V-drive Trailer Question??

[racincraft440]

I need to add a "cage" to the underside/rear of my trailer of my v-drive to protect the rudder, propeller & whipstrut. There wasn't one there when I got it and I don't want to take it out on the road w/o one.
I got some 2" wide metal but it's only a 1/4" thick and it seems too flimsy to support the boat in the event that the trailer gets a flat. What is an adaquate thickness of metal to handle this??

[Roaddogg 4040]

That is what most of them are made of. Worked for me in the past.
Steve

[daddy b]

That is the correct thickness and if clearance is a problem you can add swivel wheels to the back corners of the trailer set just below the cage, my driveway required this.
daddy b :rollside:

[GofastRacer]

Here's a tipical setup, I wouldn't tow with the prop on though!..
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13642

[superdave013]

here is the way compettive trailers did it. C channel and flat bar. The rollers are in the skid plate.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1503DSC01996-med.JPG

[Unchained]

I just did a modification to my Daytona's trailer last Saturday.
The bunks were installed so low on that Competitive trailer and the rudder guard was so low that it would scrape going over a shadow so I had to change things.
My rudder guard setup looked just like the picture from Go Fast Racer.
I put 3.5" spacer blocks between the 2 x 12 bunks and the bunk supports to raise up the boat on the trailer, and cut and raised the rudder guard 3".
I haven't had it scrape since. You have to back the boat into the water a little farther but I really didn't find it to be any problem at all.
The bunk height is still lower than the new tunnel jet trailer I have.

[racincraft440]

Ok, thanks guys!!
The set-up that Gofast is what I envisioned as doing. Some cross-cut & welded square channel would be better but the trailer is due to be changed (just a homemade unit) and I can heat & bend some flatstock to be a bolt-on deal for now.
I think I'm going to upgrade to at least some 5/16th's flatstock. I'd rather go overkill and sleep better.
My bunks are a tad low too. The tire size is also so tall (and bunks so low) that it worries me to get a flat and have the weight of the motor/trans/gearcase & hull resting on the whipstrut & rudder.
Once I get it out to the lake, I can bolt on some taller bunks since they have the boards in a vertical fashion below the stringers.
Anyone still sell that "prop-pulling tool" here on this board?
Dean

[Hallett]

Ok, thanks guys!!
The set-up that Gofast is what I envisioned as doing. Some cross-cut & welded square channel would be better but the trailer is due to be changed (just a homemade unit) and I can heat & bend some flatstock to be a bolt-on deal for now.
I think I'm going to upgrade to at least some 5/16th's flatstock. I'd rather go overkill and sleep better.
My bunks are a tad low too. The tire size is also so tall (and bunks so low) that it worries me to get a flat and have the weight of the motor/trans/gearcase & hull resting on the whipstrut & rudder.
Once I get it out to the lake, I can bolt on some taller bunks since they have the boards in a vertical fashion below the stringers.
Anyone still sell that "prop-pulling tool" here on this board?
Dean This is the one i have works great.
http://www.rexmar.com/page134.html

[GofastRacer]

That is the one to get!.. :cool:

[GofastRacer]

here is the way compettive trailers did it. C channel and flat bar. The rollers are in the skid plate.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1503DSC01996-med.JPG
That one is a Competitive and so is the one under my Daytona and both are the same!..