# Trailer rebuild Stage 1 (get it street legal and safe)



## bpoulin (Jul 24, 2011)

I just bought a boat and trailer from family, and I'm starting the restoration process. Stage 1 involves getting the trailer street legal and safe. This involved taking off the risers that they covered with PVC, they were rusted out and needed bungee cords to hold it from flopping out into adjoining lanes of traffic. The trailer didn't have any fenders, and the lights were all either burned out or broken. So it got all new lighting all the way around. A few things I didn't get pics of were when I picked up the trailer, it had 2 flat tires and the trailer coupler was bent, rusted and missing parts. So a run to ACE hardware to get some bolts, a new coupler, and 2 new tires didn't get photographed. You can thank the 105 temp for the day for that. I towed it to my parents with no lights or fenders just to get it where I could work on it. But you can see my tail lights over the trailer and I did it during daylight all trying to keep it as safe as possible. 






This is the trailer after I got it to my parents house and took the boat off. You can see the new fender resting on the right wheel, not attached yet. 




side shot.




The "guides" they flopped around like a fish in the boat, you can see where the rusted bracket has already started coming off the frame. These had to go. 




The winch, it's old and needs to be replaced, the support is bent too. I'm thinking the whole setup has to go. 




"Guides" gone fenders on and new brackets for the lights, new marker lights. 




Rear view. 




I replaced the wood bunks, but forgot to take a pic before putting the boat back on to come home. I extended the rear of the bunks 6" to get a good seat on the transom, before the bunks came about 4-5" short now they are slightly longer than the boat, I also extended them 24" toward the front for some extra support. Also I cut off the one tail roller, it was more trouble than help, it actually prevented the boat from sitting on the starboard bunk. 

Now the trailer is street legal and holds the boat, before it wasn't sitting right. There are still things that need to get done. I need 4 new bunk brackets because these no longer adjust and are rusted so bad I can't get the boat to sit right because of the odd angle. It's secure, but I want a better seat. I also need to carpet and treat the bunk boards but this is a $5 fix to replace the rotted bunk boards with nails in them... The rollers need to be replaced and one needs to be completely removed, it's pretty useless. The boat is completely incapable of reaching one of the rollers due to the bunk boards. The winch and support need replaced, and the whole trailer is getting sandblasted and re-painted this winter. I think it's also going to get LED lights all the way around. I haven't started on the boat yet, I'll start another thread once it's going.


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## Spook (Jul 28, 2011)

Any more progress on the trailer ? Yours looked about like the one i picked up the other day myself


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## bpoulin (Aug 2, 2011)

No more progress yet, I picked up a motor for the boat, a 1956 Johnson Seahorse 10hp. Next week I'm going to Harbor freight and buying an angle grinder and wire brushes to strip the boat and trailer. I'm kicking around ideas on what to use to paint the trailer. I'm thinking of picking up a gallon of roll on truck liner from the local parts store and doing the whole trailer in that. Either that or a rustoleum rattle can job. I'm leaning towards the rattle can because it dries quick and smooth. First a layer of self etching primer, then a few coats of something close to the original Johnson burgandy red. 




Here's the motor, I'll post it's own build thread when I start on it.


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## BassBlaster (Aug 2, 2011)

Nice little motor. I have the same one!! Its in my sig. Please do that motor justice and paint it back the way it should be!! They are really beautiful motors.

It should look like this....






By the way, thats all original!!! :mrgreen:


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## bpoulin (Aug 3, 2011)

Don't worry, I have every intention of bringing this poor motor back from the hell the PO's put it through. She'll be pretty again soon, and well taken care of. 8)


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