# Trailer Project (Project Complete, Pics Added)



## BassBlaster

I started my trailer project over the weekend. I bought this trailer for $150. It is a 1972 Snowco tilt trailer. I have never heard of them and couldnt find anything online but it sems to be a well built trailer. It is in remarkable shape for its age. Everything seems to be original. It is starting to get rusty so I decided to do a complete restoration to it before I start my boat project. Its getting all new paint, all new bolts, new jack, winch, bunks, led lights, etc. Basically it should be like a brand new one when I'm done.

Heres what I started with






Then I completely disassembled it





A few parts that were completely stripped and reprimed





Unfortunately, I dont have the space to do this project so it is at my aunt and uncles house. I cant make it over to work on it everyday. Will make it back over in a couple days and post pics of my progress.


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## FishingBuds

awsome job your doing BB

What did ya do on stripping it down for paint? Sander?

I need to restore mine


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## BassBlaster

I used a wire wheel on my grinder. The wheel type, not the cup brush. The kind with the heavy twisted cable type wire. Peels the paint and rust off like a champ and dosnt harm the steel on the trailer. I bought the variety brush pack from Harbor Freight so I could try several to see what worked best. Definately wear eye protection because every so often one of those little wires will come loose and they come out of there like a little missle. I pulled several from my clothes and one from under my skin on my wrist. Could just be because most everything Harbor Freight sells is junk. I'm gonna buy a brand name brush to finish the stripping.


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## BassBlaster

Made some more progress this weekend. I worked all day Sat and Sun. I am finally done with stripping the old paint. WOO HOO!! Man, is that a chore. I think I probably have somewhere between 12 and 14 hours total, just on the stripping. Everything was taken down to bare steel then got 3 coats of Rustoleum Self Etching Primer. Then everything was lightly sanded with 400 grit sand paper. The axle and springs got 2 coats of Rustoleum Gloss Black and everything else got 2 coats of Rustoleum Gloss White. I still have the bunk supports to paint and the latch mechanism for the tilt.

Heres where we are as I left today


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## BassBlaster

Forgot to mention, the two things you see sticking up on the tongue is some bolts I welded on there. That's where my spare tire is gonna go. I used a fine thread bolt that mathches the wheel lugs so I'll use the same lugnuts to secure it. If I did my math correctly, it should be out of the way under the boat when its all done.


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## BassBlaster

Made a little more progress today. Started putting things back together. The springs were a pain in the [email protected]@ to get back on. Its lookin good though.

Heres where we are today


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## perchin

looking good!!!


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## BassBlaster

Thanks Perchin!!

I'm gonna try and get my lights wired up this weekend if I can find a complete led kit somewhere. Most everything I've found dosnt include the side markers. I gotta couple other places to check though. I have a question regarding the lights though. I completely disasembled this thing and painted EVERYTHING!! I think I'm gonna have a problem getting ground at my mounting locations now. I was thinking I could just run a drill bit or something through the mounting locations and clean the paint off to get back to bare metal but wont that cause another problem down the road with rust or is this something we just have to deal with beeing its gonna get dipped in the lake everytime I take it out?


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## perchin

Shouldn't be too bad. Just use a quality galvanized self tapping screw to get your ground. I also on a tilt trailer woud put a ground up front, and then at each light, this way you won't end up with the common tilt trailer lighting problems.

Cheers mate 8)


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## Nevillizer

perchin said:


> Shouldn't be too bad. Just use a quality galvanized self tapping screw to get your ground. I also on a tilt trailer woud put a ground up front, and then at each light, this way you won't end up with the common tilt trailer lighting problems.
> 
> Cheers mate 8)



Ditto.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls

I ran a ground wire from the front of the trailer to each light. I've done this on every trailer I own and on my brothers trailer.


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## BassBlaster

I had planned on running at least one ground wire from the front to past the tilt point so I could get a good ground to the back of the trailer. I suppose runnig one to each light wouldnt be that big a deal since I'm gonna be pulling all new wire through it anyhow. I guess I'll pick up a extra roll of wire and some connectors and go that route. Thanks guys!!


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## BassBlaster

I finally found my lights and got em wired up. The LED's are sweet, so glad I went that route allthough I think I probably burned 20 bucks worth of gas driving all over town looking for em. I ran a ground wire to every light so everything is grounded directly. Nothing has to get its ground through the trailer. Replaced all the grommets and put all exposed wires into that cheap plastic loom stuff. End result looks very professional and I'm quite proud of my work!! Forgot the camera today so I have no new pics but I'll get some soon.

The project has come to a hault after today. We are moving in 2 weeks so the wife said I can't spend any more money till we get moved. The new place has a big garage so I'll finally have my own place to complete my project and then start on the boat. All I have left to do is bolt on items, hubs, wheels, winch, jack, etc. I do still have to make bunks. The budget for this project was $350 and I am only pennies from that now and still have all of the above to purchase yet. Costing a lot more than I thought but it will be brand new and last a long time. More pics to come!!


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## BaitCaster

Good news BB. Congrats on the new house. Just be careful your new garage doesn't get filled up with junk like mine did!


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## BassBlaster

The new place has tons of storage space so hopefully the only thing going in the garage is my boat and my tools. Thats the plan for now anyhow. The wife may change my mind come winter!!


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## BaitCaster

Hey BB. Just wondering what's new with the trailer rebuild. Guess you are busy with the new house. Hope everything is going okay.

Cheers,
BC


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## BassBlaster

Nothing new as of yet. Trying to get settled into the new place and Ive been working 12 to 14 hour shifts for the last couple weeks. Should be able to get going on it again real soon though.


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## BaitCaster

BassBlaster said:


> Nothing new as of yet. Trying to get settled into the new place and Ive been working 12 to 14 hour shifts for the last couple weeks. Should be able to get going on it again real soon though.



Thanks for checking in mate! Looking forward to updates. Get your priorities straight would ya!


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## BassBlaster

BaitCaster said:


> Get your priorities straight would ya!




Yeah, no kiddin!! As soon as everything in the garage makes it to where it needs to go so I have some room to work, I'll get back to it.


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## midnight_f150

Hey BB. Just wondering what's new with the trailer rebuild.


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## BassBlaster

I have been working on it here and there when I have time. I have been so busy with the new place. The grass alone is killing me. I have to mow about 2 acres and I have to do it twice a week to keep up with it. Got most of the other small projects around here done so I'm just about ready to concentrate on the boat and trailer again. Just found out a couple weeks ago that we are gonna have a baby after 10+ years of trying also so I have to get my project complete before the baby comes cause I know the wife isnt gonna let me spend any money after that.

Trailer progress: I got the new winch and jack mounted up. I got new safety chains in place. The bunks are built, carpeted and mounted. Had to order my stainless staples online so that held up my bunks for a few days. I still need to buy new hubs, wheels, tires and build some guide ons. I was originally gonna go with bunk guide ons but the boat sits so good on the bunks I built that now I think I'm just gonna build the post style guide ons for loading on windy days. I also am considering moving the side marker lights. I mounted all the lights in the original mounting locations before building the bunks. The trailer was originally for a v-hull. I added a cross bunk to support the front of the boat and it hides my side markers. I am considering removing the bracket they are currently mounted to and cutting it in half and mounting each to the underside of the cross bunk. I'll go out to the garage shortly and snap a couple pics of my progress and of the lights so you all can see what I mean.


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## BassBlaster

The next couple pics show what I meant about the side marker lights being blocked by the bunk. I'm thinking of removing that bracket they are mounted to and cuting it in half and drilling a couple holes in each half and running some small lag screws into the underside of that bunk. I would have to lengthen the wires to each light but thats not a big deal. Any one have any other ideas where I wouldnt be drilling into the bunk?


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## bobberboy

That's a really nice job on the trailer. With that kind of work your boat should turn out nice as well.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls

Could you move the cross bunk to on top of side light bracket?


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## dixie_boysles

looks great! now just do the same with the wheels! Those rusty wheels look awful on that nice "new" trailer!


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## BaitCaster

Beautiful job on the trailer BB - and congrats on the baby!! =D> He/she will make a great little fishing buddy for you in a couple of years!


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## BassBlaster

Dixie, I'm replacing the wheels and tires with brand new ones. Just havnt picked em up yet.

Thanks for the congrats BaitCaster, were looking forward to the new addition!!


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## BassBlaster

I decided to mess around with the trailer a little more. I got those side markers moved. They are in a much better location now. Just cut that bracket in half and drilled a few holes. I ran three 1/4" lag screws into each one and they are solid. Had to lengthen the wires about a foot to get them out there.

I also built some guide ons. I had some bunk support brackets that I didnt need so I used them and some steel gas line. The gas line was a perfect diameter and was much cheaper than regular steel tubing. I bent the line where it needed and and locked them into the bunk brackets with set screws. I then slipped my pvc over the line and locked it in with a small bolt on the bottom and capped the pvc. My guide ons cost me less than 20 bucks to build and took about an hour. The pvc pipe is more of an off white color so it dosnt quite match the trailer but I'll live with it.

Hubs, wheels and tires and this thing will be done!!

New side marker location.





Guide ons. Sorry about the glare, guess I should have closed the blinds.


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## andrew09

I have a trailer that is very similar to yours thatI am working on. What size are your bunks and how did you attach them to the trailer?


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## BassBlaster

The 2 long bunks are 6 feet, the short cross bunk is 28 inches I think and the one at the nose is 12 inches. To attach them, I countersunk carraige bolts then carpeted them. Then dropped them through pre drilled holes in the frame with a washer and lock nut.


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## andrew09

Did you use 4x4s or did you stack 2 2x4s


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## BassBlaster

I stacked 2x4's. I had planned to just use singles but it didnt give me enough height to work the tilt latch. Then I was gonna use 4x4's but couldn't find a lumber yard anywhere that sold untreated 4x4's. Remember if you do yours like mine, that front cross bunk needs to sit lower than the rears because the strakes on the boat actually sit on it where they dont on the back. Mine needed to be something like 7/8" lower. I just laid it on there where I was mounting it and drew some lines and set my table saw blade to that height and ran it across there a million times till it was all cut out.


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## BassBlaster

I just realized the other day that I never posted pics of the completed project. This thing has been done for some time now. So, I pulled it out of the garage today, unloaded the boat and washed the trailer just so I could get pics to finish this thread!!

Heres the trailer completely finished!!


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## BassBlaster

Heres the side by side comparison.

The trailer I started with....






The trailer completely restored...


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## sum-kina

great job on the trailer!!!! 
i know the boats gonna look good if you can take that trailer from what it was to the way it looks now....
awsome job....
im ready to see the boat in progress now...

and congrats on the lil one!!!!!

SUM-KINA


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## BassBlaster

Thank you!!


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## ski

Great job on the boat. I live in Dublin and was following you OGF. I have a small starcraft I bought this spring that I've been trying to get it in the water. My trailer needs a lot of work. I took it down to griggs on Thursday and didn't make it from the dock. The engine was running so poorly, I didn't want to chance it. I think the problem was with the fuel/tank or hose.

I like your idea for the guide ons? I need something to help me guide the boat on the trailer. Also, the trailer is so small, I could not see it in my mirrors until it was jackknifed!!

Great job.

ski


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## BassBlaster

Welcome to Tinboats Ski, this is a great site. You'll definately get plenty of help with your project here. These guys are all picture junkies so post lots of pics when you get going on your projects.

My little trailer was too small to see behind the truck as well. I made the guide ons tall enough that I'll be able to see the trailer now.


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## Hanr3

Nice job on the trailer. It appears to be the same trailer I have. I too rebuilt mine before I started on teh boat. Link to my build in my sig. I went about the bunks differently, and eliminated the tilt feature. I could use it agian, if I replace the bolt with a clevis pin. My trailer also had some welded on side guides. I just whacked them off and installed some new ones. Ill be posting a thread in a few minutes. 

Congrats on the youngin, kids are the best mod. 8)


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## GvilleBlackBeard

wow man! you did a really great job on that trailer!


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