Help me build a trailer roller

I need to build a rear roller for my trailer.  It hasnothing now, just 3" channel.

I would like to build rather than but so I'm looking for ideas on the roller itself, material, "axle', "bearings", etc.  I do have a light wire welder & can weld up to about 3/16".

Pictures are VERY much appreciated (I'm a visual learner)

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Permalink Reply by Tom Anderson on March 11, 2013 at 6:27pm

Hi Vance,

I'm in the same place you are . . . I need to build a roller for the back of my trailer.  I'm drawing one up right now and will keep you posted on what I decide.  Basically, though, I'm going to be using relatively heavy-wall tubing (specific size depending on bearing selection), with a matched 'conveyor roller bearing' pressed in to each end.  I'll post photos and drawings as soon as I can, but time for fun projects is a little sparse right now.

Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on March 11, 2013 at 7:40pm

Vance,

i am in the process of designing and building a trailer also.  I have found 1 1/4 Dia SAE Schedule 40 Galvanized conduit or Black Pipe (Home depot, Lowes, etc) will work just fine (weight is ~3.4 lb. per foot.). 

The OD is 1.660 In. with a wall thickness of 0.133 in. this gives you an ID of ~1.393 in.  To make it rotate I found a standard flanged bearing; .625 ID , 1.375 OD and .4375 wide that will fit into the pipe at a Tractor Supply Co, Store for less than $ 10.  It was/is a replacement bearing for a plastic molded yard cart.

The bearing will be loose in the pipe so you'll need to make it smaller by using a hammer & center punch and make a series of uniformly spaced punch marks (min 2 rows) on the OD untill it becomes a light press fit.  A 5/8 Cold Drawn Rod will work for an axle.  You can buy it any steel supplier.

Bout as cheap as you can find one.  Sorry I don't have a drawing.

G'Luck

Dorf

Permalink Reply by Jayson Hayes on March 11, 2013 at 8:19pm
That is the same pipe they use on the Baker driftboat trailers. You can order the bushings from them, just do an Internet search for R&D Baker trailers and give them a call. If I remember right they are about $10 and you will never have to worry about a bearing rusting
Permalink Reply by Terry E Walsh on March 11, 2013 at 8:27pm
A friend of mine built one out of 1/4 in plate 3/4 rebar and a green pressure treated fence post. Works great, been solid for 5 years. Super simple and it actually looks good!
Permalink Reply by Vance Wonser on March 11, 2013 at 9:07pm

Thanks for the replies guys.

Dorf, you don't happen to have a # for that bearing do you?

I was trying to think of a way to use a length of ABS or PVC as an outer sleeve to baby the bottom of the boat but I guess as long as the rollere is rollong freely it shouldn't matter.

 

Terry, I had actually thought of trying to find something like a small dia "peeler core" or some such & using lag bolts into the ends if I couldn't come up with anything else.

 

Keep the ideas coming guys!

I am on page 166 in the pics & saving all the pics of trailer designs I like into my pic files for future reference.

Permalink Reply by JAY STRUGNELL on March 11, 2013 at 9:47pm

Vance, another thing to consider when you get the roller done is its location in relation to the rear bunk;it should be set so that when resting on the bunks bottom does not touch roller,but not so far away that you have to raise the boat ten miles with brute strength,then it finaly rests on roller and takes you quickly into to the river with it but not before the winch handle floggs you as you go.

Permalink Reply by Vance Wonser on March 11, 2013 at 10:04pm

Yeah & to make things more interesting the trailer will need to fit two completely different boats.  It's a homebuilt that currently has two flat bunks running lengthwise & had two rollers on back (trash) that were about 6" apart.  It came with an old ugly 19' glass homebuilt drift boat i picked up to get me started.  the way the rollers were setup every time you loaded or unloaded the boat the bow went right between them & the tabs they were mounted in gouged the boat on both sides (obviously not what the trailer was built for).  I will probably be using that boat all yr & not get the 16' McKenzie rebuilt until spring of 2014, but I am hoping to use this trailer for it too when the time comes.

Permalink Reply by Terry E Walsh on March 12, 2013 at 6:36pm
Vance, building the roller out of a fence post is really easy. Drill hole in both ends, fill with epoxy, drive in the rebar. Cut out plates to fit over the rebar, slide down onto the wood and drill holes and bolt to post. Weld rebar to plate as well, then cut out two plates that you will drill holes in for rebar, then weld the plates to the trailer in the position you want. It works great and is very durable, the green posts are supposed to last for 35 years under water.
Permalink Reply by Jeff Grebe on March 12, 2013 at 9:40pm

So here is a pretty cheap alternative that has been in service for ten years on my trailer.  I took a 3' x 3/4" solid steel rod and two pillow block bearings (used in swamp coolers) Used two stop collars to center the rod and a 2" dia pvc sleeve with end caps.  Glue the end caps on the pvc tube, drill 3/4" holes in the end caps slip over the rod, put a bearing on each end then the stop collars. Mount the bearings on a block of oak on the bed, and you have a sturdy cheap rolle for less than $20

Permalink Reply by Vance Wonser on March 12, 2013 at 11:12pm

Jeff, I had actuallythought about the same design but with the rod just going through tabs on the end welded or bolted to the trailer frame.  Did you use sched 40?  I had also thought about sizing a smaller size (1.5" if it would fit) inside the 2" as a sort of bushing to take up any flex in the 2".  kind of a roller in a roller.  Pillow blocks would definetly be sweeter...

Permalink Reply by Steve Sobba on March 13, 2013 at 11:26am

Vance, posted pictures to my site on WBP in the Photos heading  the roller is about  2 1/2 inches. Hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Vance Wonser on March 13, 2013 at 3:18pm

Thanks Steve.  Very helpful.  What is the roller material, & what are/how did you build the endcaps?

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