Rollers or bed.

Drewl

Member
What do you all think is the best for my boat on a trailer? I have a dbl axel trailer that has the rollers off. They might need new ones, not too sure yet as I dont have it home yet. The fellow was going to put a bed on it. Are rollers that hard on the hull? The boat is a 24 Hourston around 5000lbs with the tank full. Also it needs brakes. Surge or electric? Which is cheaper? because it probably doesnt matter what I put on the salt will get them.
 
I can tell you my preferance... I like bunks as they distribute the weight more evenly. It may make loading/unloading a little more difficult (but only a little). Better yet, I am beginning to see more trailers with a combination of bunks and rollers, rollers in the front a bunks in the back (where most of the weight is). That looks like a great idea.

With respect to brakes, yup the saltwater will get them eventually. I like electric BUT surge are (a) cheaper (b) easy to install/fix/replace (c) don't require any additional add-ons to the truck (i.e. brake controller etc...). I've got surge brakes on my 4000lbs glass boat and they work just fine. One additional word of caution, I have not had much luck with the Tiedown Engineering brand of brakes/actuators. I would encourage you to look at Kodiak or some other brand (I've got Kodiaks now and love them).
 
Also be aware that surge brakes are only legal in boats and trailers with total weight of up to 6000 lbs. Above that you require electric or electric over hydraulic.
 
Bunks or rollers? Hourston is well built, shouldn't be a problem with either. Rollers do make it easier to load and unload, but bunks do distribute the weight better.

Breaks... I prefer surge.
 
If thats the case with, if combined weight 6000 or more I'd be going with electric then. Pretty sure the trailer would be 1000, 83 road runner skookum bugger. I dont know a thing about surge but do they work both ways? Backwards down hill? Boat ramp I'm thinking. They must eh. Thanks for the feedback.
 
surge only work when you are braking. Think of the tongue on the trailer where the ball goes.It pivots to engage the brakes, acting as a foot on a brake pedal.The weight of the trailer and boat when you are braking makes the tongue pivot. The harder you stop, the harder the brakes are engaged. Once you stop, or go backwards(launching), the brakes are not engaged anymore.
 
I like my bunks for distributing the weight. but if you have carpet bunks your not going to move your boat with the winch unless you put bunk slicks on also you have really bury the tr. in the water to load and unload. ez loader makes bunk slicks and i'm sure there are other brands also. if going all new on the brakes i would go with disc brake hubs with oil bath bearings disc brake need there own style of brake actuator also.

rum chum
 
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