How to lift a RIB to change the rollers

Scud85 · 12 January 2022, 20:28

Hi,

Does anyone know of a way to change the rollers on a trailer without lifting the whole boat.

Some of the rollers need a bit of attention, but I've no way of lifting the boat.

Any advice or secrets is appreciated.

A1an · 12 January 2022, 20:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scud85

Hi,

Does anyone know of a way to change the rollers on a trailer without lifting the whole boat.

Some of the rollers need a bit of attention, but I've no way of lifting the boat.

Any advice or secrets is appreciated.

Do you have to "lift" it? Can you pull boat off the trailer on to some grass?

Scud85 · 12 January 2022, 20:33

I actually have no idea how to pull the trailer onto grass.

I was wondering could I jack it up at one side and then let it down and jack the other.

Has anyone done this?

fastasfox · 12 January 2022, 20:36

How big is the boat? Presumably it's not 8 meter then roll it off onto some timbers and keep the bow a bit higher then you can slide the trailer under and winch her on...do a search on youtube there are a few videos of what I'm talking about....good luck .

Scud85 · 12 January 2022, 20:38

It's 5.4m.

Pikey Dave · 12 January 2022, 21:12

Try using the forum search function. This has been discussed before & there are detailed “how to’s” available.

GuyC · 12 January 2022, 21:15

I think rather than jacking up on side, I'd jack up the bow a bit to get to the forward rollers and then the stern to get to the aft ones. You can use a jack or a block and the jockey wheel on the trailer.

jeffstevens763@g · 12 January 2022, 21:53

Hire an engine hoist piece of pi$$. Or as pikey says lots of info on here

jonp · 12 January 2022, 22:22

Ive picked up used tyres from tyre sales places and slipped my boats off the trailer onto them at home if needing to do major trailer work. Tie the back of the boat to something that's not going to move, then slowly tow the trailer forward 1m and place two tyres either side. Go another metre or so and do the same. On a boat that size 4 big tyres should be enough.

Putting it back on the trailer is a case of lining the trailer up and winding the winch so the trailer pulls under the boat, which I tend to do not connected to the vehicle to put back on.

For small adjustments I use a trolley jack under the legs of rollers to push and level to where it's needed. The main load bearing should be along the keel rollers and the side rollers are more for guides to keep the boat level on the trailer.

If I need to replace any rollers I simply put my boat in the water and work on the trailer at the carpark next to where Ive put my boat in the water.

Limecc · 12 January 2022, 23:01

I used some timber and a bottle jack from the trailer to lift my hull clear doing each corner in turn. Only needed to take the weight and a little bit more. When the bolts were removed then had the needed clearance

Salty Pete · 13 January 2022, 00:46

Take your boat off the trailer at the boat ramp, beach it or anchor the boat off the beach and change the rollers in the parking area.

Johno99 · 15 January 2022, 10:59

I used two methods, pull the boat and trailer onto grass, preferably longish and damp. Push the boat onto the grass and recover later with a winch. But an easier way and do this twice a year, use a large piece of stout wood to spread the load and Jack up exactly where you need to. I remove the whole wheel section and dismantle, clean and grease, refit and move on. I’ve not had any problems.

lovesnyc · 15 January 2022, 18:56

You can use a floor jack but you'll need some scraps of wood for shimming. Keep the vehicle coupled to the trailer and the trailer blocked. Double strap the bow to make its secure. Start at the rear on the keel. Place the wood shim between the jack head & the keel and slowly. As the boat rises slip shims in between the hull and the rollers on each side. When you have the hull up enough to clear the roller jack up a little and pull the shim on each roller and change only roller at a time placing the shim back in as you proceed on to the next. You can also use some 2x4's in anyway that fits to crib it up. Its all in the cribbing and going slow. Juice up the bolts before hand.

I did similar to this several times also tying the stern to a tree and pulling the boat forward and cribbing it with horses made from cinder blocks & 4X4

cross timbers to get the boat off the trailer.

Nice to have a helper or look out but I'm by myself so I go slow.

Scud85 · 06 October 2022, 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scud85

Hi,

Does anyone know of a way to change the rollers on a trailer without lifting the whole boat.

Some of the rollers need a bit of attention, but I've no way of lifting the boat.

Any advice or secrets is appreciated.

I eventually got around to this. Driveway is slanted so that didn't help. I kind of used a combination of all of above. I used a cradle at the back and a tyre at the front. I used extra supports at the side that it was leaning on. I connected the winch to my car and slowly winched the trailer out from under the boat.

I can carry out some much needed works now on my trailer.