pm

Building the new trailer.

I built the steel tongue weldment in September 2014 and had it Hot Dip Galvanized, inside and out. All holes predrilled for the receiver, winch, bow roller, brake line, marker lights, and bow safety chain. Some of those items will be re-used from the old trailer, but not much else.

Boat waited patiently at Rybovich Marina while I worked on the new trailer over a weekend.

New galvanized tortion bar axels with hubs and bearings are bolted on with SST hardware and TefGel between the dissimilar metals. Relatively new Galvanized rims and tires (from the old trailer) are installed.

The cross supports are aluminum drop style from Eastern Metal Services. We welded endplates on and bolted to the web of the I-Beam. This method raised the boat higher by about an inch, but prevented the cross bars from having to be bolted to the bottom of the I-Beam.

I re-used the existing bunk boards, and mounted them in the same locations as best I could. They are mounted using all Aluminum Channed and Angle supports, and SST Hardware. Ended up using two 3/8" SST lag bolts at each connection rather than the through bolt that was there before. Not sure how long that will last...I'll go back to thru-bolts next time I re-do the bunk boards.

Had to finish all I could during the weekend and retrieve the boat, as I had pulled strings to get free dockage on the weekend only.

Retrieved the boat OK on the first try, and brought it back home with a friend following me. Trailer still has no lights, brakes, decals, fenders, etc.

This is the stage that the project has been at for the last 1.5 weeks, as we went on vacation last week.

Next week I'll be back to the detail work of installing:
Lights
Brake Lines
Brakes
Bow safety chain
Fenders and supports
Skid plates on cross bars
Re-Adjust Bunk Brackets
Re-check tightness of all bolts

Ray

LouC · **Posted:** Tue Dec 01, 2015 7:48 pm

Wow that looks great!!!

deafwish · **Posted:** Wed Dec 02, 2015 4:03 am

Awesome work, Ray!
Oh & polish that hull - it's gross!

www.iFourWinns.com

Re: Working on the new FW Aluminum I-Beam Trailer - FINISHED

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