Boat Trailering Mistakes

We spend a lot of time and effort maintaining our boats. Often, our trailers get neglected. Boat trailer mistakes can make a weekend with the family an absolute nightmare. Taking 5 minutes to check things over and then repair anything that needs attention will save you a ton of grief. In this video we cover:

0:00 Intro
0:58 Checking items at the front of the trailer.
2:30 Checking items at the back of the trailer.
5:00 Checking the bunk condition.
5:35 Tire pressure checks.
6:25 Tip about trailer tire age.
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For more info check out these resources:

*Check out the Boat Trailering playlist here:

*One on one boat chat to ask me questions:

*Len's Cove Learning Center:
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Connect with us!

[greggo]

Hey Sean, have you ever considered stand up comedy I think you wpould be GREAT at it

[dougreese]

I live in the Midwest. I replace my tires at the end of the 4th year. I’ve learned from experience that 5 and beyond is questionable. 27 years of 1200 miles a year of trailering the boat. 5 is probably OK but I worry about a failure on the road instead of enjoying the trip. Lol. Proper inflation is critical. I check the bearing temp at every stop on longer trips.

[tms]

Something to note is that the jack that comes with your tow vehicle may not necessarily work to jack up trailer to change a flat. And your lug wrench may also be the wrong size to fit the trailer lugs. I carry an old spare scissor jack, breaker bar and right sized lug socket in my truck in case I get a flat. I just leave them in my truck for the summer so I never have to think about loading them ever time.

[kayemtee]

Good info here. Since retirement, I tow my boat round trip from NY to FL every year, and total close to 5K miles a year. The additional miles have made me more attentive to my trailer as previously, the only issue was age. One thing I screwed up for years was tire pressure. I had no idea that trailer tires call for much higher pressures than car tires. My one bearing failure occurred after my dealer changed them (perhaps he over tightened one of the four). Now, I have bearings and tires checked at least every year.
Thanks for the video.

[moonpiespotlight]

I carry a spare hub and 2 spare tires (one on the trailer, one in the truck) because once you replace a flat on the road you don't have a spare for the return trip. If you replace your hubs on a regular basis, keep a good one in a large ziplock bag all greased and ready to go. Carry a short piece of 2x4 and a rubber mallet if you have bearing buddies. I carry two floor jacks since a ruined hub on a soft shoulder means you need to get the trailer high enough to get a jack under the axle, then I carry a piece of thick plywood to use as a base for the jacks. Yeah I carry a lot of stuff.

[scottdavies]

two items that I always do are. Small cheap trailers use wiring harnesses with crimp-on connectors, I remove them and solder
the connection. never a bad connection after that. The other item I do once a year is to remove all the wheel lug nuts and brush
on anti-seize. Again I no longer have seized on lug nut that can ruin your day if you need to change a tire especially on the side
of the road.

[timothystevens]

Regardless of outside appearance, I wouldn't use a trailer tire over 6 years unless: 1) It was a radial 2) It is stored inside and off the floor (Trailer jacked up). 3) The travel is limited to local boat ramps. Like you said, after 10 years it doesn't matter what they look like. Great video.

[chuckcrawley]

Sean I have been following you from Pentiction BC in Canada.
You have taught me so much as a first time boat owner.
Thank you.

[michaelking]

I thought I knew everything about my trailer....but nope. Thanks so much for the video!

[TheLiandriCorp]

When not using your trailer, don't leave it parked on grass or any other organic material such as grass. It will degrade at an increased rate. Use dead mater instead, such as a concrete slab under each tire.

Also avoid leaving it in direct sunlight, the UV radiation also takes a big toll on the rubber.

Good video!

[csncpowers]

I like to carry a laser temperature gauge. ($20) After trailering for at least 20 - 30 minutes check the temperature of the hubs. If you have one on its way out it will start to run hot. I like to see them at around 95 degrees. If you have one exceeding 105 on a regular basis, it's worthy of a closer bearing inspection.

[Chrismico]

Level towing is important. Measure distance from ground to bottom of coupler when trailer tongue is level. Measure distance from ground to top of receiver on the tow vehicle. The difference between these two measurements is the rise or drop needed to position the trailer ball for level towing. Then the proper height ball mount can be selected for the vehicle and trailer being towed.

[csncpowers]

Also, it's a good idea to disconnect the power from your lights prior to backing the trailer down into the water. Water and electricity don't play nice together, especially salt water.

[nategremore]

If you have a E-Z loader, or any trailer with roller bunks, beware!If the rubber wheels wear out, the brackets that hold them will go right through your hull ! I drilled a hole though the washer that helps hold the rubber wheels on and spray a lubricant in every year .White lithium works well.Happy boating!

[charlescoates]

Sorry I always think of other things after I post. I also use 303 protectant spray to keep the tires from drying out. Tire foam and the tire shine products make the rubber in the tires deteriorate faster, 303 protectant helps keep the rubber moist and flexible.

[quedub]

One thing I would add to your, very informative video, is to check the shackle bolts and bushings :)

[thangknowa]

Before towing my boat, I put a box in the back of my truck, locked under cover, that contains all I can think of for towing. I call in the "Jack In The Box". Inflator, lug wrench, hub kit, jack, scotches, on and on. When I return home, the box goes on the bow of the boat. Wont trailer anywhere without the box! I have not needed it, but have encountered others who did! Win win!!

[FranksDIY]

I know all of this but it's good to get a re-fresher every once in a while. thank you

[irwinm.fletcher]

shooting the bearing with a laser
thermometer at the end of a drive is a great way to see if one is getting hot

[naliekim]

1. Boat dealers commonly sell trailers that ‘barely’ carry the boat mainly to keep price tags down on packages. I’ve seen too many boats at 95-100% of a trailer’s capacity and that’s not even accounting for any gear laden into the boat afterwards.
2. Do your own checks and do NOT reply on anyone else. Check yourself your tire pressures and lug nut torques! My brand new $20k tri-axle trailer had all tires including 2 spares all under inflated (averaged 50-55 psi when they should have been 80 psi) And i went back to trailer manufacturer who had a guy re-torque the lugs as recommended after some initial miles (he only tested and re-torqued some lugs. After a few hundred miles, i sheared off a tire and wheel (lugs sheared right off!). Checked lugs myself and found most needed tighten significantly and then also found all tires under inflated.