Setting up trailer for SR4

Edward Harrison · 07 June 2010, 19:56

Hi All,
I am new to this forum and you seem like a helpful bunch so I wonder if you can help please? I have just bought an Avon SR4 with a brand new Snipe trailer and I am having difficulty setting it up. Firstly, do the rollers need to be above or below the spray rails? Secondly, I cant get the snubber / winch post low enough to match the D ring. Does anyone have any advice or preferably pictures of where to set the rollers and winch post please??
Look forward to hearing back.
Edward

Downhilldai · 07 June 2010, 20:01

Welcome to Rib.net and the Searider club

Could you post a pic of the rib & trailer please?

Edward Harrison · 07 June 2010, 20:15

Hi, Thanks for the quick reply. I am new to the forum 'scene' so although I have pics on my Ipone, I am not sure how to upload. Could you advise please?
Thanks again.

Downhilldai · 07 June 2010, 20:19

Use the 'manage attachments' feature in the 'post reply' screen. The site will only accept low res images, so you may have to resize them.

Edward Harrison · 07 June 2010, 21:05

Thanks for the help. These are three photos of the bow problem. The boat needs to come forward 8 inches so I can ratchet down the transom direct to the rear rollers, but I am concerned at the width. The Snipe is a 3.5 500R with 4 sets of 4 rollers and its set up so they all are narrower than the spray rails. I wouls hav thought the forward ones neede to be wider. The bow setup with the winch is a bit of a conundrum, dont you think??...

Downhilldai · 07 June 2010, 21:37

Looks like the winch post height needs reducing. You may lose some of the height by tilting the post further forward.

Will the winch strap pass through the metalwork beneath the snubber?

Got any pics of the rollers?

Edward Harrison · 07 June 2010, 21:58

The winch post itself is all the way down. Can be tilted back though. The strap wont go below the snubber. I wondered about reducing the height of the wich post triangle clamp thingy by dropping it down (maybe chopping it off ultimately) then removing the snubber and setting up the lower snubber type roller as the final snubber below the D ring. What do you think?

I have also posted some other questions re the Suzuki outboard on the OB section.

I see there is a gratifying number of SR4 owners on here. Is there any other advice or specifi areas to watch for SR4 chat? I use them all the time for rescue at my club - which is why I bought this one. Its been on davits overhanging the Thames for a while so is in pretty good nick. Need to sort anchor stowage 0 where in the hell do you put an anchot in an SR4!? Also, need to get a seat back fitted, battery box, and change the controls from left to right, then I may be a little happier with her.......

Any advice much appreciated!
Edward

Nos4r2 · 07 June 2010, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Looks like the winch post height needs reducing. You may lose some of the height by tilting the post further forward.

Will the winch strap pass through the metalwork beneath the snubber?

Got any pics of the rollers?

I think you're right. That'll bring the boat forward the 8 inches or so you want too.

Downhilldai · 07 June 2010, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Harrison

Need to sort anchor stowage 0 where in the hell do you put an anchot in an SR4!? Also, need to get a seat back fitted, battery box, and change the controls from left to right, then I may be a little happier with her.......

Mollers will hopefully be here soon - he's just refurbed an SR4 and used a bit of ingenuity to resolve the storage issues you've mentioned. Check his thread out:

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=35904

Edward Harrison · 07 June 2010, 22:36

I replied earlier, but I think I didnt get the save right.
I was thinking about doing away with the actual snubber. Its fixed at 90 degrees to the winch post triangle thing and the strap wont go below it. There is a smaller rubber snubber low down which may go below the D ring OK. The winch is a clamp fitting so maybe I could drop it and eb=ven chop off the bottom of the assembly to make it lower.
Its a lovely trailer but maybe a little too big. However, too big is better than too small perhaps....
The rollers are set up very narrow. Should they be closer to the skeg / planing shoe, or would they benegit from beong out beyond the spray rails? What do you think?

Edward Harrison · 07 June 2010, 22:41

DHD, I saw the Moller Mobile earlier. Looks nice. The trailer offers very little support I thought. I have damaged so many hulls over the years trailing, that I am maybe a little paranoid about getting it right. The Snipe has loads of support and I guess the SR$ is a much hardier hull than I am used to.
Anyway, going to turn in now and will talk tomorrow. Look forweard to any of your advice - or that of your friends - tomorrow.
Thanks again for the reassurance on the engine.
Kind regards
Edward

Nos4r2 · 07 June 2010, 22:45

A bit of modification with a hacksaw and some adjustment and your current winch post will be fine. You may have to change the snubber itself, but it's not an expensive job to sort out.

Don't be tempted to use the roller further down as a snubber-it'll move.

Downhilldai · 07 June 2010, 22:50

You should be able to set up the rollers to span the spray rails. Take care to place them so the hull doesn't hit the frame/axle as it's being winched forward. It isn't crucial where the hull sits on the rollers, but avoid the spray rails. If the rollers are too close together at the keel, then you may have trouble driving the boat onto the trailer, as you'll only have a small target to aim for and the keel may end up riding onto the axle of a pair of rollers rather than down the middle.

Photos would be good

Downhilldai · 07 June 2010, 22:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Don't be tempted to use the roller further down as a snubber-it'll move.

And it's too low to stop the hull moving forward. It could ride over that roller and cause trouble.

Edward Harrison · 07 June 2010, 22:57

Not sure how I can mod the snubber. Its fixed 90 degrees to the wich post but will go back a bit. If the winch post stands up straighter, then its all still too high. Getting more conbfused now! How do you or Nos suggest I do that?
Will do some under hull / roller shots tomorrow, but I think you have answered my question re the rollers, just need to sort the bow out......plus all the other things!.
Speak later,
Edward

Nos4r2 · 07 June 2010, 23:12

I'd cut down post 1 at the bottom then rearrange the bolts on the side plates and lower them so the cut down post can sit lower.

Might be a neater job to make a solid winchpost up with an adjustable snubber that you can u-bolt on though.

Edward Harrison · 08 June 2010, 17:31

Evening All,
I have taken some shots of the trailer roller setup as the previous owner left it. The rollers are almost touching each other at the skeg / planing shoe. I think the guy was unsure about the swing beams and what they do. I feel it all needs widening out. The shots are a bit dark in places but you may get the gist of the problem. If anyone can advise me I would be grateful.
Have a look......
There are 4 sets of 4 rollers with absolutely loads of adjustments available, and I am inexperienced with this type of multi roller pivot beam trailer.
Thanks in advance,
Edward

9D280 · 09 June 2010, 13:41

Jumping back to the snubber, might be worth giving Mersea trailers a call - they now do the Snipe range, and they may be able to provide you with bits to do it slightly differently - I have garage length issues and wanted a braked trailer, so I've doubled my snubber bar up as the brace. the Snubber bars i nthe pic are hollow section about 3/4 x 1.5 (more likely metric equivalent)!

If you could get them to supply a set of them, you could spin the whole lot round so the currnet snubber bars become the brace, and replace them with a couple of totally adjustable snubber holders,which because they sandwich the winch post you can pass the strap through. Plenty of parts out there to play lego with!

I have since packed my winch out on a lump of 2" thick hardwood, so it does now pull forward horizontally instead of vertically down in the last couple of handle turns as in the photo.

And yes, best bet is to move those rlolelr sets outuntil the outer roller is jsut outside the spray rail, the inside roller should hopefully then miss the inner rail.

Edward Harrison · 10 June 2010, 10:26

Hi All,
I cant move the rollers out, because if I do the skeg will hit the trailer!!
Also, I am fed up with the winch post issue now so I think I will change the roller trailer for bunks. Less maintenance and they support the boat better in my opinion. I may get it swapped for no cost as the roller one is brand new. Any comments?

9D280 · 10 June 2010, 12:30

Ah, yours only go sideways, some have an up / down adjustment as well......

Having said that, if you spread the ones under the rear of the boat out you'll still have tons of room for the keel. You might want to add a keel roller for that initial foot or so where the bow gets there first but the rest of the hull isnlt there on the rollers, even if it doesn't rest on that when fully on.

By the time it meets the front rollers, it's gone as flat as it's going to go, so then it's just a case of spreading them until the keel still doesn't touch metal and the roller isn't on the spray rail.

- if you spread the rear & leave the frot rollers, the baot wil lsit at a slight angle, and may solve your winch post problem as well........

Other option is see if they'll trade the rear roller set in for a 6 or 8 roller set. less chance of hull -metal contact with more rollers.

Another option is that you replace the front rollers with short widely spaced bunks, and use the rear swing beam as is now (narrow tro prevent bow damage) to assist with getting it off & on?