TRAILER ROLLERS
Articulating assemblies of “wobble” rollers represent the key components that ease launching and loading boats with a roller trailer. These trailers are well-suited for shallow or primitive ramps, letting you slide the boat in and out of the water with minimal effort and without completely submerging the trailer. However, if one or more of the many rollers stop spinning, the boat tends to hang up on its way on and off the trailer. Wobble rollers can wear out and malfunction. They require regular inspection, maintenance and, at times, replacement. Here’s what to keep in mind when shopping for and installing new wobble rollers.
INSPECT AND TEST
With the boat off the trailer, inspect each roller for excessive wear, cracks or breakage. Also, look for corrosion around the spindles and hardware, such as the retainer clips and washers, which might lead to a malfunction or even the loss of the roller. Give each roller a good spin to make sure it’s turning freely. Make sure there’s still adequate surface material left on each roller. If you spot trouble, replace the suspect roller(s) as soon as possible. If you find more than two problem rollers, consider replacing all of the wobble rollers at the same time.
DETERMINE THE SIZE
Wobble rollers come in a wide range of sizes, so carefully measure the width and diameter of the current roller and
its spindle, and buy a matching size as a replacement. Companies such as C.E. Smith and Tie Down Engineering offer DIY roller kits with bushings that adapt to different-size spindles. The Tie Down 5-inch wobbleroller kit, for example, includes four rollers, each with all of the necessary hardware and bushings to fit either ⅞or 1⅛-inch spindle diameters.
SELECT A MATERIAL
Rollers are available in an array of surface materials that range from natural rubber to synthetic and semi-synthetic materials such as PVC and thermal plasticized rubber. Natural rubber is softer to cushion the hull, and a better choice if you plan to trailer regularly on unimproved roads. But natural black rubber can mar the boat’s finish and is more prone to cracking than other materials. Synthetic roller surfaces tend to be harder than rubber. They cost more, but won’t mar and are generally more durable. They are also available in a range of colors such as amber and blue, as well as black. wobble rollers feature ribs that, like treads on a tire, tend to shed water for better traction to roll more easily along the hull. However, grime, sand and salt deposits can collect between ribs and potentially lead to scratches on the hull. Smooth-surface wobble rollers are less popular, and they don’t shed water as well, but are less likely to harbor grime. Most smooth-surface rollers are natural rubber.
NEW BUSHINGS A worn-out bushing might be the reason for a malfunctioning roller. So make sure each new roller gets a new bushing. Most roller bushings are made from a low-friction polymer such as Delrin or nylon, and these do not require any lubrication.
FRESH HARD
WARE Also use fresh hardware for each new wobble roller, which requires two flat washers and two retainer clips (aka hog rings), one for each inboard and outboard of the roller. They should be sized to match the spindle and roller, and feature zinc coatings to fend off corrosion.