Rollers on Enclosed in Rear - To Avoid Scrapping?

wesinls

wesinls

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I've rubbed the rear of my enclosed trailer a few times - leaving my street, various gas stations, etc - I purchased some low profile rollers...

I'm now wondering if it's really a good idea to put all that weight on the back of the trailer - meaning, when it hits he roller all the weight it on that spot...I guess it's no different than jacking it up on that spot...trailer is aluminum so there's that factor too.

Anyone ever add rollers and later find out it was a bad idea?

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Chummin did this years ago on an enclosed.  He had an insane driveway with a sharp angle at the bottom.

He never comes on anymore though.   He liked having them.  Don't recall any issues.

 
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I have them on my Universal and they work great on steep driveways.

 
i had them until the trailer bottomed on wash road the dug in and ripped them off if i was to do them again i would just weld some skid plates on the trailer

 
I don't have them on any of my trailers. My experience is they work good a few times then get bent/twisted and are useless.

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Just make sure the rear of the trailer can support all of its weight. 

 
My Wells cargo trailer had something like this. They swivelled as well as rolled.

They got all bent up and I took them off. With the extra clearance it does not hit any more.  



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Bobalos said:
My Wells cargo trailer had something like this. They swivelled as well as rolled.

They got all bent up and I took them off. With the extra clearance it does not hit any more.  



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My son picked up a brand new Haulmark 32' enclosed in Waco TX this week ann delivered it to Poway CA. It had the rear rollers ordered by the trailers owner. He knew it would scrape in his steep driveway. Hopefully they last for him. We put too many miles on our equipment to have temporary rollers on them. 

 
This was much more like what I had.  and like LRS said, they got all bent up & twisted and the bearings fell out of them

I pulled them off & was going to put rollers on the back there, but figured I would see what happened before I went down that road........  no need.

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wesinls said:
I've rubbed the rear of my enclosed trailer a few times - leaving my street, various gas stations, etc - I purchased some low profile rollers...

I'm now wondering if it's really a good idea to put all that weight on the back of the trailer - meaning, when it hits he roller all the weight it on that spot...I guess it's no different than jacking it up on that spot...trailer is aluminum so there's that factor too.

Anyone ever add rollers and later find out it was a bad idea?

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if you are going to do it these are the ones to use.  I have had them on a trailer before worked really well but I only needed them a few times. Skid plates seem like a good idea also.

 
Squatcher said:
if you are going to do it these are the ones to use.  I have had them on a trailer before worked really well but I only needed them a few times. Skid plates seem like a good idea also.
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Agree.  I think a piece of 1/4" steel would last nearly forever and get used a lot less often.  You're guaranteeing you'll bottom more with large wheels on there.  Countersink some self-tappers in there and ship it.

https://www.mcmaster.com/94195A320/

 
Rockwood said:
Agree.  I think a piece of 1/4" steel would last nearly forever and get used a lot less often.  You're guaranteeing you'll bottom more with large wheels on there.  Countersink some self-tappers in there and ship it.

https://www.mcmaster.com/94195A320/
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Ya, that's my feeling as well - i'll be rolling more often, the aluminum trailer factor adds to it too...afraid it might crack with rollers, and bolting a steel skid plate might be better.

 
wesinls said:
Ya, that's my feeling as well - i'll be rolling more often, the aluminum trailer factor adds to it too...afraid it might crack with rollers, and bolting a steel skid plate might be better.
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Ah, with aluminum I'd drill/tap the holes, then use anti-seize on the fasteners (or zip the self-tappers in, then remove and coat to reinstall) to prevent galvanic corrosion, and paint the skid really well where it touches the trailer.  Probably not an issue, but the irony of bolting a steel skid on to protect your trailer, only for water to get trapped and make a battery out of it would be unfortunate.

 
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If you bolt a steel skid plate or steel wheels to your aluminum trailer it is best to paint the steel to protect the steel against corrosion, then add a couple layers of electrical tape where the steel touches the alum trailer frame to protect against galvanic issues. Paint alone is insufficient isolation and many paints are conductive. I would also recommend 316 stainless fasteners if touching the aluminum. 

 
 
Maybe instead of a steel skid plate bolt UHMW thick plastic. Just like the aftermarket skids on UTV,s and other vehicles. 

 
I had the same problem and I flipped the axles to get more clearance. Haven't bottomed out since and have way more ground clearance. 

 
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