Looks like another Grab Bag installment coming..

[John Foster]

I was doing some work on my trailer and found my bunks are starting to rot away. Couple spots are pretty bad. So it looks like this weekend I will be replacing the two inner bunks. I will take some photos for those who will want to see how I replaced them..



I have the carpet, Glue, Preasure treated 2x4's and Stainless steel staples. I need to pick up some Stainless lag screws.



Is there anything else you guys think I might need??





John

 

[Staci Matheis]

That's all you'll need!



I used an indoor / outdoor remnant when I did mine. Also stapled the carpet to the sides of the 2x4's and left the bottom completely uncovered for better drying. Good luck with the stainless lag bolts, they aren't carried by Lowe's or Home Depot; finally found some at a little hardware store in a sleepy little Mississippi River town about 50 miles from St. Louis!



Lookin' forward to the posting of a "picture perfect" job!



me!

 

[Bill Scherer]

If I was installing new bunks on my boat I would use carriage or flathead bolts. When the lag screws fall out (as mine did) the bunks have nothing holding them in place. I would never use lags.

 

[John Foster]

Rick and Bill, Are you talking about a Bolt through the bunk with a nut on the bottom? Doesn't that leave a hole in the carpet and if they ever got loose couldn't they back out and rub on the hull?? Or Am I not understanding corectly?



what I was going to do was use a lag Screw/Bolt from the bottom. Putting on a coat of silicone adhesive when I istalled them.



Huuummm, Time to rethink the project,



John

 

[Dan S]

John, try using T-nuts(I think thats what they call them).You drill a hole all the way through

the board, then push these in the hole on the top side and tap them in flush with a hammer-

they have little spikes that stick into the wood to hold them when you thread the bolt in from

the bottom.Put the carpet over them and make sure the bolts are the right length so as not

to stick up into the carpet,but use as much of the threads of the T-nut as possible.

 

[Huck Palmatier]

Replaced my single bunks this year with bare

wood and Guide Slicks. No more carpet to

worry about, but do not unhook the boat until

the trailer tires are wet. Those things work

as advertised.

 

[Pierre Voisine]

John,



last time i did it I added a 1/4" layer of foam under the carpet. I don't think there's a need for it, but to me it's the little things that baby my boat!



Pierre

 

[Scott S.]

Ditto on the treated bare wood and Guide Slicks.. I have the GUide Pads. Not sure if it would scratch up a 'glass boat a bit more, but My bunks now will outlast the boat. I have gotton a lot of comments at the launch ramp on this.

 

[Sam Elkins]

A question for you guys that have changed out your bunks. Did you do it at home in the driveway or get everything measured and cut then take it to the lake and do it? Just thinking ahead for when I need to do mine. Thanks

 

[John Foster]

My Trailer uses Lag Bolts from the botom. When I first got the Boat & Trailer, I removed the lags and put a Silicone adhesive in each hole and reinstalled the lags. My Boat is a 1993 and All the lags are still in and tight. Just the wood is rotten.



I thought about the carrage bolt Idea. But to do that you almost have to wait till after you mount the 2X4 to the trailer before you carpet them so you can get the hole in the right spot. I will be doing the whole job at the lake so I decided to use the Lags again with the silicone adhesive. Of course that doesn't mean that if down the road some day I find the Lags are loosening that I won't change over to Bolts.



I already have both inner bunks ready to go. The outter bunks are still OK for now. I will probably replace them at the end of the season when the ramps arn't as busy.



Will Post how it went next week



John

 

[Staci Matheis]

Sam -



I did like John is planning to do........ Prepared the new bunks at home and then replaced them at the ramp parking lot after I unloaded the boat. Brought along a cordless drill and a socket to turn the lag bolts. Only took about 20 minutes to do all 4.



me!