Trailer Bunk Boards

[fyrhog]

I will be replacing my trailer bunk boards which are 2x4 size and kinda whimpy,,,,can I replace them with 2x6 runner boards??
Thanks,Ron

[chrisschweda]

Sure you can

[Franciz]

Once you put the new boards down are you going to put one layer of carpet down? Or something under the carpet?

[fyrhog]

Yes I will put an extra layer of carpet before I final rap and staple the carpet,,,got lots of carpet (Marine). Also will use pressure treated 2x6. Tighten carriage bolts so the heads are slightly sunk into the wood. Was also thinking about using elastic stop nuts which keep the nuts from coming lose. Any ideas or pointers are welcome. OH,,I will also do the side boards for the wheel wells to. The front rubber roller seems to small because the bottom never sits on it,,so Im looking at a bigger roller,,could be Im not getting the boat far enough forward on the trailer.
Thanks,Ron

[nukemustang]

Yes I will put an extra layer of carpet before I final rap and staple the carpet,,,got lots of carpet (Marine). Also will use pressure treated 2x6. Tighten carriage bolts so the heads are slightly sunk into the wood. Was also thinking about using elastic stop nuts which keep the nuts from coming lose. Any ideas or pointers are welcome. OH,,I will also do the side boards for the wheel wells to. The front rubber roller seems to small because the bottom never sits on it,,so Im looking at a bigger roller,,could be Im not getting the boat far enough forward on the trailer.
Thanks,Ron

The front roller on the trailer? Are you sure that one is there just to keep the keel from hitting the crossmember or axels? I know there are hundreds of trailer set ups, it seems most designs have the boat sitting on the bunks or the keel resting on a 'V' block.

Oh and get the staples that are made of Monel. They will not rust out

[fyrhog]

That roller could be for the front not to hit the trailer frame and not carry weight,,maybe it functional when loading. I don't rachet the bow down very tightly because of my short travel distance to the ramp,,I will investigate more with it, And YES RUST PROOF STAPLES. FYI: its does have the V carpet boards for the nose,,,thanks muchly for your input and help.
Ron

[Dandy21]

One thing to consider with the nuts/bolts. If you use carriage bolt in the bunks with Ny-Loc (elastic) nuts you will have nothing to hold the carriage bolts from spinning. Ny-Loc nuts take a lot more torque to turn on. I have found that carriage bolts do not work well unless used with a square hole for them to mate to.

[fyrhog]

Very good point. I think with pressure treated boards the wood is harder and creates more resistance to keep the bolt head from spinning. One thing I do at times when the boat is off the trailer is a quick inspection of the bunker bolts. Could just use lock washers with Red lock tight and when I see a lose one just snugger up.

[jonsquatch]

Another trick if your using regular nuts is to put a dollop of silicone on the threads and nut after they are snug. It works pretty good to keep the nut from backing off and is easy to remove. Also if you have carriage bolts that are just a little longer than you really need you can run the nut on finger tight then put 2 jam nuts on just the end of the bolt and tighten one against the other and then you can put a wrench on the inner jam nut to keep the bolt from spinning while you tighten the nut.

[fyrhog]

Yes very good points made,,, thank you. The jam nut is a good idea.

[gome123]

I used carriage bolts. I made the thru-hole a bit smaller than the actual bolt so as I tightened it down it wouldn't moved. Also, made a counter sink just enough to put the top flush. Worked great. I used 2 regular nuts to lock them together. No issues coming loose. Good luck. All ideas above are good.

[fyrhog]

Thank You for all the great in-put and ideas on this subject,,,,Merry Christmas to ALL.Ron

[ccole4]

I recently replaced my bunks on my Ramlin trailer with roller bunks. I can now load the boat with about 2 foot of roller bunk in the water and the throttle barely off idle.

[ScooterMcgavin]

I need to replace my bunker wood too, I noticed the wood is cut at an angle( beveled ) on the inside. Any pointers on cutting the wood? Is it better to use 2x6? Or go with 2x4 again?
Thanks

[fyrhog]

I will be doing mine in spring and going with 2x6 because those 2x4s are really not a good bed for a heavy boat. Look at some of the posts here good info. Always here to help ya.
Ron