Question For You Boat Trailer Guys

[Sharphooks]

hey Gents

I have a dual axle Shoreland'r (2005). I plan on putting some major mileage this summer going up and down and across Van Isle. I'm in the process of changing out all the calipers and all the rotors so I don't spend 5 days stuck in Nanaimo at the mercies of Parker Marine as was the case last summer (frozen caliper ).

Other then new calipers and rotors, all four sets of leaf springs look like this:

Should I be thinking of changing out the leaf springs and the "U" brackets or are they good for a few more years? Not sure what is considered "unsafe" when rust works its magic on non-galvanized parts. The axles and frame are in good shape

 

[spring time]

the leaf look good seen worse

 

[casper5280]

I don't know. If it were me I would add a bigger elastic to hold them together.LOL I just wire wheeled mine and gave them a shot of Rust paint. I think they look fine. I would just put it on the to do list.

 

[Sculpin]

They look like most folks out there lol. The wire wheel and some paint suggestion wouldn't hurt and might give you a couple extra years out of them as well. Caspers right about the bigger elastic band !!

 

[staying alive]

I take a can of Fluid Film with me to the boat launch and coat everything that looks vunerable once I got the boat off

 

[Sharphooks]

Just for the record, that elastic band is to keep the disconnected brake line off the ground before getting the new calipers in there, not to keep the leaf springs attached to the trailer frame.... I'll admit to being the village idiot, but not the global idiot ...
Wire brush and paint---o.k., that sounds a helluva lot easier then a leaf spring change-out

thanks!

 

[casper5280]

Just laughed when I saw the elastic and had to throw it out there Sharphooks. I figured that's what you were doing. I just wired wheeled my springs off and cleaned them as best as I could. Then masked them off and sprayed them with Rustoleum paint gave them a couple coats each year. I like the Fluid Film thing, think I'll start that the next time at the ramp. Someone told me to do that on the brakes the next time I do them. Just not the pads or drums/rotors