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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2016 8:33 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
Posts: 927
Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Quick update. I haven't finished the bike rack yet. Weather and kid's sports have gotten in the way. I noticed that the trailer was leaning to one side the other day. Seems that the U-bolts didn't have enough to hold the extra weight of the sail holder with the mast and sail inserted. So I opted to replace two of the U-bolts with 4 more 90 degree brackets just like the others used for the removable pins. Here is what the brackets look like:
Image

Additionally I was finally able to borrow a buddy's heat gun and made the indentations on the starboard main bunk for the venturi drains. Now the boat sits level. I just cut a line down the middle with a dremmel tool, heated the PVC until it became pliable, and used the wooden handle of a scraper/spatula to form the indentation.
Image

I also answered the question of whether or not I would have clearance from the sail holder. So I hooked up the trailer to the Suburban and took it for a slow spin around the block. Technically I have clearance for everything but a flat out 90 degree left hand turn. I think I had about 3 inches from the bumper to the end of the sail holder when I made the sharp left out of my driveway. However, it was not enough for my wife to be comfortable. So, it looks like I'm going to investigate making the adjustable mount for the sail holder. I have the extra material to play around with anyways. Stay tuned for the conclusion of the sail holder and the write up on the bike rack.

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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2016 6:18 pm 
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Location: Blacklick, Ohio
It's been a little while since I've posted on this. Weather, family life and work have all gotten in the way of me completing this project. I have finished the bike rack base and have 2 racks installed. I will get pictures posted as soon as the tornados quit rolling through.

Also, I discovered that if I wrap the sail tightly and secure it with some velcro straps, it fits into the PVC Sail holder much easier. The only hang up is that damn hook near the clew. However, I can just rotate the mast when I get to that spot and it typically slides past.

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  • Davis Spar Fly
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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Sat May 14, 2016 2:03 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
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Location: Blacklick, Ohio
As promised pictures of the bike rack...

Image
Image

A couple of shots of how the rack base is put together.

Image
Image

And the finished product (minus a couple more bike racks)

Image

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2016 6:34 am 
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:17 pm
Posts: 426
Location: Austin Texas
Nice work Tom, I have a Thule box overhead on my trailer and love it. It makes putting needed things in the boat easy although it increases the weight pulling it off of the trailer.

Have you had good luck with the 8" tires and do you drive them any significant distance ? I changed to 12" tires early on my trailer in the desire for the tires to run cooler if I wanted to run to the coast or farther. Now I find myself looking at anything that could lower the trailer and make it easier to load/unload the boat including going back to 8" tires and perhaps converting to a torsion axle to lower the suspension. My trailer isn't that high to begin with but that awkward sideways lift at the stern of the boat has me thinking about those modifications and how much cheaper they would be than future back surgery.
Thanks
Chris


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2016 6:45 am 
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Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 7:18 am
Posts: 85
Location: Sydney, Australia
I'd be interested to see a photo of your setup Chris, I am contemplating putting a luggage box on top of my trailer somehow too!


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2016 6:54 am 
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:17 pm
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Location: Austin Texas
Dammit, if you search my posts there are many pictures of my trailer but if you can't find them let me know I'll re post in a new thread.

Chris


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2016 8:44 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
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Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Buckaroo wrote:
Nice work Tom, I have a Thule box overhead on my trailer and love it. It makes putting needed things in the boat easy although it increases the weight pulling it off of the trailer.

Have you had good luck with the 8" tires and do you drive them any significant distance ? I changed to 12" tires early on my trailer in the desire for the tires to run cooler if I wanted to run to the coast or farther. Now I find myself looking at anything that could lower the trailer and make it easier to load/unload the boat including going back to 8" tires and perhaps converting to a torsion axle to lower the suspension. My trailer isn't that high to begin with but that awkward sideways lift at the stern of the boat has me thinking about those modifications and how much cheaper they would be than future back surgery.
Thanks
Chris


I haven't had any issues with my 8" tires. I towed it all the way to Ohio and back last summer (around 1,600 miles round trip) with no problems. I keep them at about 60psi. We are planning a trip this summer that will take us all the way up to Lake Superior, back down to the lower peninsula of Michigan, down to Ohio and back to Nebraska (approximately 2,300 miles), so that should be a really good test of 8" tires. :D

I was finally able to test the trailer out this weekend. Short trip to a lake about 10 miles away. Our local Hobie dealer was doing a demo day so I figured I would go show off. I had a pretty good audience at the ramp.

I had a few bolts slip, so I will need to figure those out. I did not have the bikes on the rack, it jiggled a little bit, but not bad. I think I'm going to add some cross bracing on the sides of the bike rack base to stiffen it up. All in all nothing fell off so I would call it a success! :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2016 11:24 am 
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Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:29 am
Posts: 33
Chris,

If you have a Trailex, you can lower the boat 7" by going back to 8" tires and moving the wheelbase frame above the tongue. I found this very helpful in loading & unloading the my TI.

I found the proper air pressure for the 8" tires to be a source of great controversy. Some say 50 to 60 PSI is correct, while others insist that 25 PSI is better with the light loading. If anybody knows the definite answer, please let me know. I run at 50 PSI, but there does seem to be a lot of bounce.

Gary

2014 TI
1984 Hobie Hawk RC Glider


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2016 12:29 pm 
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:17 pm
Posts: 426
Location: Austin Texas
Thanks Tom, I still have the old 8" tires I can try to see if it seems to make much difference in loading/unloading. It would certainly make it easier to install fenders on my trailer. I need to weigh the loaded trailer to be sure I get the correct load range before going back to 8" though. My trailer is fairly heavy.
The torsion axle in combination would be awesome with the 8" tires. I think I estimated 4-5" height reduction with the axle change alone.

Gary there was a thread about inflation pressure last year either for the Trailex or the hobie branded trailer. Matt Miller contacted the manufacturer and was told that the conventional wisdom of using the sidewall label for trailer tires did not apply but was rather a significantly lower pressure for that particular trailer. I think if you search around you will find that thread. My trailer is custom built so it doesn't matter to me, but if I had a Trailex I would probably dig deeper on this issue to be sure the trailer manufacturer knew what they were talking about.

thanks

Chris


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:27 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
Posts: 927
Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Just a quick update...we towed the trailer over 2000 miles in the last 2 weeks. Everything performed flawlessly! We disassembled and reassembled the trailer several times with no issues. It's nice to be able to take the bike rack and sail holder off once at your destination. Here is a picture of everything loaded up.
Image

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"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
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  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:21 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 11, 2011 5:41 pm
Posts: 43
Location: Austin, TX
Buckaroo,

I run the original 8-inch tires and have had no problems in the three years since I have owned the trailer. I use an infrared thermometer to check the temperature of the hubs. I check once after about 15 or 20 minutes of driving when I get out to make sure everything is still tied down, and again every time I stop. It makes it from Austin down to the coast just fine, and hasn't given me any trouble on the sand at PINS either. About a year ago I lowered the trailer further by placing the wheelbase frame above the tongue beam. So far it is working out great, although I get just a little scraping when I come off of steep driveways such as the one I live on. I keep to the speed limit which is 70-75 mph, but I don't get on the tollway and take it up to 80+.

I run at the Trailex recommended pressure. If you keep your trailer weight under the rated limit, this should be just fine. There is no sag in the tires, the hubs don't get hot, the tires don't get hot, and the trailer doesn't bounce.

Cheers!

-C

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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 2016 6:31 pm 
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:17 pm
Posts: 426
Location: Austin Texas
Thanks Chris, I may switch to 8" tires at some point. A whopping 2" gain from my 12" tires, but I'm toying with switching to a torsion axle which would lower the trailer a lot more. My trailer isn't that high to begin with but I'm thinking ahead as I get older about being able to get the boat back on the trailer from a scupper cart on dry ground.

Chris


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 8:08 am 
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Joined: Sat May 09, 2015 8:53 am
Posts: 717
Location: Paoli Pennsylvania - East Coast USA
TI_Tom wrote:
Just a quick update...we towed the trailer over 2000 miles ....

Had the boat been on the bunks all winter?

If so, do you plan to check for deformation by the bunks ?

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2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 12:30 pm 
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Location: Blacklick, Ohio
PeteCress wrote:
TI_Tom wrote:
Just a quick update...we towed the trailer over 2000 miles ....

Had the boat been on the bunks all winter?

If so, do you plan to check for deformation by the bunks ?

The Hobie cradles caused huge deformations while it was stored over the first winter. The bunks were a huge improvement and there are no noticeable deformations so far.

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_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 7:58 am 
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Joined: Sat May 09, 2015 8:53 am
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Location: Paoli Pennsylvania - East Coast USA
TI_Tom wrote:
The Hobie cradles caused huge deformations while it was stored over the first winter.

On one hand, Hobie maintains that the cradles do not cause deformation and that bunks may.

On the other hand:



This continues to puzzle me, but now that I have have some numbers, maybe the coming second season on the cradles will shed some light.

Has anybody else measured their deformation?

2015 AI-2.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]


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