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Custom built Aluminum Keel Roller Trailers: Ez-Loader vs. Loadmaster
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| VA Whaler |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 7:23 AM
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I found a couple other viable options for the custom keel roller trailer for my 22' 1979 Revenge other than Continental. If they were not so far away, I would likely go with the Continental but am uneasy with the prospects of the closest dealer being 12 hours away. Especially when it comes to warranty work.
The two other candidates are EZ Loader and Loadmaster. The EZ Loader dealer is only about 20 miles away from where my boat is currently being stored, the Loadmaster dealer is in Norfolk (6 hours) but would be closer once I move the boat to the Chesapeake Bay.
Both have offered quotes based on the same design as the Continental custom keel roller trailer. I'm still in the process of getting details on the Loadmaster but both are torsion axle (Continental is leaf spring), they have LED lights, 9 keel rollers set back to back. Both are aluminum while the Continental is galvanized. The prices are all comparable (around 5 K) so it's going to come down to the details for me.--Once I find a way to pay for it. 
The EZ Loader has a box aluminum frame as opposed to I-Beam. It also has oil filled hubs as opposed to grease. Does anyone have any advice with respect to:
1) box frame vs I beam construction (aluminum)
2) oil filled vs grease filled hubs?
3) Any preference between the competitors?
Thanks!
John
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| Phil T |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 7:42 AM
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I think 5K is way overpriced.
Are you sure you can't upgrade your existing trailer? I would look REALLY hard to upgrade your existing. Start a separate thread to discuss it.
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| VA Whaler |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 7:57 AM
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I agree but I have not started negitiating yet. (The price will probably go up)
I thought about the idea of rebuilding but my old trailer is shot and I'm ready to send it to pasture. Its the original EZ-Loader wobble roller trailer type that came with the boat. The brakes are gone, and every fastener is so rusted they are a pothole away from breaking in half. So what wont shear off I will have to use a cutting torch to remove. Granted the galvanized beams and frame are probably OK but I'm looking for something I can just put into service without a lot of effort and something I can use for a long time.
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| kmev |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 10:15 AM
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I thought oil-filled hubs were the cat's meow until I had one leak. And when I say leak, I mean it went dry, so I was running a bearing with zero lube. No matter what I did I could not get that hub to stop leaking (even with a new hub cap). I even took it to a dealer, and he couldn't get it to stop leaking either. Now my oil-filled hubs are running regular wheel bearing grease.
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| wing15601 |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 10:21 AM
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I know the aluminum they use in making these trailers is mostly salt water proof but I would feel more comfortable being able to wash the salt off the entire surface and not just the outside. Just my opinion. I wouldn't shy away from hot dipped galvanized. I had my 1984 Cox galvanized trailer rebuilt with new rollers, bunks,winch, wheels, bearings and springs and it'll probably outlast me. Most of its life has been in salt water but it was well maintained.
I winter in Ft. Myers and summer in St. Joseph, Michigan. It’s now about 12 years since I’ve joined this group. I gave my 1972 whaler to my daughter and sold the 17’. Bought an O’Day 28 sailboat and sailed on Lake Michigan. Yesterday I bought a 2005 130 Sport. |
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| VA Whaler |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 10:28 AM
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Good point Wing. I was thinking the same and am leaning more towards the Loadmaster partially for that reason. It also has a 3 year vs 2 year warranty.
Kmev, thanks for that input. I was wondering if that was a possibility. I have no experience with oil filled hubs. Sounds like a good premise but I'm more inclined to go with the old fashioned grease filled hubs.
Edited by VA Whaler on 08/26/14 - 10:30 AM |
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| gentilebrian |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 12:29 PM
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VA Whaler wrote:
Good point Wing. I was thinking the same and am leaning more towards the Loadmaster partially for that reason. It also has a 3 year vs 2 year warranty.
Kmev, thanks for that input. I was wondering if that was a possibility. I have no experience with oil filled hubs. Sounds like a good premise but I'm more inclined to go with the old fashioned grease filled hubs.
When oil bath fail they fail fast and seize off. Sometimes when you finally notice is when the tire that fell off is rolling past you on the highway. When grease fails you see smoke and can limp home. Had oil bath and no issues and very clean but I like grease.
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| butchdavis |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 12:55 PM
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I prefer I beam aluminum trailers. No hidden areas. Torsion axle is certainly superior in salt/brackish water. Kodiak brakes and LEDs are a given. Oil bath are great but you have to look at them as they are located in a vulnerable position.
All these things, except the aluminum, can be retrofitted to an old trailer in sound condition.
Butch |
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| VA Whaler |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 2:32 PM
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I have some more information. I was mistaken on the number of cross members and rollers on the EZ Loader. It has 3 and 6. The Loadmaster has 4 and 8.
The Loadmaster will come with a spare tire, hub and spindle.
The Loadmaster has hubs called Vortex hubs. I do not know anything about them but he said they are "no maintenance" and guaranteed for 6 years so long as the owner does not try to work on them.
The loadmaster also comes with Kodiak brakes.
I know its expensive but I'm leaning toward the Loadmaster. Plus he said he would deliver it to me in Charlottesville at no charge.
Edited by VA Whaler on 08/26/14 - 2:33 PM |
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| Phil T |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 2:56 PM
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Vortex hubs is a product sold by Tie Down Engineering.
See http://www.tiedown.com/pdf/c1157.pdf/c1157.pdf
I had "SureLube" hubs on my LoadRite trailer.
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| Finnegan |
Posted on 08/26/14 - 3:15 PM
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The Loadmaster sounds like the better trailer, but I still think the price is outrageous. The other problem with aluminum trailers when re-configured for keel rollers is that they are extremely long and take up a lot of storage space, plus additional tongue weight. Be sure the wheels are far enough forward. I don't like trailer brakes with vented rotors becuase maintenance is expensive. Hubs have to be removed for cutting and resurfacing. I recommend Tie Down G5's, which have a single SS rotor that never needs work.
Aside: KMEV - looking at your Personal Page, I see you are the Smoothside 21 owner I passed on Sunday afternoon towing my Outrage 19 between Sister Bay and Bailey's Harbor! Nice boat, and small world!
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| gchuba |
Posted on 08/27/14 - 6:32 AM
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I second Butch's motion of "beamed" (channel iron/aluminum) trailers. Especially vs. galvanized welded tube. Tough enough to weld an airtight fuel tank let alone a structurally welded tube. Ultimately rust from the inside out.
Garris
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| kmev |
Posted on 08/27/14 - 7:21 AM
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Finnegan wrote:
Aside: KMEV - looking at your Personal Page, I see you are the Smoothside 21 owner I passed on Sunday afternoon towing my Outrage 19 between Sister Bay and Bailey's Harbor! Nice boat, and small world!
Yes, it was. I wish my boat looked as good as yours did!
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| VA Whaler |
Posted on 08/27/14 - 10:12 AM
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Finnegan, I agree the price is outrageous. The interesting thing is that the three manufacturers all came in at about the same price. I need to talk to Loadmaster and see if I can get an additional cross member added. It is currently designed with 4 cross members and 8 rollers total. Looking at a photo of one your old trailers I see 5 cross members and 10 rollers. How far apart would you recommend the cross members be from stern to bow on a 22 footer? I can get a basic idea looking at your photo but if I could give the builder something more concrete, that might help.
This is probably a dumb question but in trailer-speak, is the trailer framework underneath the transom considered a cross member?
Also, with these aluminum trailers, is it fairly simple to add crossmembers after construction? Granted it would probably void the warranty but it looks like most are just bolted into place rather than welded.
Thanks
John
Edited by VA Whaler on 08/27/14 - 10:16 AM |
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| whalerman |
Posted on 08/27/14 - 10:47 AM
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Both trailers are excellent and both have good and bad points. The key here is to flush the trailer as soon as possible after recovery of your boat. I have a 2012 EZ-Loader alum. trailer and the main beams are box/channel. You can flush the box out buy placing the hose end into the ends of the box at the winch stand. As for the hubs I wish Reliable used Timken bearings instead of the cheap ones from china as they are sloppy in tolerance. Trailer still looks as new and could not be happier, and boating in South Fl. salt water. Yes the rear member is a cross member. Oh yea, Torsion axles are the better ones.
Edited by whalerman on 08/27/14 - 10:54 AM
THOM : 1999 Outrage 18, 2012 E-TEC 150, 2012 EZ Loader trailer |
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| butchdavis |
Posted on 08/27/14 - 4:35 PM
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Kevin at Sport Trail Trailers, tel 228-467-1885, in South Mississippi can build a trailer for you in any configuration you may care for. It may be too far for you but they are the real deal.
I have to say they are not cheap but for what they build the numbers are, IMO, reasonable. An aluminum I-beam trailer with torsion suspension and all stainless hardware to fit my 13 Sport is $1800 out the door with a Bill of Sale and Certificate of Origin to allow registration in your home state. No web site but has several nice videos on UTube.
Butch |
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