trailer worth keeping???

[jim39off]

My 97 ramlin trailer as seen better days.... Boat looks new, but trailer well that's another story.....

1. No brakes .... (line broke, brakes rusted open, etc)

2. Carpet bunks the wood is bad and carpet

3. Carpet and wood step plates on the side of the trailer are bad (almost fell though).

4. rust where carpet touches the trailer

5. Needs new tires...

That's what I can see is bad....

Might be easier to get a new trailer than to get this one fixed....

Would you buy a used boat with a trailer like this or would you be more likely to buy if the trailer was fix or a new trailer???

[surroundsound64]

RE: trailer worth keeping???

Without doing the math and all that stuff... I'd say get a new trailer. My question is why did that trailer crap out so quickly?

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: trailer worth keeping???

I had a '94 RamLin that had somewhat similar issues. The wood was rotting, and the brakes were completely shot. The fenders also had a certain amount of rust. I painted the fenders and had the brakes (ENTIRE system) replaced. The brakes cost me over $800, and that was for a single-axle drum setup. Having that repair done was not smart on my part, because I traded the boat and trailer in on my SAN less than one year later.

[Blue Ski]

RE: trailer worth keeping???

I killed a day and 1/2 working on my '97 Ramlin trailer. I replaced all my wood steps around the fender with treated lumber but did not recarpet. I also hit all the rust with a wire brush drill bit and repainted, just the touched up spots. Fortunately the bunks are fine, the brake line and tires were replaced a couple of years ago so this years cost was only about $100. She is not as pretty as she used to be, but my only goal is to get the trailer to last as long as the tires I bought in '02. When they show signs of needing to be replaced I am off to get a new trailer. Despite the touch-ups on the outside you can still see the box frame rusting from the inside out. It is just what box frame trailers do.

[Onthewater]

RE: trailer worth keeping???

ramlin, box frame?

[jhiestand]

I'd buy a boat with the trailer in that condition, but I'd certainly put some effort into making the trailer more road-worthy once I took possession. Sounds like it needs a decent makeover?

I completely re-did my '79 trailer. New wheels/tires, replaced all brake components except the actuator, rewired and replaced lights, replaced bunks and carpet and repainted the whole thing. Took me and a buddy a weekend but it wasn't expensive at all. The most difficult part was getting the boat off and blocking it up in the other 1/2 of the garage!! :shock:

The wood in my '01 RamLin is going barely holding in there, but I haven't taken the time to address it yet.

Depends on the buyer, but I didn't mind working on the trailer if the boat was really want I wanted.

Good luck!!

[Blue Ski]

ramlin, box frame?

Correct, tubular box frame. There are also C Channel and I Beam: http://pages.ebay.com/buy/guides/eba...-buying-guide/

[Onthewater]

ramlin, box frame?

Correct, tubular box frame. There are also C Channel and I Beam: http://pages.ebay.com/buy/guides/eba...-buying-guide/

I know, I just have never seen a box frame ramlin.

[BigBald]

dumb question....how do you get the boat off the trailer to do the work?

[Blue Ski]

Don't tie it down and drive up a mountain. OK, smart arse remark to what is actually a good question.

[surroundsound64]

Put it in the water while you do the work... or a lift. Or someone else's trailer. hehe. That'd be my guess.

[jhiestand]

There was a thread on getting the boat & storing it off trailer a while back.

http://www.planetnautique.com/index....ewtopic&t=4650