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Author Topic: Dang...this is gonna hurt....  (Read 4090 times)

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TimM

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Dang...this is gonna hurt....
« on: October 05, 2007, 09:24:05 AM »

Finally got to spend a couple of days at home that weren't obligated to the band or a wedding or some such and got to get moving forward on the trailer repair.  Turns out that in fact not only was the spindle welded to the axle but the axle was also welded to the leaf springs. Decided it was more than I wanted to bite off on my own so I found an EZ loader dealer that I could get to without getting on the interstate, could get to the job relatively soon and that I was comfortable with. However after I took the boat off the jack and hooked it up to the truck the bottom of the leaf springs were no more than about 1.5 inches off the ground on the spindle missing a wheel. Jacked it back up and tried to lash the axle to the frame using a ratchet strap. Let it back down and now it was a whopping 3 inches off the ground. Needless to say I wasn't comfortable with that so I started looking for somebody with a flat bed trailer to take it to the shop.  Turns out that between the size of the boat and insurance considerations there aren't really that many towing companies that could handle it. Finally got somebody out here and man, if the trailer had been 6 inches wider it wouldn't have fit on the bed...as it was the tires were hanging over both sides of the trailer bed a little bit and there was less than a foot of trailer behind them with the trailer as far forward on the truck as it could go.  Had to drag the rear cross member of the trailer  across the driveway (paved) for about 15 feet loading the dang thing just due to the angle of the bed too.  I also had not thought about how high the rod holders on the grab rail were going to be once it was on the truck either....barely made it under the traffic lights! Had to go under one bridge where the clearance couldn't have been more than 1/4" or so.    High pucker factor.   Wound up being a $200 tow bill.  Sheesh!   :o :o 

The two happiest days in a boaters life.... the day he buys it and the day he sells it seems appropriate at the moment..... :P
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Steve H

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Re: Dang...this is gonna hurt....
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2007, 10:44:56 AM »
Sounds pretty hairy and not so much fun. Glad to hear your trailer is on the road to recovery. Did they give you a time estimate on the repair?
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MikeA

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Re: Dang...this is gonna hurt....
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2007, 11:01:42 AM »
Little boats are the shizzle. Sorry to hear about the trouble Tim. I think we might could have fixed it ourselves just not in Oct. I've replaced an axle before it's not a big deal, getting the right axel can be the hardest part.
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TimM

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Re: Dang...this is gonna hurt....
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2007, 11:58:44 AM »
Quote from: Mike Anderson on October 05, 2007, 11:01:42 AM
I think we might could have fixed it ourselves just not in Oct. I've replaced an axle before it's not a big deal, getting the right axel can be the hardest part.


Yeah I think you're probably right Mike and that was the path I was on (searching for parts) when I found the EZ Loader dealer in White Bluff and changed my mind. I just didn't want to wait that long and as much as I'm travelling lately who knows when it would actually get done.

They told me that depending on how long it takes to get a replacement galvanized axle (they had a non-galvanized axle in stock) it should only take a few days, so I may even have it back by the end of next week or beginning of the one after. Not too bad really, if they actually deliver on their statement.
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RonS

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Re: Dang...this is gonna hurt....
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2007, 12:09:13 AM »
"...but the axle was also welded to the leaf springs. "

Wow, I've never seen that before.

Don't know how I missed the bearing saga til now.   I have chained up, with a boomer and chain, an axle before on tandem stock trailers. It takes ALOT of boomer and a cheater pipe handle to get it up and mobile, but it's possible.

I know you'll be glad when she's sitting back at home. Good luck buddy.
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TimM

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Re: Dang...this is gonna hurt....
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2007, 09:16:37 AM »
Thanks Ron.

Well I guess there's a first time for everything.... I think this was the first time a "boat" repair was actually done when I was told it was going to be. Picked up the boat  Saturday.  Dragged her to the river Sunday. All seems well. Including changing out the water pump (been a few years and we had a little overheat reminder in FL) and a couple of other minor things my pockets are now roughly $900 lighter. 

"A boat is a hole surrounded by water into which one throws money"...


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RonS

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Re: Dang...this is gonna hurt....
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2007, 11:32:51 PM »
.....my pockets are now roughly $900 lighter......

B.O.A.T. = Break Out Another Thousand.

You beat the axiom by a C note. Time to celebrate!  ;D
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Yesterday, I was at the bottom. I was at the bottom of a valley, in the river. Then my eyes hiked up the mountains to the snow capped peaks. I thought, "When I am at this lowest place I can be, standing in a river, everything is looking up."

TimM

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Re: Dang...this is gonna hurt....
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2007, 10:30:03 AM »
Quote from: RonS on October 15, 2007, 11:32:51 PM
.....my pockets are now roughly $900 lighter......

B.O.A.T. = Break Out Another Thousand.

You beat the axiom by a C note. Time to celebrate!  ;D

Well not really since that $900 didn't include the $200 tow bill to get the boat to the dealer.  :P

Oh well, I can't complain as the Striper-pion has had remarkably little down time in the years she's had me.

 :)
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