Replacement for Mac Trailer

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Thanks Dave, I'd like to see that although I usually launch at Eldreds and if my memory serves, you usually take the long way around launching at Cape Coral. To tell you the truth, I don't think I've seen anyone using plastic spacers on the bolts and such. I would be a bit worried that they may weaken over time and end up with a loosely assembled trailer. But I would definitely like to see what you are talking about and take all the good preventative advice while the trailer is still young. Since the tires are shredded now on my Mac trailer, it is not roadworthy so the guy who is getting my business is loaning me a trailer to take the boat to his yard so he can custom build the trailer exactly to the Mac. He is going to put on a bow ladder too. I'm pulling down the mast this morning and hopefully taking it there this afternoon. I might have my new trailer by the weekend! Dimitri

[Semper Fi]

I thought I would post a follow up after living with the new 27' Loadrite for 18 months. Concerning worries about the #6200 pound capacity suspension. It works fine and has a great ride. Much more cushioned and gentle than the original Mac trailer. I would not recommend lowering tire pressure to soften the ride. It reduces load capacity and leads to overheating and side wall failures. It is wonderful not to have to load and unload gear from the boat every trip for fear of overloading the trailer. Launching and recovery are much better due to nice target bunks and a great two speed winch. The extra tongue length allows backing the trailer further down the ramp when needed without putting the vehicles rear wheels in the water. No “Mac Bump” required. Extra road clearance for the motor is nice. You can leave the motor down (50HP Honda) and no chance of dragging it like I did with the Mac setup. Lastly on the 27' version I am able to use transom tie down straps (from the rear trailer bunk to the motor transom bolts) and no longer have to throw a long damaging strap across the gunwales/cockpit. Love the trailer and would recommend it to anyone.
Semper Fi

[mastreb]

Great info about the load rite. Have to say however that after 24 months my stock aluminum Mac trailer is still doing just fine. All lights working, boat not damaged by trailering, one axle doing well, no significant corrosion. All salt water use, and frankly I have not been good about fresh water wash downs after pulling it out of the salt.

Frankly I think calling it a "dolly" is justified. My biggest issue with the stock trailer is that the stock winch is under-rated. But I'm going to buck the trend on this forum and say I'd rather stick with a single axle than two because I like the maneuverability. If I could find a #5000 single axle I'd buy it in a heart beat.

My plan is to use the stock trailer until it require serious maintenance and then rather than repair it I'll put it on craigslist and replace it with a load-rite. If I get five years out of it, I'll be happy.

[RobertB]

Really curious about how two axles are not supposed to be as maneuverable as a single axle.

I upgraded to two axles and have noticed no problems.

What are others doing with their trailers where they notice a difference?

[mastreb]

Just backing into extremely tight places. Seems like wherever I'm storing, its always in the farthest back spot at a right angle.

[seahouse]

Yeah, backing up in tight quarters with a tandem is much harder to do, and also places excessive sidewise strain on the braking mechanism slide at the tongue. Even much more than with two wheels, so that’s something to be careful of, if you aren’t already. Of course, the same strains happen when moving forward sharply, but they are diminishing as the turn widens.

Had a tandem trailer many years ago, and swore I wouldn’t get another one again because of the maneuverability issues, and haven’t. But, of course, the boats I bought back than were much smaller than a Mac, and lighter (power, 16 -21’). But if I were to do any amount of highway long-distance traveling with a boat the size of a Mac today, I would certainly consider a tandem conversion.

The difficulty with tandems is prominent when hand maneuvering (again, that’s more often done with smaller boats). Try pulling the tongue 90 degrees sideways when hand moving a Mac with two wheels. Easy – you can steer and move it easily on level pavement with the jack caster. Don’t even try that with a tandem trailer. You’ll have to move an extra 10-20 feet forward at the same time to stop the tires from scrubbing (if yer strong enough).

It’s good to be aware that it can also be risky when you attempt to unhitch without first relieving the built-up tension on the tongue after a sharp turn. The sudden release of the strain from the tires/ suspension can swing the tongue violently and break your leg when the ball lifts clear, if you aren’t careful.

- Brian.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Nice old thread that I had posted a lot too...I did end up buying that TNT tandem axle trailer about a year ago and posted some pictures in a different thread if anyone is interested. It is a really nice machine. I agree that maneuvering a single axle trailer in tight places is easier as well as pushing the tongue sideways after it is disconnected...BUT, the other 10 things that a tandem axle does better than a single axle clearly make it a much better choice safety wise. I just trailered my boat about 1200 miles last month and if I wanted to burn the extra gas, could easily have done 80mph plus on the highways without feeling the slightest bit uncomfortable. Trying to do that with my old stock single axle...no way!..you would start getting the white knuckles feeling over about 60-65mph...and never any fun being passed by a semi either. But I must say, the newer aluminum ones do look much better and I would hope you could get a lot more than 5 years out of one...afterall, my stock STEEL trailer lasted almost 12 years and that is in Florida too!

[raycarlson]

Really can't imagine what others are doing wrong that makes it so difficult to manuver their trailor in reverse,possibly leaving their emergency brake on or something.I've never felt any extra effort required at all,maybe an axle alignment issue.One thing I have never ever heard on this or any other forum from someone who has had dual axles on their Mac is "gosh I hate tandem axles,I think I'll go back to a single axle"

[Sumner]

Really can't imagine what others are doing wrong that makes it so difficult to manuver their trailor in reverse,possibly leaving their emergency brake on or something.I've never felt any extra effort required at all,maybe an axle alignment issue.One thing I have never ever heard on this or any other forum from someone who has had dual axles on their Mac is "gosh I hate tandem axles,I think I'll go back to a single axle"

I'm wondering also. Turn ours 90 degrees to get it into the shop and have done the same at other places and there is just no comparison going down the highway. I'm not going back . I will say that if I launched in salt water on a regular basis the trailer would be aluminum with SS brakes like Dave has,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[RobertB]

Really can't imagine what others are doing wrong that makes it so difficult to manuver their trailor in reverse,possibly leaving their emergency brake on or something.I've never felt any extra effort required at all,maybe an axle alignment issue.One thing I have never ever heard on this or any other forum from someone who has had dual axles on their Mac is "gosh I hate tandem axles,I think I'll go back to a single axle"

Kind of like you never hear a guy say he wished his wife had smaller breas.. beer glasses

[seahouse]

Nothing “wrong” needs to be done- but the effect does get masked by several variables which would make you unaware of it. Pressing the accelerator a bit farther to compensate for it is something that you might not notice yourself doing. (Witness the number of people who have driven with the parking brake on before noticing it).

A gravel, or loose surface allows the wheels to skid sideways with little effort or scrub, which would also hide the effect. But on a hard paved surface- not so much.

Just try to hand move your tandem trailer tongue 90 degrees, then try it with a two-wheeled trailer, as I posted above, and the difference will become obvious, or, if you must see it in the extreme with more drama…then read on.

To demonstrate to yourself (and spare me a lengthy(er) explanation), drive into a level paved parking lot and back up sharply until the tongue is nearly 90 degrees (or close to it, depending on how “good” you are) to the vehicle, and then back up another ten feet or so maintaining that tongue angle.

Stop, and while applying the brake (and this is critical - do not let the vehicle spring forward at any point) apply the parking brake, put the vehicle in park, and get out and look at the wheels. You will see the tops of the wheels on each side are tipped in opposite directions (in technical terms their “camber” will be different) showing the built-up torque present in both the tires and trailer “suspension”. Now put the vehicle in neutral and release the parking brake – the built up stresses will push the vehicle forward.

If this is still not obvious, then, before releasing the brakes, try unhitching the trailer from the vehicle in this position... Not!!! I’ll warn you not to do this unless you use extreme caution, because, if you can actually jack up and remove the tongue from the ball, the sudden release of the built-up tension will break your leg or damage the back of your vehicle if you aren’t careful.

None of the above will be observed with a two-wheeled (non-tandem) trailer, because the twisting forces, which are confined within the contact patch of each tire, cannot build up, and are negligible.

Hope that clears things up!

- Brian.

[Sumner]

...Hope that clears things up! - Brian.

I'm not saying that there isn't strain on parts of the trailer, I'm saying that I can back it in about any place that I could when it had only one axle. If I can I'll back into a really tight place on pavement in a couple moves, but If that isn't an option I'll jack it around in one, but that just hasn't been a problem and nothing has broke or bent. I wouldn't like to do it if I was at 7000 lbs as much for sure but with a little over 3000 lbs. on two axles and 4 wheels/tires the stress is spread out. Most of the times I've had to really jack the trailer around has also been on gravel like at South Dade Marina where the stress on components is even less.

I still think that the two axles are quite a bit safer on the open road and wouldn't want to go back to a single axle trailer. I do have 3 single axle trailers (2 utility and 1 teardrop) and they are just fine for their intended usages. My flatbed car-hauler is of course also a twin axle trailer. I'm way past the age of pushing these trailers around by hand . I put another receiver on the front of the Suburban and that also really helps if I'm alone and need to see where I'm putting the trailer or if I'm very close to other objects with it,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[raycarlson]

Apparently I must have botched my dual axle install,as I just have no such issues with stored spring like energy on my reciever hitch.I have seen the trailer jerk like one inch when it pops off the ball occasionaly,but nothing that would hurt my brittle old kneecaps.For the above poster who would like a 5000# axle.UFP makes an identical 5200# torsion axle if you have the late model aluminum M trailer with the 4200#.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Agreed, I have 2 single axle trailors too..one for a 2-300 lb small sailboat and then another for a PWC weighing about 800 lbs..and they do just fine. The 4200+ lb Mac rig is an entirely different animal. I also don't have any problem backing a tandem versus a single while it is attached. Where you notice the difference is pushing it around by hand, particularly trying to get it to pivot.

[Highlander]

Agreed, I have 2 single axle trailors too..one for a 2-300 lb small sailboat and then another for a PWC weighing about 800 lbs..and they do just fine. The 4200+ lb Mac rig is an entirely different animal. I also don't have any problem backing a tandem versus a single while it is attached. Where you notice the difference is pushing it around by hand, particularly trying to get it to pivot.

I installed a back-up camera , the screen has distance guides so i can back up right under the ball perfectly best part was I got it for nothing with CTC coupons now u cant beat that price Oh though I did have to install it

J