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Trailer prop guard


BillM22

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I am building a prop guard for an aftermarket trailer.

1. How much ground clearance do I need?

2. What is the min recommend clearance from the prop? 

I know these numbers could vary but 1. I don't want to be dragging the road every time I pull in a parking lot 2. the higher off the road, the closer to the prop 3. I don't see any way the prop could ever hit the guard even on a ramp with a low angle. 

2001 Lx with Hi Tech trailer 

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21 minutes ago, wkendwarrior said:

I  I don't see any way the prop could ever hit the guard even on a ramp with a low angle. 

This is correct, with a previous boat I raised the prop guard for ground clearance.  I ended up about .5" prop clearance.

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I'd have to measure my trailer, but the main thing is to have some rollers under the guard, and make sure that the guard will protect in the event it has to ride up a cement ramp block.

Assuming your bunks are secure and can't flex at the transom then there shouldn't be a need for a lot of clearance between prop and guard. (assuming the guard itself is built so it can't flex/bend)

Edited by oldjeep
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16 minutes ago, wkendwarrior said:

Maybe just put it 2" under the prop for max road clearance?

Mine was about 2" prop clearance.  It caused problems in my driveway.  Also, with the .5" clearance, I probably unloaded/loaded the boat >150 times.  It was an older Sunsetter.  The beam was narrow enough that it would fit between the fenders on the trailer.  Because of this, the boat sat lower on the trailer,  causing the prop guard to be lower.

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Well if a factory trailer only has 6" (w/ rollers). Then I hope I will not have to raise my bunks up to get more clearance for the guard to fit.

My bunks are adjustable but they will not flex. They are 4" x 8" solid hardwood maybe oak. I am using 2 x 3 SST box tubing for the guard (I think 1/8"). That should be strong enough to never bend. 

image.jpeg

Edited by wkendwarrior
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I plan to do a total reconstruction and move the boat and bunks forward on the trailer. It sucks but I'm not ready to buy a new trailer. 

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ahopkins22LSV

How much do you think you will have into it after you are done? Between your time and money? A new trailer for a response is not that much. And it will be a much better solution, IMO, then trying to make that trailer work. 

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4 hours ago, ahopkinsTXi said:

A new trailer for a response is not that much. 

When is $3k to 5k not that much?

And I have looked many times all over the internet for a used trailer. There is almost zip out there. 

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The other thing you will need are the guide poles on the back of the trailer.  The make sure the prop doesn't hit the prop guard when loading or unloading because the boat drifted sideways.  Outboard or I/O trailers don't generally have the because it's not an issue.

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ahopkins22LSV
3 hours ago, wkendwarrior said:

When is $3k to 5k not that much?

And I have looked many times all over the internet for a used trailer. There is almost zip out there. 

I guess that depends on opinion, but if you trailer a lot or even a moderate amount I would have no problem paying the money to know that my boat is sitting on a trailer designed and built to hold it. 

To each his own though, good luck with your project.

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On ‎2‎/‎27‎/‎2016 at 6:03 PM, MadMan said:

The other thing you will need are the guide poles on the back of the trailer. 

they are there you just can't see them in the pic.

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On ‎2‎/‎28‎/‎2016 at 11:01 PM, oldjeep said:

wearing a respirator when welding the frame extensions.

Oldjeep and ahopkinsTXi, I think you guys got the wrong idea on how I plan to re-configure this trailer. I do not plan to take a portaband and grinder to my trailer and cut it to pieces then weld in back together. Someone who would do that has more time than good sense and WAY more time for a project than I have. I am not going to weld any frame extensions on.   

 

Everything on this trailer is bolted together. It is all aluminum except the axel and the tongue. Drilling new holes in the frame and moving the supports is an easy job. I have an extra 2 - 2.5 ft at the tongue. The plan is to; 1. remove the last cross support, the one with the brake light 2. install that support just behind the axel, about 2-3 ft. forward from where it was 3. install a SST cross support that is lower and will give enough space for the prop 4. move the winch post forward 2 ft, no welding required 5. reset the front bunks, no welding required 6. reset the back bunks, no welding required.   

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Aren't you also going to have to move the axle since moving the boat forward a couple feet is going to drastically change the tongue weight?  It'll be interesting to see what you come up with.  Personally you couldn't pay me to run a trailer that was bolted together rather than fully boxed and welded.

 

Also realize that just sticking a bar from frame rail to frame rail under the prop isn't enough to protect it (bar should be under rudder) - you need to have a bar or bars from the prop guard bar to the next crossmember so that it can slide on a ramp block rather than hanging up on the prop shaft, prop or cross member.

 

The pictures here are a good example - just small

http://www.onlyinboards.com/2012-boatmate-axis-a20-trailer-brand-new-for-sale-lanesville-indiana-43129.aspx

Edited by oldjeep
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I do plan to put support bars running lengthwise, I just forgot to put that in my last post. That is the reason I am going to re-install the old crossmember.

Thanks for the pic. You can say you would never pull a trailer that is bolted together but Hi-Tech makes trailers for cigarette boats and I don't think they want one of those trailers falling apart on the road. I don't think there is any issue of strength.

Edited by wkendwarrior
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