Getting Trailer Down Steep Driveway and a few other questions

[KitsapLakeLSV]

Hi All,

I recently joined the group because we just got our first boat (08 LSV 23).  I have a few questions about the boat setup and getting it down my driveway.  Our driveway is steep and would love to keep the boat next to the house when not at the dock.  What are people doing to get their boats down steep driveways without bottoming out the back by the prop protector when reaching the flat section near a garage or house?  My trailer is an Extreme.  It has torsion axels welded to the frame so a simple lift kit will not work.  Do you just put rollers on the back and that is enough to support the weight (seems sketchy)?  Maybe something simple I am missing...

My next question is, why is there not a bilge pump in the center of the boat?  Right in front of the fuel tank seems to be the lowest point of the boat while not moving and only seems logical to have a bilge pump there.  Has anyone plumbed in a second pump?  Is the stock pump hardwired to the batteries or does the batt switch need to be aligned to one of the batteries for the auto pump to work?

I have concerns about the bilge pump because I think my shaft packing nut leaks too much.  From the research I have done the packing should leak one drop every 10 seconds?  Is that right?  Mine is more then that but would like to know what to shoot for.

Does a stock heater come with an isolation valve?  The heater blows air but it is not warm?  I wait for the engine to heat up and still nothing.  I think I traced the water line to the engine (aft, port, top) and do not see a valve.  Are there other trouble shooting options?

Any help would be appreciated.  My family is supper excited about our new (to us) boat and hope to get a few more runs in before the weather turns too bad.

Thanks, Zach 

 

[Stevo]

2 minutes ago, KitsapLakeLSV said:

Hi All,

I recently joined the group because we just got our first boat (08 LSV 23).  I have a few questions about the boat setup and getting it down my driveway.  Our driveway is steep and would love to keep the boat next to the house when not at the dock.  What are people doing to get their boats down steep driveways without bottoming out the back by the prop protector when reaching the flat section near a garage or house?  My trailer is an Extreme.  It has torsion axels welded to the frame so a simple lift kit will not work.  Do you just put rollers on the back and that is enough to support the weight (seems sketchy)?  Maybe something simple I am missing...

My next question is, why is there not a bilge pump in the center of the boat?  Right in front of the fuel tank seems to be the lowest point of the boat while not moving and only seems logical to have a bilge pump there.  Has anyone plumbed in a second pump?  Is the stock pump hardwired to the batteries or does the batt switch need to be aligned to one of the batteries for the auto pump to work?

I have concerns about the bilge pump because I think my shaft packing nut leaks too much.  From the research I have done the packing should leak one drop every 10 seconds?  Is that right?  Mine is more then that but would like to know what to shoot for.

Does a stock heater come with an isolation valve?  The heater blows air but it is not warm?  I wait for the engine to heat up and still nothing.  I think I traced the water line to the engine (aft, port, top) and do not see a valve.  Are there other trouble shooting options?

Any help would be appreciated.  My family is supper excited about our new (to us) boat and hope to get a few more runs in before the weather turns too bad.

Thanks, Zach 

 

Steel wheel rollers will help, pics of the driveway will too, jump the curb on one side if you can . Or I've used scrap 2x12 boards up at our cabin (just a small drainage gully at the bottom of the driveway tho)

bilge pumps are generally only in the back by the transom in my experience (3 Malibu's 01',14',17' ) you can put one in the center but I probably wouldn't bother unless it's in the water 247.

yes hard wired to batteries.

Shaft packing even with a slow dribble is fine imho, as long as it's not streaming 

cant help on heater, never had one

 

[MadMan]

If you have room, you could try taller tires.  On some torsion axles, the height is adjustable (angle of arm).

I believe they put the bilge pump in the rear because that is the lowest point when in the water, the center is the lowest when on the trailer.

[Ndawg12]

If you don't have heat and don't see water leaking somewhere then the core is probably bypassed somewhere.  Follow both connections from the block and the raw water intake up to the 2 ports on the heater/core.  

9-10 years old, just go ahead and change your shaft packing, it's a great piece of mind, helps you familiarize yourself with your new toy, you'll learn some new curse words but totally doable by most and instructions are available on this site by searching.

I moved my bilge to the middle, not sure what's best but I like to be able to easily see, hear and inspect the pump.  The biggest thing to me is shortening the run of discharge hose.  When the pump shuts off the whole hose drains back.  My boat, for some reason, had like 20' of hose so when the pump shut off 1/2 gallon or so would drain back in, bugged the crap out of me.  Even if you have a battery switch, the bilge pump should be wired directly to a battery so that it kicks on even with the switch off.  

Assuming the breaker is big enough, I've always pondered the idea of 2 separate bilge pumps as well.  Just wire them together, I don't think it's really not a problem if one runs dry for a minute or so while the other is pumping.  I'd just be sure to plumb them to separate ports.  I like the idea of 1000gph opposed to 500 if we were to take on some big rollers or had a major leak.  

 

 

[asnowman]

Welcome and congrats on the new boat!

For the heater, they are all pretty worthless at idle, check it when boat is moving above idle, if no heat then, like @Ndawg12 says, it's probably been bypassed. If you want heat at idle, you can put a y fitting in the raw water line to better pull heat into the heater, it helps, but isn't like a car.  There are a number of threads in the archives on how to do this.

As for the trailer and driveway, without pics its hard to say, those rollers help, but i dont like the idea of the trailer resting on those either.  See if you can post up pics of the trailer at the point of concern. Loads of great experience solving problems from the crowd here.

 

[hethj7]

@Stevo Doesn't your '17 have two bilge pumps?  My '16 does (23LSV).  

 

To the OP, I personally wouldn't add or move your pump.  I doubt it is worth the trouble.  Get your packing up to par and call it good.  As I read on here once "it's on inboard, the bilge is supposed to be wet".  While that is a bit of an exaggeration, some water isn't going to hurt anything.  

[Steve B.]

Wont be much help here but welcome !  Post pics of that bad boy. You kinda need a 3rd party pic program to link to here. "Flickr", etc. 

Anyway, I have heard of folks using two pumps. As said above, find the lowest point in the water and have a pump there. If the boat is left in the water, I'd connect it directly to a battery. Most pumps have an outboard float that activates the pump. You can just lift it up and listen for the pump and determine if it is wired direct.

Sounds like your shaft packing needs adjusted to lessen the dripping. Its' minute adjustments. You can use the search above to find out how to.

Enjoy !

Steve B.

[KeepingupwiththeJones]

My 15 vlx has two bilge pumps so I would imagine everything that came after would as well.

[KitsapLakeLSV]

All, thanks for the info.  The boat sits at our dock so my plan this winter is to install a second pump and use check valves and the outlet of the center ballast for the overboard. 

Any ideas for the trailer?  I need a taller one or a crane.  Sorry, no pictures of  the hill but it is a normal hill with a flat area at the bottom where our house and garage is.  The trailer does not even get close to making it to the bottom.   Maybe I can take one tomorrow if it stops raining.

Here are some pictures of  our new boat.  We are calling her Rosita.

IMG_2052 by Zach malhiot, on Flickr

FullSizeRender by Zach malhiot, on Flickr

IMG_2053 by Zach malhiot, on Flickr

Edited September 21, 2017 by KitsapLakeLSV

[BearCreekBum]

Do you have any room to increase the drop on your trailer hitch. Before we reworked our driveway I had the hitch as low as possible and then used a floor jack to get the trailer off the truck. 

Good luck. 

[Stevo]

10 hours ago, hethj7 said:

@Stevo Doesn't your '17 have two bilge pumps?  My '16 does (23LSV).  

 

To the OP, I personally wouldn't add or move your pump.  I doubt it is worth the trouble.  Get your packing up to par and call it good.  As I read on here once "it's on inboard, the bilge is supposed to be wet".  While that is a bit of an exaggeration, some water isn't going to hurt anything.  

It just might ,lol I've only noticed the one by the transom when I changed the oil, I'll take a peak up front

[hethj7]

Look on your screen for controls too - you will see two "switches" for the two pumps. 

[MadMan]

Another option on the trailer is modifying the prop guard.  On a previous boat, there was 2-3" clearance between the prop/rudder and the guard.  I moved the prop guard up for road clearance.

[shadetreefab]

With the extreme w/ torsion axle you can lift it by rotating the swing arm on the spline shaft, I use a real low drop hitch to get mine in and out of my driveway to

[williemon]

How about fabbing up removeable rubber/air tires and wheels on the propguard? I say rubber so that steel wheels wont scar up the driveway. Or place long wide boards on the driveway for the trailer tires to ride up on when the trailer is in danger of botteming? Need pics but is the house and pad low and you have to drive out going up hill and backup downhill? 

[racer808]

I drag my prop guard over everything & it squeals like a pig.  Can't life the trailer cause then it won't clear my garage & the prop isn't wrecked so I just run what I brung.

[oldjeep]

 

 

1 hour ago, racer808 said:

I drag my prop guard over everything & it squeals like a pig.  Can't life the trailer cause then it won't clear my garage & the prop isn't wrecked so I just run what I brung.

Does your trailer have rollers on the bottom of the prop guard? (My boatmate does)  If so then I'd try to just replace the existing steel rollers with some HDPE plastic rollers.

[oldjeep]

If no rollers then it would be pretty simple to add something like this - assuming you can weld.  I'd never pay $150 for those $25 worth of parts, but it gives you the general idea.

https://www.bakesonline.com/trailer-prop-gaurd-roller-kit.html

[racer808]

8 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

 

Does your trailer have rollers on the bottom of the prop guard? (My boatmate does)  If so then I'd try to just replace the existing steel rollers with some HDPE plastic rollers.

It does have rollers.  You'd think HDPE would get shredded?

[oldjeep]

8 minutes ago, racer808 said:

It does have rollers.  You'd think HDPE would get shredded?

Don't know.  but it might be worth trying to find out.  We use that stuff for skid plates on jeeps, it is pretty tough.

[oldjeep]

9 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

Don't know.  but it might be worth trying to find out.  We use that stuff for skid plates on jeeps, it is pretty tough.

I don't recall exactly what the diameter is on my "wheels", but this material may work.  Costs 3-$10 a foot for 1" to 2" diameter.  Worst part would be getting it clamped straight in a drill press to bore the bolt hole.

http://www.eplastics.com/Acetal_Delrin_Rod

 

[P6Expert]

I have just posted a few images of my solution to a steep driveway. 

My issue was that the casters on my trailer were welded on the inside of the trailer frame and not directly below the frame.  So, when backing into my driveway, the frame would grind on the concrete before the casters were able to lift the trailer.  Very frustrating to grind the trailer on the concrete.  My (smart) neighbor suggested raising the trailer so that the back of the trailer frame wouldn't grind on the concrete.  In addition to being smart, he had the lumber to loan me to see if it would work.  After a few trial and error attempts, settled on the layouts shown in my photos.  By lifting the trailer axles a few inches, I was able to stop the frame from grinding.  Again, I owe this solution to my neighbor as he was the one to come up with the idea.

Note:  Link below contains folder for "Steep Driveway."

https://app.box.com/s/is1lzh2xokl9wfatzawnjsnwdokvedxi

[minnmarker]

Costs more but no drilling -

http://www.professionalplastics.com/DELRINTUBES

[oldjeep]

21 minutes ago, minnmarker said:

Costs more but no drilling -

http://www.professionalplastics.com/DELRINTUBES

Cool, although given the size of the inner holes you would have to put a sleeve inside it unless your bolts were enormous.

[Sparky450]

21 hours ago, oldjeep said:

I don't recall exactly what the diameter is on my "wheels", but this material may work.  Costs 3-$10 a foot for 1" to 2" diameter.  Worst part would be getting it clamped straight in a drill press to bore the bolt hole.

http://www.eplastics.com/Acetal_Delrin_Rod

 

Find a buddy with a lathe and do the whole thing at once.