# Replacing bunk boards and rollers (issues)



## ol sarge (Jun 25, 2012)

I took the advice of placing my boat in the water and replacing the bunk boards and rollers on the empty trailer. The bunk boards went well ( I replaced the wooden ones with the ultimate bunk boards, no review yet) but when I got to the rollers, the spindles were mushroomed and I could not get them off. So I had to load the boat back up on thr trailer and go home. My question is, what is the best way to get thoses spindles off so I can replace the old rollers and the spindles? I do not want to chance having the boat off the trailer at the lake and not be able to reinsert the new spindles and rollers. I was thinking off jacking the boat ( 14 ft Smoker craft semi v with wood floor about 400lbs) up off of the trailer and then blocking and bracking it with 2x4's so I can cut the spindles with a dremel or hacksaw. I have 3 to replace. Does this sound safe or is there an easier way to do this? It is just me so sliding it off of the trailer and putting it back up on it is out of the question. If I take it back to the lake and I run into any issues, I am screwed. I might have to bore out the spindle holes to get the new ones in there and I dont think my Dewalt would have enough juice to do 6 holes. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Ol Sarge


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## nomowork (Jun 25, 2012)

Not being familiar with SmokerCrafts, is the 400 pound weight with everything in the boat or bare bones? 

I made a couple of blocks of wood with outdoor carpeting on them to be able to jack the boat off of the trailer. The wood has a V shaped cut in the middle to handle the hull. I actually made these to lift my fiberglass boat off of the trailer and found that it would also work with the 14 foot Gregor.

With the motor off of the Gregor, I can lift the boat off of the trailer and onto two saw horses (custom made for the boat) by myself. If I had help, I think I could leave the motor on and still be able to lift it onto the horses.


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## ol sarge (Jun 25, 2012)

400 lbs is the boat by its self. It has a full wooden floor in it and the hull is pretty heavy. It is a 1984 model so I think they made them pretty solid back then. I am leaning towards just jacking it up enough to get it off the rollers. I want to get this done tonight if at all possible. My biggest concern is getting the boat up there and having it fall.


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## sawmill (Jun 25, 2012)

I would drop it on the ground with the front left higher than the back. I don't know what kind of trailer you have but the weight of the boat is not that much. I have done this with much larger boats than the one you have.


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## ol sarge (Jun 26, 2012)

I was able to get the front and rear rollers replaced using my floor jack and a lifting jig I made out of 2x4's. The big issue I ran into is that the spindles were siezed into the holes and I haf to punch them out. I still have the center one to do and that one is seized up as well. I guess that is what they make ball peen hammers for. The old rollers look original (from 84) and were all dry rotted. The boat should roll right off the trailer when I get down. BTW, the boat does wiegh in at a hefty 400lbs. I had it weighed at the truck scale. The floor really adds alot of weight to the boat but it is very stable in the water with the low center of gravity.


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