just replaced the axles on my 2008 boatmate trailer

[TRO]

Just spent the weekend replacing both axles on my 2008 Boatmate trailer. Took right at 10 hours total to remove the old fenders and axles and install the new axles and fenders. Didn't even have to take the boat off the trailer. It took quite a few tools, but the trailer rides like a CHAMP now! Just thought I'd share.

[DJH]

What was the issue? 4-5 years seems likes a pretty short life for the originals.

[TRO]

the torsion axle failed on the rear axle and then subsequently caused the torsion axle on the front one to fail. the fenders were sitting on the tires and there was no suspension essentially. Boatmate / axle company did cover the price of the new axles under warranty, but I didn't want to pay $1K to have them put on.

[Miljack]

TRO, do you mind sharing the build date of your trailer? I have the same setup, just wanted to pay attention. Also, have noticed some play in your swing away tongue? I mean vertically when it's in the towing position.

Also, the torsion axles supplied to Boatmate are probably the same as used by Ramlin, not that many suppliers of these AFAIK...

[TRO]

Miljack- I'm not sure what the build date for the trailer was. I was actually the 2nd owner and bought it in June of 2009. I have the paperwork if that is listed somewhere - I can look it up if you know where it would show up.

I haven't noticed any sway in the tongue vertically, but I can tell you from replacing the axles and jacking the trailer up on all sides at different times that there is not very much tongue weight on my trailer and it seems as if the axles should probably have been positioned about a foot farther back than they were. When I had it on 1 axle and jacks, the tongue would pretty much come off the ground - with all the weight being in the back. I think that might have something to do with why the back axle failed so quickly - as it has more of a load on it than if the load was spread to both axles evenly. I know the back of the boat weighs a lot more, but the trailer has very little tongue at all.

I talked with the axle manufacturer during he warranty process - I don't recall the name of the company, but I believe it was in North Carolina somewhere.

[Miljack]

Interesting observation on the axle location of the Boatmates. I have noticed too that the Ramlin trailers seem to have the axles further back, especially noticeable to me on the 210's. I think the Boatmates pull and ride better than the Ramlins. My comparison is between a 210 on a Ramlin and our 230 on a Boatmate.

Just for comparisons sake, I had a Ramlin single axle trailer on which the axle failed at the weld for the leaf spring mounting pad. When I say failed, I mean it broke cleanly at the weld and the trailer sat on the fender! It was lucky that I was only going about 20 mph at the time...

[ski4evr]

Mine is a prestige trailer with torsion axles. I had the same issue with not enough tongue weight. I moved the bow stop forware 1 inch and gained about 200 lbs of tongue weight shift. Not sure it yours if movable, but it sure rides alot less bouncy and is now level when hooked up to truck.

[xrichard]

Who made the failed axles on your Boatmate? UFP had an issue in early 2000s with torsion axles failing...I know because I had a 2002 X-Star with failed axles in 2003 and it turns out it was a fairly common issue. UFP paid for a flatbed to pick up the boat/trailer and to replace both axles. The boat/trailer was only a little over a year old, but I was the second owner. FWIW, any time I've had a problem with UFP components, they've provided great customer service....even when the problem has been my fault.

[TRO]

I don't recall the name of the axle manufacturer, but they are in North Carolina. Their customer service was A++++, they had a new set of axles ready to be shipped to me within 1-2 days from when I talked to them.

[CradGen2]

Don't get me started

I HAD an 2008 Boatmate trailer.

Boatmate uses UFP, Ramlin uses someone better. BM uses 3500# rated axles. Ramlin 4500# axles.

Word of caution to all you G23 buyers. If I was getting a G23 with a BM is would have 4 axles.

I will say this about BM, they have excellent customer service and took care of my issues.

[Miljack]

Crad, please go ahead and let us know what you dealt with on your BM, would help me to try some PM to avoid a problem down the road...Trailers are almost ALWAYS love hate, no matter the brand.
As for 3500# axles vs. 4500 on the Ramlins, not sure heavier rated axles are "better," IMHO, on a 210. Let's call weight on the 210 ~ 4000#, 1500 for the trailer, so 5500 pounds against a 7000# rating for the axles (some of that weight goes away because of sprung weight, but we won't get into that here), so under 80% of load capacity of the axles.
Ramlin's use of 4500# axles relates to about 61% of rating, load will ride rougher, which relates to my experience in pulling both brand of trailers.
UFP makes some good stuff, other not so good, not sure who Ramlin uses for their components. My opinion is the Boatmate bunk system/frame is better than the Ramlin's, hubs, etc. is a crap shoot as both are buying in those components.

Comments please!

[LKN210]

OVerall, I'm not impressed at the Boatmate customer service/warranty process, although I can't complain about the product that they directly build. My gripe is that they claim a 5 year warranty, but it starts at the "born on date" of the trailer, not when you buy it new from the dealership. Compare that to cars and it'd be like buying a brand-new 2011 car in 2013 and the 3 year warranty being 2/3 GONE. Makes me think that if I purchased another new boat with a Boatmate trailer that I would either have the dealer come off the price if the trailer is a year+ old or have them order me a new trailer, crazy I think. Additionally the source of my problem with my trailer was my brakes, all 4 calipers "magically" seized at the same time. As stated above post, the trailer manufacturer mearly "buys" these brake parts. They are are NOT included in the 5 year warranty from BM which covers only the actual "structure" of the trailer, but are limited to a 1 or 2 yr warranty by THEIR manufacturer. Again, compare this to a car, it'd be like Toyota sending you to the vendor who made their powerseats when your seat quit working. Generally speaking, I don't like this style of warranty. A huge thanks goes out to my Nautique dealer for getting the brakes and the actuator covered under warranty by their respective manufacturers. NO props to Boatmate. They have one individual who is too busy to even speak on the phone to you and, from my experience, don't really seem to concerned about their product once they get it out the door.

And just to get in front of "those" people, my trailer was serviced regularly and fluids kept at the proper levels. Probably the only thing that kept the hubs from having an issue with the immense heat the partially-seized calipers were subjecting the running gear to.

[Luke 'Lukey' Thomas]

I just had the 2 torsion axles fail on my 07 Ramlin tandem axle trailer for my 220. Replaced with leaf springs and solid axles. Overall cost about $7000 NZD incl getting the flatbed to pick the trailer up and take to a workshop.
Not impressed!!!

[NCH2oSki]

I had a torsion axle fail on my Prestage trailer (wishbone style trailer). It was a single axle with my 99' ski on it, not even close to capacity. It failed while sitting over the winter in my garage.

Prestage sent me a new replacement axle at no charge even though it was well out of warranty and I was the second owner. Parts fail, I'm all about customer service.

[Luke 'Lukey' Thomas]

Good point, well made. Just emailed Ramlin to let them know of the issue. They can't help if they don't know!