[X-Shark]

When I first talked to Brad @ Hi Tech many years ago I had a full legal pad spelled out as to what I wanted in a trailer.



He was the only one that said...."That's the way we build them."



Since that time he and I have become good friends. I've sold a bunch of his trailers for him.



I have also bought parts from him to add forward Keel bunks on trailers that were not equipped that way. Those customers Love them now, due to the trailer being setup correctly for the boat and making it easy to load and unload.



The only thing that NO trailer manufacture does is do a good wiring job to make it last. The use of Scotchlocks is abundant in the trailer business.



But the last time I talked to Brad the subject came up again. He said not a problem to solder and shrink tube the whole system. But it's a extra cost, but it is available.

 

[X-Shark]

We like the suggestion on the ground wires. We plan to see how this change may impact our costs for the extra material and labor.

While on the subject of wiring.



Why can't ya just put a 7pin round male plug on the trailer with brakes?



All my trailers have 7 pin round plugs weither they have brakes or not.



Heres the deal. Trucks come standard with a 7pin round female connector.



So why put a 4 pin flat or a 5 pin flat and then have to go buy a stupid adapter?



It's something else to keep up with and another place to loose a connection.



Just does not make any sense......unless you think that $4 savings [4pin flat to 7pin cost] makes sense for the aggravation.

 

[X-Shark]

For saltwater, insist on disc over drum brakes

For the money. Kodiak brakes with Cad plated rotors and stainless calipers is the best most economical package.



Tie Down brand disc brakes have been the Red Headed step child for a long time and I know that Hi Tech dropped them many years ago due to problems.



I also heard that Tie Down revamped their product to build a better product. Problem is they already craped in their mess kit and no one wants to try them again, at least the people in the know.

 

[X-Shark]

Come up with something different than a roller for the front of the boat. They have always just mushed down and are always leaving marks on the front of boats. I doubt they really "roll" and serve any purpose except as a stop.

Which one? The one on the winch stand?

Or are you talking about one under the Keel, where this one has a pad?

The pad is notorious for skinning gellcoat off the Keel. The Roller in that spot doesn't skin the gellcoat, but is stil a PITA to load.



Forward Keel bunks take care of this problem and make the boat Soooo much easier to load. I have rerigged several trailers for people by adding forward Keel bunks and they Love them.

There has to be a system that could run off of the trailer wiring and power a small water pump. A small tank could be mounted in the tool box that has fresh water in it and the trailer could be rinsed after launching the boat and after loading the boat. This is not available at most boat ramps and I can see how leaving the trailer sit all day while fishing after being dunked is probably not good.

While this can be done with not a lot of problem, your adding weight to the front of your trailer. [Toung Weight] Water is 8.2lbs per gal.



And another thing. You have launched your boat. You tied it to the dock. How long is it going to sit there in everyone else's way while you play "Wash my trailer"?

 

[X-Shark]

On the spare tire... we mount ours onto the side of the winch stand. There are some companies that mount the spare directly off the i-beam near the winch stand. But so far we haven't received any complaints in regards to the current location. Per the other posters, we have just recently started pricing our trailers with the Spare Tire included.

I have seen several types of mounts like this.



Thinking about safety only here. The one I have on my Hi-Tech cants the tire out at the top. It inturn has a plate on the inside that when the wheel is tightened up it rubs the rim on the inside. Note that it is a spare hub style mount, but with the cant and that plate the wheel can NOT spin.



A lot of spares do spin.



These spares are put in a spot that make them conducive to use as a step to climb over the bow.



Have one that spins and it's a accident waiting to happen for this use. Have one that doesn't and is locked in steady and it makes a good step.

 

[X-Shark]

I have plastic bunk slicks instead of carpet. I back the trailer down the ramp, my brother drives the boat on until it is firm against the winch stand, I pull the boat out of the water then connect winch strap,

Your a braver man than I. I never recommend undoing the strap until the boat is over water and I'd never pull out without the strap hooked up...Especially with bunk slicks!





To many boats have been pre launched on the hard. Never by me.

 

[X-Shark]

Hubs are going to rust; the nature of the beast. You can clean them up and paint them with cool seal (aluminum roof coating) to give them a little more life. Hubs just don't come in salt-water friendly material.

A little checking and you will see that hubs are available in Galvanized.





OLD:

NEW:

 

[X-Shark]

We shrink tube all fittings at the back of the trailer; however, we do utilize 'scotchlocks' at the side of the trailer. Here you have one wire connecting perpendicularly to the middle of another wire. Yes, you could solder/shrink this location... but it would just plain look bad (our opinion of course). But yes, do-able at an added cost of time and material.

I never use any one wire lights. IE: uses the frame of the trailer as a ground. I always have a seperate ground wire that is sealed from the elements.



And speaking of sealing from the elements. Once the insulation is nicked as in using Scotchlocks corrosion will wick up the wire. This in turn causes a higher resistance in the wire.



You wouldn't use Scotchlocks on your bilge pump. [I hope not?:crying] Because you want it to work. It is in a very wet environment and a safety item.



Well so are the lights on your trailer.



By sticking to a particular way of doing things and using specific LED lights. [Not all LED lights are created equal and do fail faster!]

I have eliminated boat trailer light problems, and no they are not stuck up in the air....out of the water. Mine are right on my trailers frame. [I own 3 boat trailers]