# A Bunch of Raft Trailer Questions



## BullSCit

I have read almost all the topics on raft trailers over the past couple of seasons. I am really wanting to get a real trailer, as I had to deflate and inflate so many times this past season. But my main problem is that my raft vehicle is a 4-cylinder 4Runner, so very underpowered. So I was looking at several Triton aluminum trailers, to help keep the weight down. Right now I have a 16' cat and a 15' raft that I would like to keep on the trailer. There seems to be a plethora of 8.5' by 10' snowmobile trailers out there. Would that be a good enough size for me, so I would have 3' of overhang on each side with the cat, as the waterline on my tubes are less than 10' 

Also I read a lot about failures people have had with the 1500 pound axle bearings. Is a big concern with the Tritons also? Do all the newer Triton trailers come with sealed lights?

Is there something else that I should be looking at besides Tritons for my underpowered 4Runner?


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## pinemnky13

One of these


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## brandob9

These are great trailers: http://americanwhitewaterproducts.com/RaftFlyer.pdf


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## ecarlson972

*Buy the Triton*



brandob9 said:


> These are great trailers: http://americanwhitewaterproducts.com/RaftFlyer.pdf


Looks like a nice trailer but that thing is heavy. I think it said 550 Lbs. Plus expensive.

Buy the Triton, it weights half as much (maybe even less), and cost about a 1/4 of price of the prebuilt trailer. Do a few minor upgrades and you will have a perfect raft trailer.


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## TakemetotheRiver

I just happen to have a modified snowmobile trailer that is 8x12. I have hauled both my 16' cat and 14' raft together on over a dozen trips on it. The cat does not hang off the sides, although it is still a little long. It's for sale on the MtnBuzz swap.

I just replaced the leaf springs after trying to carry the 16' cat, and TWO fully rigged 14' rafts- oops. Apparently 2 rafts is the limit.

I can't help you with your 4banger truck though.


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## Rex Piscatore

*Maybe consider a Kit Trailer as an option...*

If you are on a budget and only a little bit handy, you can build one of your own from a kit. I got mine from Northern Tool. See:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200356493_200356493 
but I understand they are also available from Harbor Freight. See:
http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/trailer-trailer-accessories/1195-lb-capacity-48-inch-x-96-inch-heavy-duty-foldable-utility-trailer-with-12-inch-wheels-90154.html
You can see from the pics that I added 4x6 cross-members to support 2x8 plywood outriggers to support my pontoons. The 4 ft overhang at each end on my 16 ft JPW cat has never been a problem. I coated the decking and outriggers on the trailer with roll-on Herculiner, to get a non-slip finish and moisture protection for the plywood. The kit trailers tilt, so if you substitute a longer 6 ft neck and add a wench, its easy to launch and retrieve for one person. I store my boat on the trailer in the garage in the summer so I'm always ready to go and also avoiding UV on my boat, but I tear everything down for the winter and store the folded trailer on the side of my house so I can put my Tacoma in the garage, out of the snow. The trailer tracks really well, and I've been all over Colorado, Wyoming and Montana at speeds I shouldn't go, with never a problem. BUT, I never submerge the hubs, (even with Bearing Buddies) and I clean and inspect the bearings, and re-pack the hubs every spring, and you should be doing that with any trailer anyway. I don't know how many miles I've put on the trailer, but I am on my second set of tires. I spent only about $600 building my trailer, and its lighter than any of your other options.


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## The Mogur

pinemnky13 said:


> One of these


No, but without the wheels, it makes a damn good firepan!!


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## bnskyles

Look for other boat trailers that can be modified. My dad found an older moter boat trailer where the boat was wrecked and gone. He built a light weight platform and I haul my boat and sometimes several others stackedon top. I have a 15'7 aire and haul a 14 or 13 aire stacked on top. Cant help with the four banger cause i have a 6. If you need ideas i can send you picturethe trailer is very simple to biuld have 200 dollares in mine.


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## billfish

*aluminum trailers*



BullSCit said:


> I have read almost all the topics on raft trailers over the past couple of seasons. I am really wanting to get a real trailer, as I had to deflate and inflate so many times this past season. But my main problem is that my raft vehicle is a 4-cylinder 4Runner, so very underpowered. So I was looking at several Triton aluminum trailers, to help keep the weight down. Right now I have a 16' cat and a 15' raft that I would like to keep on the trailer. There seems to be a plethora of 8.5' by 10' snowmobile trailers out there. Would that be a good enough size for me, so I would have 3' of overhang on each side with the cat, as the waterline on my tubes are less than 10'
> 
> Also I read a lot about failures people have had with the 1500 pound axle bearings. Is a big concern with the Tritons also? Do all the newer Triton trailers come with sealed lights?
> 
> Is there something else that I should be looking at besides Tritons for my underpowered 04Runner?


 
i have a 2006 (?) triton 8 x 12 aluminum flatbed tilt snow machine trailer, that i use for my cat and rafts. when i bought it, the base price was $1300. i added galvanized 13" wheels and 6 ply tires (the dealer bought them from a tire store because i wouldn't buy an aluminum trailer with painted 10" steel wheels and 10" tires). the upcharged was around $100 and included putting lifters in the suspension to accomadate the taller tires. i later bought a spare from the same tire store that he bought the upgraded wheels/tires from for another $85 and a spare tire carrier and jack from cabelas for about half of what the dealer wanted. his spare tire carrier was aluminum and much nicer then the galvanized carrier from cabelas, but these were the choices i made.

the trailer has been so awesome that i decided to look at buying another one. last year the price for the same basic trailer was close to $2000 w/o the options or tire/wheel upgrades so i looked around.

i looked at sled bed, which i have some experience with and they were a lot more money and they also have some distinctive strength advantages such as rolled edges on the upper bed sides. 

i also looked at aluma which were very expensive, but seemed to be the best if you can afford it. a completley different style of framing using a welded Y in the tongue to flatbed connection as opposed to bending the material into a wishbone, which can't be as strong, because you can see the stress marks in the bends.

anyways, there is a lot of differences in the aluminum trailers you'll see advertised. it is worth researching and buying the best that you can afford. accidently, i ended up with the least expensive, most basic aluminum trailer and i have been very happy with it. i would buy another, but i still would not buy any trailer with smaller than 13" wheels and i would insist on galvanized wheels with 6 ply tires.

i hope this info helps, i'm sure it's a little overwhelming. i did not know any of this until after i bought my first aluminum trailer.


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## lhowemt

I pull our trailer with a 14' raft and 12.5' cat, with a 4banger 94 toyota truck. I have to pedal going up hills, but it does fine. And our trailer is heavy. One nice thing about Al is if you have to move it manually you won't kill yourself as easily


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## SBarn

I went to Trailer Source and had them build me a trailer specifically designed to carry my 15' raft. It has two rails that the boat sits on and an area under that can take the cooler, dry box and oars. It is awesome. The trailer is light enough to pull with my Santa Fe. If you go that route, get the 3500 pound axle as the 2000 pound is not enough. I found that out on a trip to Lodore when I had 2 boats and several peoples gear, water, firewood, etc. in the boat. A few miles north of Ft. Collins the axle blew into pieces at 75 mph. 5 hours and $350 later we were back on the road with a 3500 pound axle. The shop weighed our loaded trailer on the scale next door. I was surprised to see how much weight was in the load. All that stuff adds up fast. I can send you a design if you want. Rigging up a snowmobile trailer will work, but it is sort of like kissing your sister, it is in the end, unsatisfying. Send me a private message as to how to contact you.


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## Rich

Been following these trailer treads because I also want to keep my boat inflated for the season. Most of my boating is day trips on Clear Creek, Poudre, Arkansas etc. Would like to do these local trips with my Prius.
My boat weights under 200 lbs with oars (13' cat) some of these small, cheap trailers weigh in under 300 lbs, so the total load is under 500lbs.

BTW the rated towing capacity of a Prius is zero, but many people use them for SMALL trailers. I've carried far more total weight up I-70 at 75 mph+ with no problems. Part of my logic is that I want a trailer hitch mounted bike rack for the Prius so I can still open the hatchback.
Figure even if my mileage drops from 50 to 35 mpg, it will still be half the cost of driving my pickup.

I've hear all the nightmare stories of 12" wheels and light duty axles, but it seems to me that a LIGHT load (and mostly pavement) would greatly diminish any damage. Also with a small cat, I would never be backing the axle/wheels into the river.

I would be keeping my pickup truck for the annual Idaho or Grand Canyon trip where the loads are much bigger.


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## Dave Frank

Rich, I've been toying with the idea of getting a lighter trailer to tow with the Prius myself. Leaning towards ditching the Prius for a small wagon as the second vehicle to the large pick up.

Maybe I got a lemon, but it can NOT go up I-70 at 75+ with a load, and it only gets 50+ when going downhill empty. With studs and a roof box we only average in the high 30s. With 2 kayaks, doing 75+ it is WAY less than 30 mpg.


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## catwoman

Dave, I don't think you got a lemon. Just having a roof rack takes my mileage to below 50. Once I start putting something on the roof rack it goes even lower. For long cross country trips we try hard to go light and remove the roof rack. If it is a rafting trip, we would take the truck. If the load is inside the prius does really well up I 70, up until the electric motor has no more juice. I wonder if a trailer would be a more fuel efficient way of carrying things? Not that I have room in the garage for another trailer.
We have a trailer that we bought off Craigslist for $400. Heavy, poorly designed, we keep breaking it and fixing it. Have another friend who bought a trashed opo up tent trailer, stripped it and turned into a pretty nice raft trailer. I am not as handy as he is though.


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## Dakota7

After looking around, I purchased a raft trailer from All American Trailers in Denver (Commerce City actually I believe). Wasn't cheap, but you can pay more. It has a winch and roll bar and I'm pleased with it. Seems to be very well built.


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## Rich

Dave Frank said:


> Rich, I've been toying with the idea of getting a lighter trailer to tow with the Prius myself. Leaning towards ditching the Prius for a small wagon as the second vehicle to the large pick up.
> 
> Maybe I got a lemon, but it can NOT go up I-70 at 75+ with a load, and it only gets 50+ when going downhill empty. With studs and a roof box we only average in the high 30s. With 2 kayaks, doing 75+ it is WAY less than 30 mpg.


 
I've seen what roof racks do to mileage, even when empty, which is why I want my bikes on a rear mount hitch. 
My skis always go inside, not on roof.


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## tomrefried

I'm using a converted tilt deck Snowmobile trailer and pulling it with a 4 cyl. Subaru without any problems. The 9'x8' deck was removed and a box built in it's place, the deck was then hinged to open on the left side and held open with two gas struts. The trailer still tilts and I'll eventualy put a winch on it but I never load the boat that way so it's not something I need. I'm still using the 2000lb. axle, springs (for a smooth ride) and 10" wheels (to keep the deck hight low) but upgrated to 6 or 8 ply tires.


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## The Mogur

I built this trailer for my 16' Vanguard. I carry the raft to and from the river fully rigged and ready to launch. The small tires (5.70 x 8, load range C) allow the deck to be as low as possible for float-off, float-on launches and recoveries. The tandem axles give it enough load capacity to stack two more rafts on top. The axles feature independent torsion spring suspension and grease injectors to keep water out of the hubs. The surface is TimberTek synthetic decking. All steel tube construction. It tows straight and smooth.


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## billfish

The Mogur said:


> I built this trailer for my 16' Vanguard. I carry the raft to and from the river fully rigged and ready to launch. The small tires (5.70 x 8, load range C) allow the deck to be as low as possible for float-off, float-on launches and recoveries. The tandem axles give it enough load capacity to stack two more rafts on top. The axles feature independent torsion spring suspension and grease injectors to keep water out of the hubs. The surface is TimberTek synthetic decking. All steel tube construction. It tows straight and smooth.


even though i would still want galvanized, larger wheels and tires (less rotations at the hub per mile), that is a great looking trailer. what do you use for tie down points. i don't see anything in the photos? how did you build it, did you weld it your self? if so, nice job!


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## The Mogur

billfish said:


> even though i would still want galvanized, larger wheels and tires (less rotations at the hub per mile), that is a great looking trailer. what do you use for tie down points. i don't see anything in the photos? how did you build it, did you weld it your self? if so, nice job!


The small tires do indeed make a lot of turns. That is the compromise I was willing to make to keep the deck as low as possible. I can launch and load the raft without assistance. My total time at the launch ramp can be as little as 10 minutes. Besides, new tires are cheap, and with the built-in lube system, the bearings are well protected.

For tie-downs, I installed 2" footman brackets all around. Either they just don't show in the photos or else I put them on after I shot the photos.

The frame is welded, using mostly 2 x 3 x 1/8 rectangular steel tubing, painted with epoxy. There are angle iron cross pieces supporting the deck. My brother and I put this together in two weekends, including the painting.

Just in case someone is interested in duplicating the trailer, I've attached the plan that I used for construction.


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## HJAIII

Nice job. Any idea how much the trailer weighs?


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## The Mogur

HJAIII said:


> Nice job. Any idea how much the trailer weighs?


I don't know what it weights. I know that two guys can lift the back end (but not easily) if you back off the end of the boat ramp. Next time I have the raft off of it at home, I might just take a trip to the scales and weigh it.


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## SummitSurfer

Get a regular 6X10 utility trailer with the 1' sides. $100 dollars in 2X4 and sheets of plywood. Bolt to the top of trailer. Underneath becomes your storage in the off season. Craigslist is awesome right now to buy........I got one $500.
Check out the hubs though. Repack replace bearings. 
The one issue with small snowmobile trailers is the tires are typically small and aren't used to 75 mph..........learned this one the hard way!


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