Trailer roller repair....?

[Adler]

I've got an older trailer with rollers for my 17' K&C. One of the rollers is out of position and not running where they should on the boat. I want to fix it, but the bolts holding the arms for that roller are seized from years of salt water. I tried to fix quickly over the weekend when the boat was in the water, but nothing doing. So my question is 2 fold:

1. If doing a repair like this with the boat on, is there a way to lift the boat up away from the roller on one side safely, perhaps using a small jack?

2. How do you deal with seized bolts like this? Assume remove and replace, but not sure what the best way to remove them is. Heat?

I'd like to do it on the cheap if possible, i.e. do it myself, but I am only learning now to be handy around boats. If the suggestion is to take it to a shop, any suggestions in the Greater Victoria area?

Thanks!

 

[scott craven]

It's much easier to work on the trailer with the boat off, you can block the boat up and slowly drive the trailer out from underneath it.
I don't think you need to remove the whole arm in order to replace the roller ? there should be a cap nut holding the roller in place.
They are simply pressure fitted on to the spindle.
take a flat head screw driver and a hammer to it. it will likely break into pieces.
Sg Power has replacements in stock.

If you need to remove the pivot arm, suggest gving the nut a good spray of WD40
and let it sit for a few hours, then get a big ratchet drive on it.
you may need to take a zip cutter and cut the nut off if unable to budge it.
replace with S.S bolt and nut and it won't be so difficult if there's a next time.

Good luck.

 

[Adler]

Thanks Craven for the suggestions. I did have to take the bolts off to move the pivot arms, and the U bolts pretty much shattered. Put new ones on tonight and it should work like clockwork now. Used a carjack and a long 2x4 running several feet along the boat to lift it off the rollers just enough.

On to the next job - but first, out to fish! Cheers.