How to tell when you need to replace the Mac Trailer!!

[iredrider1177]

these trailers are low quality at best. mine happens to be in perfect condition right now, but i dont trust it from experience with trailors in general. if i decide to keep my mac for a long time i will definetly invest in a new trailor. i will have to.

[Divecoz]

Its just the nature of the beast.....

Like any job, of any size you do around the house, adding a dime can end up being a dollar..

We Renovated ( Not Restored) our 3 story 1870 Victorian. I was constantly asking the wife . Where do we stop? $$$ I needed about 3000 feet of base board and door and window trim and lots of doors and shelving etc etc etc . She was looking at base board and really liked the one that was only $1.09.... a foot more, than what I had selected. But then, that really needs to be compliment by upgraded Door and Window Casing and Nicer $$$ Bannister's would look great too and we ONLY needed 13 interior doors and these.... over here , for only $100 a piece more, look twice as good as those , that you picked out.. ( mine unfinished and un-hung were $100 each)We replaced a few windows and a couple had been done by others over the years, so that left only 38..... MORE windows to be replaced.....or get storm windows, for 40 of the 42... Where do you stop? $$$

Depending on when and from whom you bought your Mac, you may well have paid NEW...between $16,000.00 and $20,000.00 PLUS a Motor! Plus a lot of other stuff as time went on..
I have now , about... $30K invested in my boat. The Cost of a 19 to 21 foot Center Console. Its been said, by someone about every system on this boat.. If Roger had only spent a few dollars more... If the cost of the boat and trailer had been only say $3000 more. I wonder how many would not have bought?
One thing I ....dont see here, on this board ? I dont see too many/ any... Captains of Industry. I dont see anyone who could justify a $200,000 to $2,000,000 Sail Boat.. What I do see, is a lot of Working Class Families with Working Class Pocketbooks...$$ Roger saw them too, Years Ago.

I have had 3 ISSUES with my boat in 6 years.. One remains to be addressed.
1. The black area around the windows...It never looks good for longer than a couple of months a year . That will be Changed once.... we move .
My brother and I will Paint that area.. End of problem...$100
2. One Trailer bunk went bad . I replaced them All.. I replaced everyone of them with Treated 2X4 's. I now wish I had thought to use 2X6's on the main bunks. One of my buddies came by as I was gluing and pneumatic stapling the Exterior Grade Carpet to the bunks. He said... You'll never get that off to replace it ( carpet) I told him... I didn't care and didn't plan to. That I would when in time, when I needed too, I would again replace them all again.
Less than $100
Its Indian Summer in Northern IL. So yesterday I looked closely at my trailer and drilled a weep hole in the tongue back.. where it connects to the frame. My Trailer sits 99% of the time with the tongue elevated and that weep hole should .. eliminate the issue.. I found No Water BTW. To get water into that hole you fellows are really submerging that trailer...

[wallville]

It's time to get a new trailer when driving down I-95, the wheels on the trailer are going faster down the road than you are.

[KayakDan]

I can vouch for the condition of Paul's old trailer...or what was left of it!
I just figured it would fold up and die right on the ramp one day.....

All the work needed on the" new" trailer -in spite of the fact that I was constantly chasing the rust,and repainting all the time. It's a wonder these trailers last more than a couple of years!!

I gotta say I haven't missed my old trailer. That shiny new galv tandem axle Sea Lion looks good holding "Spice"

[Divecoz]

I understand the Salt Water guys, having issues with rust.. But Not The Fresh Water guys.....

All I see on mine, is surface rust.. on scratches... But it is a cheap/ Frugal Built... trailer.
About the New Aluminum trailers from MacGregor? Good.... Bad Or Otherwise? Are Those Too " Home Made" ....

[Paul S]

I understand the Salt Water guys, having issues with rust.. But Not The Fresh Water guys.....

All I see on mine, is surface rust.. on scratches... But it is a cheap/ Frugal Built... trailer.
About the New Aluminum trailers from MacGregor? Good.... Bad Or Otherwise? Are Those Too " Home Made" ....

Have seen a few negative posts about the aluminum trailer. But it still has the painted steel tounge! They (factory) couldn't opt to drop another few bucks and put on a galvanized tounge?

I feel a bit better after some of my mods to the factory trailer - rebuilt the bunks and attached them with grade 8 hardware (stainless is just not strong enough),raised the bunks a hair using fender washers under the bunks, elongated the brake line hole, painted as much of the inside of the tounge with POR15 as I could, new stainless brake line, new coupler. Just have to R+R the steel goal posts at some point, but it is not at the critical stage yet.

Still if you have fresh water sitting in the tounge that can't drain, I would guess it would rust as well.. maybe not as fast, but that water must drain, it will destroy the brake line and weaken the tounge.

I was gung ho on buying a macfactory aluminum trailer..but I think buying a more robust aftermarket one would be a better choice. I don't think the aftermarket ones travel as low as the macfactory ones (need a bit more water to launch), but they are more robust for sure!

[Catigale]

How about pouring 2 gallons of PCB transformer oil into the tongue...we can get that stuff for free around our schoolyards - just dig a hole and pull up a buried drum....

[Newell]

I have a 96X trailer, rusty but with many improvements. I will replace the tongue and paint it, plus deliver up to 300 miles. Has spare mounted, 15 tires, full boat PVC guide-ons, relocated winch and good brakes. I replaced it with another steel trailer capable of carrying a Smart Car and the X.

Name your price.

[Divecoz]

I have a 96X trailer, rusty but with many improvements. I will replace the tongue and paint it, plus deliver up to 300 miles. Has spare mounted, 15 tires, full boat PVC guide-ons, relocated winch and good brakes. I replaced it with another steel trailer capable of carrying a Smart Car and the X.

Name your price.

Hey there's a deal for someone in need....

and Cat.....
When did yo move to Love Canal...?

[Paulieb]

You replace it when you go out into your yard and find your Mac lying in the grass with a huge rust ring around it, or when you can afford to replace it, whichever comes first.

Paulieb