Another blown trailer tyre

Oh yeah - my recommendation is to carry too torque wrenches - one to turn it, one to hold the wheel, which may not have enough weight to stop it rotating once flat/blown out.

Sounds like a good way of wrecking the boat to me. The weights that we tow are so low that the suspension units dont really work properly. therefore you need slightly soft tyres to cushion the boat a bit. on 8 inch wheels i run 30 psi, usually slightly less on the 10 inch. I accept this may be why my trailer ate the 8 inch tyres, but there is no way I would run anything like that kind of pressure the trailer would bounce all over the place.

The bottom of the range indespension units are only rated 125kg max... Boat and trailer is going to be well within working range for that. It would be nice though if there were a more sophisticated longer travel alternative readily available for boat trailer suspension.

Edited by JimC - 06 Apr 15 at 1:53pm

Yeah, I've got a veteran trailer with that seTup. Consider tho, retail for a pair of indespensions about 40 qui, and they're dead easy to fit, just bolt on a cross beam. A pair of aftermarket bike shocks are around 80QUID, then you've got to fabricate some sort of swing arm, weld on top and bottom anchors etc. At least a hundred quid on the price of a trailer, maybe 200. Are people going to pay?

I've just (about a year ago) taken over the helm at Vandercraft Trailers (now Admiral)and I think I probably agree with most of the comments.
Wheels/Tyres, yup chinese built to a price. Saying that we have very few problems with them. Even the 4 ply have a load capacity of 550kg (road bases are 500kg generally) BUT it does depend on using the correct inflation pressure. 10in wheels and tyres do give a much better ride and if changing from 8in the mudguard and bracket will need changing. We fit a radial 145R10.
Most combi's now are built with a solid beam axle and I've never come across a situation where the hubs aren't in line. However it is possible and worth checking if the tyres are wearing out quickly. We have had an instant on a pair of independant units where one of the swings arms hadn't been welded on square resulting in one of the hubs having excessive toe in.
Axles. There are axles and there are axles... We use the Alko one which is the funny looking triangular ish tube... Although rated at 500kg, (they tell us!) that because of the shape of the tube and having only 3 bits of rubber in there that they have a soft initial bump. Ideal for lighter boats. That's in comparison with a square tube normally found on independent units and some beam axles. The other thing about axles/independent units is that despite some of them being rated at lower weight limits quite often they are exactly the same as higher rated units. So if a company make a 500kg unit they may also make a 300 or 350kg unit. Often the 300/350 kg unit is exactly the same. ie 500kg... Just badged differently. You have to remember that us dinghy sailing folk are in a minority here looking for lighter suspension to look after our boats whilst most of the trailer using public want suspension that while take as much load as possible.
Lighting boards. Yup cheap and cheerful, although with the advent of type approval most manufacturers are moving to heavy duty boards with one piece combination lights on them. I have no idea why they are twice the price though!!! And you would have thought leds would be cheaper to make that bulbed fittings but again double the price and you'd be somewhere close..!