Trailer Bunks Replaced..problem

[Jeff R.]

I put new bunks on my trailer yesterday finally. When I went to tighten the lag bolts from the bottom they just kept turning...never really would get "tight". I predrilled just enough to let them get started, definitely not too big of hole. I put silicone around the bolts to keep water from getting in there and rotting, which is what happened to my original ones that came on the trailer. Which was untreated lumber by the way. I used treated lumber, and put 3 coats of stain on them and thought I did everything the way it should be done. Do you think if I put carriage bolts in and go through the carpet that the carpet will tear or want to pull away where I make the holes for the bolts to go through? I glued and stapled the carpet so it wouldn't be easy to take it up either. What would you guys do?

 

[Marty Klein]

If you run carriage bolts all the way through, wouldn't the bolts damaging your boat be a bigger problem than the carpet tearing away? My recommendation is to back out the lags and reinstall using Gorilla glue instead of silicone. They should be water tight, but if you're concerned run silicone around the edge of the lag bolt's head.

 

[Jeff R.]

I would sink the carriage bolts to where they are below the top of the boards.

 

[Marty Klein]

Got it. I think that you will create spots for the carpet to fray and more areas that need silicaone protection as they are more spots where water can leak in. If it were me, I would stick with my original recommendation.

 

[TrepMan]

Agree on NOT going through the wood near the carpet. 2 options I see - 1) use Gorilla glue or if you have enough time to let it cure, the 3m marine Adheasive is great stuff, or 2) go to 1 size larger lag bolt and glue also.



Trep

 

[Steve Rizza]

I've had problems with screws not holding in treated wood before. I think the when they are treated it softens the wood and just tears loose.

You could drill out the stripped hole, fill the hole with waterproof glue, and pound in a piece of dowel rod. Once it dries, drill out the hole again, just a very small pilot hole.





Steve

 

[Larry Harp]

I can't imagine why, if you didn't drill your holes too big, the lag screws aren't grabbing wood. Are the threads on the screws in good shape? I remember when I replaced my bunks on my old PT-185, some of the screw threads had all but rusted away. I bought some new stainless steel lag screws and when I hooked it all up I had to use a socket wrench to get them tightened down. I think Steve R is on the right track with filling the hole with a dowel and starting all over. Titebond II is the best waterproof wood glue money can buy.

 

[Lamar Gilbert]

Wrong Sooner fan.......Titebond II is NOT waterproof........Titebone III is!



Why not just swap ends of the boards.....drill smaller starter holes and go for it?

 

[Jeff R.]

I think the wood is the actual problem. I took an old piece of treated 2X4 I had laying around and pre-drilled a hole in it and then ran a lag bolt into it and it tightened up as tight as I could get it. I took an excess piece of the new 2X4's I made the bunks out of and ran a lag into it and it never would tighten up. It seems the treated lumber available now is different than it used to be. Anyway, I think until I get more time I will either countersink some carriage bolts or like lamar said, swap the ends and try it again. I just don't have any faith in using the lags in this soft wood where as the carriage bolts will definitely do the trick. Maybe this will buy me some time until I get some "good" 2X4's and redo them. Thanks guys for your help.



Jeff

 

[Steve Rizza]

You could countersink carriage bolts in from the top, plug the hole with a dowel or wood putty, and then carpet over that.





Steve

 

[Larry Harp]

Sorry Lamar...we're both right. Titebond II is water "resistant". Quote from their website, "Titebond II Premium Wood Glue is the only leading brand, one-part wood glue that passes the ANSI Type II water-resistance specification." I really think it would be sufficient to hold a dowel long enough for a new pilot hole to be drilled and a lag screw cranked in. Titebond III is something new that wasn't around 4 or 5 years ago when I was selling adhesives to the woodworking and cabinet industry. I sold a different brand of wood glue made by TACC...Titebond II kicked my butt. The Titebond III does appear to be some pretty tough stuff. It passes a more stringent test. The waterproof formula passes the ANSI/HPVA Type I water-resistance specification which involves boiling the two pieces of fastened boards for something like 20 hours and then testing the adhesion. I would caution Jeff R. to NOT boil his bunk boards if he uses Titebond II.

 

[Ken Sabin]

Insert a 1" dowel sideways thru the from the side, perpindicular to where the bolt hole will be. Then instal the lag screw. The dowel gives the threads a better grip. Ive done this before on other projects involving needing better thread grip from screws.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Redo

Bad wood:lol:

 

[Marty Klein]

I'd call some of you guys Rubes, but you probably wouldn't lick up on the Rube Goldberg reference.



Glue lag bolts into current boards and go through all the headaches of boring new holes for dowels, etc only if the glue doesn't work. If the boards are in fact bad, then any of the ideas given won't help. get different boards.

 

[Gene B]

I countersunk carriage bolts on my bunks and carpeted over them when I replaced them. No sign of carpet wear around the holes. After the old bunks dried out it looked like they are treated. I think that the pressure of loading and unloading the boat puts lateral stress on the lags and the wood causing the wood to get damaged around the lag screw. Thats why I used carriage bolts, lock washers and jam nuts.



Gene