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Trailer Bunk Replacement
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| jddar |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 6:35 AM
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I have a 17 Montauk and need to replace the bunks for a long trip. Couple questions: Can a purchase bunks fit to specs or do I have to make them myself? In addition, what type of material should I use if I need to make my own? Pressure treated, fir or cypress?
Thanks,
JD
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| John Fyke |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 7:53 AM
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I would make them myself out of PT lumber and cover with a soft indoor-outdoor carpet.
John Fyke
Re-Fit or Reef It
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| Binkie |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 3:42 PM
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Cypress is the preferred wood, and used by most trailer builders if the are in the SE. Rot proof and won`t warp. PT will warp and twist. Also you can get your carpet from a boat trailer supply. It is the necessary width, and is sold by the foot. If you have a compressor and a roof stapler, that is the ideal tool for application. Also 1 1/2" roofing nails work well too. Don`t buy 3/4" they will hold the carpet fine, but they are finger bashers. Staple or nail the carpet on on the bottom so the fasters are not seen.
Indoor/outdoor carpet will not hold up.
Rich |
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| John Fyke |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 4:45 PM
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Binkie wrote:
Cypress is the preferred wood, and used by most trailer builders if the are in the SE. Rot proof and won`t warp. PT will warp and twist. Also you can get your carpet from a boat trailer supply. It is the necessary width, and is sold by the foot. If you have a compressor and a roof stapler, that is the ideal tool for application. Also 1 1/2" roofing nails work well too. Don`t buy 3/4" they will hold the carpet fine, but they are finger bashers. Staple or nail the carpet on on the bottom so the fasters are not seen.
Indoor/outdoor carpet will not hold up.
I have never seen any trailer company in Fl use cypress. Indoor-outdoor adhesive also works well to secure the carpet.
John Fyke
Re-Fit or Reef It
1979 15' Sport with Super Sport conversion and 70hp mercury. |
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| JohnnyCW |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 5:12 PM
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My Rolls trailer uses cypress bunks. I've always been told cypress was the preferable material for fixed rigid bunks.
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| Joe Kriz |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 5:15 PM
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On the West Coast most new trailers have Green Douglas Fir bunks.
When it dries, it warps to the shape of the boat bottom.
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| CES |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 6:25 PM
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I've used pressure treated wood in the past with excellant results. Though Cypress is probably your best bet, pressure treated will fit most peoples budget. Also, using a good quality indoor/outdoor carpeting will suffice too. I'd staple it in as most adhesives will not hold up with time.
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker |
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| John Fyke |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 6:27 PM
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If you staple with regular steel staples they will rust over time and give way.
John Fyke
Re-Fit or Reef It
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| Phil T |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 6:32 PM
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If you decide to go with pressure treated, go through the entire lift and find the 2 best boards.
Typically, pressure treated is made with very low grade wood and has a lot of knots and checks.
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| JohnnyCW |
Posted on 05/31/10 - 6:34 PM
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I used old woven synthetic jacketed fire hose on my old trailer's bunks. After loading and unloading the Whaler at least twice a week for 6 years with the hose covered bunks, it looked as well as the day I installed it. Very durable.
Retired fire hose is usually just given away to those that ask at local fire departments. Get the woven synthetic covered hose, not rubber jacketed hose. The difference is pretty obvious.
The fire hose caused no wear or marks on the hull. Its made to have low friction so it can be more easily dragged over the ground but its not slippery anymore than the carpet marketed specifically for trailer bunks.
Edited by JohnnyCW on 05/31/10 - 6:37 PM |
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| MW |
Posted on 06/01/10 - 4:04 AM
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CCA "Pressure Treated Lumber" is actually "Southern Yellow Pine", it "Checks" and "Warps" like crazy ! I'm not sure what kind of wood that I have on my Cox trailer but, it warped beautifully...
Matt |
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| HarleyFXDL |
Posted on 06/01/10 - 4:58 AM
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JohnnyCW wrote:
I used old woven synthetic jacketed fire hose on my old trailer's bunks. After loading and unloading the Whaler at least twice a week for 6 years with the hose covered bunks, it looked as well as the day I installed it. Very durable.
Retired fire hose is usually just given away to those that ask at local fire departments. Get the woven synthetic covered hose, not rubber jacketed hose. The difference is pretty obvious.
The fire hose caused no wear or marks on the hull. Its made to have low friction so it can be more easily dragged over the ground but its not slippery anymore than the carpet marketed specifically for trailer bunks.
Never thought of this, no problems with it John?
Kevin
1988 11' Super Sport, 1987 Johnson 15hp.
If you think education is expensive, try ignorance
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| Tom W Clark |
Posted on 06/01/10 - 3:25 PM
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Rot resistant lumber is regional. They don't sell much Western Red Cedar in Florida and they don't sell any Cypress in the Pacific Northwest.
Likewise, Pressure Treated ( P.T.) lumber out here is usually Hemlock, though like its southern cousin, Pine, the grades used for P.T. lumber are crap.
Also beware that the chemicals used to treat P.T. lumber have changed in recent years due to health concerns. The old CCA (chromated copper arsenate) is no longer used in residential construction because if its Arsenic content. There are several alternatives in use, ACQ and CA is used out here but they are EXTREMELY corrosive and will damage the galvanizing on a trailer and rust even zinc plated fasteners on a trailer if the lumber is not completely dried out first. Even them you will see evidence of corrosion in time.
For these reasons, I would not recommend P.T. lumber be used for trailer bunks.
Trailer manufacturers use green lumber because it is cheap. Boats usually don't sit on a newly manufactured trailer for weeks or months so the lumber is dry by the time they see a hull. If the trailer bunks are being given a distinct curve by the brackets themselves, green lumber may conform more easily.
For most bunks, regular old KD lumber will be fine. I recommend Douglas Fir (if you can get it) because it is both strong and rot resistant. I like to go to the lumber yard and cherry-pick the best boards from a unit of lumber.
Remember, if you need two 8 footers, go buy a 16 footer because the longer lengths of lumber are usually better; it takes a much nicer, larger log to get long boards out of rather than short ones.
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| John Fyke |
Posted on 06/01/10 - 3:49 PM
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Also beware that the chemicals used to treat P.T. lumber have changed in recent years due to health concerns. The old CCA (chromated copper arsenate) is no longer used in residential construction because if its Arsenic content.
Your right Tom. Almost everything with heavy metals has been changed. Good advice.
John Fyke
Re-Fit or Reef It
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| MW |
Posted on 06/01/10 - 4:37 PM
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so KD "Kiln Dried" Lumber is what should be used ? Like "Hem-Fir" construction grade ?
Matt |
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| JohnnyCW |
Posted on 06/01/10 - 5:23 PM
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HarleyFXDL wrote:
JohnnyCW wrote:
I used old woven synthetic jacketed fire hose on my old trailer's bunks. After loading and unloading the Whaler at least twice a week for 6 years with the hose covered bunks, it looked as well as the day I installed it. Very durable.
Retired fire hose is usually just given away to those that ask at local fire departments. Get the woven synthetic covered hose, not rubber jacketed hose. The difference is pretty obvious.
The fire hose caused no wear or marks on the hull. Its made to have low friction so it can be more easily dragged over the ground but its not slippery anymore than the carpet marketed specifically for trailer bunks.
Never thought of this, no problems with it John?
My Whaler's trailer bunks will be ready for bunk recovering soon. I wont hesitate to replace the original carpet with the synthetic fire hose again.
The only problem with the hose is, it needs to be fastened with nails or screws. The stuff is tough and can present quit a challenge for most staples. I use stainless screws and fender washers to secure the hose covering.
The hose also makes great rub rails for docks and chafing guards for mooring lines.
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| CES |
Posted on 06/01/10 - 6:12 PM
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JohnnyCW, I've seen old fire hose used on many of the docks and marinas around here in Texas and most other places I've been too as well.
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker |
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| jddar |
Posted on 06/01/10 - 7:39 PM
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Thanks to all and lots to think about re: materials. Never thought of the damaging properties in PT wood to the galvanization on trailers (thanks Tom)!
Edited by jddar on 06/01/10 - 7:40 PM |
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| John Fyke |
Posted on 06/01/10 - 7:52 PM
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Firehose? Good idea..
John Fyke
Re-Fit or Reef It
1979 15' Sport with Super Sport conversion and 70hp mercury. |
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| JohnnyCW |
Posted on 06/02/10 - 9:54 AM
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I had never heard of the damaging properties of modern PT wood chemicals and galvanized products. Sounds like it would be quite an issue for the building industry?
Edited by JohnnyCW on 06/02/10 - 9:55 AM |
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