Ranger Trail Trailers

Has anybody else had this issue? I have a 2006 Reata and the base of the winch stand is rusting and the welds are starting to break. At first when I saw this I thought it was just the ‘Road Armor’ breaking, but after a little while I notice the separation. So far the welds have broken about an inch. So much for that trailer armor! Hard to believe I have to replace the stand after 6 years. I ordered the part and it will be several weeks before I get it. Just a little disappointing on both the quality and time to get the part.

I bent the same part on my 2006 619. Ordered the part from Frankies and got it within 2 weeks. The new one was beefed up. No real isssues putting it on but my boat had to be off the trailer.

fishspike

Correct me if I am wrong but those cracks appear to be on the front of the winch stand, yes? If so then there is a backwards load applied to the winch post causing the torn weld.

Do you power load or crank it up?

None the less I have wondered why some trailers dont have a gusset brace on them and are just a vertical post. Not the strongest design… But I think it has been changed

I also ordered mine from Frankie’s early last week. I’m leaving on a trip the first weekend in October so I am just hoping it gets here before then.

I power load in sense that I get it up close and then crank the last 6 inches or so. Yes, it puts a ton of pressure on it. I just thought it would last longer than 6 years. If they changed the design they must have determined it was a bit of a flaw.

nothing on my 09

My 08 looks like the day I bought it with no problems.
I have ran up to it pretty hard in some bad weather or heavy river current. Not a sign of concern.

I thought the road armor was more like truck bed liner. Yours looks like paint..??

I had a little rust starting to show on an 2003. Did the brush on truk bed liner on the inside and cross rails. Looks great!

-J.

Had the same thing happen on my 2005 620. Ranger replaced it for me in 07!

You guys that like to run your boats into the winch – under power – will eventually break the post.

I have seen skeeters, lunds and crestliners do this. I saw a guy hit is trailer so hard that it knocked the post off the trailer – on the ramp. POWER LOAD….

Run your car into to a post – about 100 times and see how long it take the post to bend and ulitmately break.

For what it is worth.

Dog

Being it is the front side of the post I would not think it is from power loading. After you pull your boat out and get on flat ground let the winch loose then lightly snug it back up, no need for tons of pressure on the winch.

Not worth much Grouse. That would be one magical winch post that I continually power load into and have it bend the opposite direction.

It is road armor on the trailer. It was some tough stuff when I cut my spare tire carrier off! I do…if I remember…release the pressure on the winch, but it sure bends when cranking it up the last couple inches. So are we saying here the combination of the rust and the pressure of cranking the boat up caused this? I would assume if there wasn’t any rust it probably would still be fine? If I had to spend $75 or so every 6 years I can probably handle that.

Do you leave the motor in gear and running when you go to crank it up the rest of the way? Makes it much easier.

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Do you leave the motor in gear and running when you go to crank it up the rest of the way? Makes it much easier.

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Or just back the boat in farther. I have a ranger trail and have not had any issues power loading. I get it lined up with an idle and then raise the motor and hit it lightly until the boat walks up. Then I cut the motor, hop out, and crank it up as far as I can. If I cant get it all the way easily, I back it in another foot and it will crank on real easily.

Why so much rust?

My trailer is 11 years old and looks brand new

Dog

Just looked @ my 621 – a 2004-no issues, looks a little more heavyduty on the supports

I don’t know why there is so much rust. I use my boat a lot and wash it every time I am done with it? I don’t believe I am doing anything special to make it rust more? My feeling is water gets under the armor and never gets the chance to dry?

I do not leave my motor running. I get it the boat on the trailer and give it enough juice that the bow is close or touching the roller, depending on how well I judged backing in for the day. Then I turn it off and crank it up the rest of the way. I would be more than happy to get it up there with just the motor and all but the ramps I use all have big no power loading signs and I already get enough dirty looks from people from the little ‘power’ loading I do. The looks don’t seem to bother the bass guys though.

B BK I don’t know what kind of Ranger you have. I don’t know if you guys with the 619s and 620s have the same issue. Maybe other guys with Reatas don’t have an issue and it is just me and I would be more than happy to get a lesson on how to load a boat. But at most ramps I can’t back the trailer in any further. If I do, the bow goes under the roller. To avoid that I end up with more of the bunks out of the water, which adds some stress when cranking it up. It does crank fairly easy but you can still see there is a ton of pressure on the winch stand.

I replaced the winch stand on my 2005 Reata, it was having the same issues. If you can, be sure to get the ‘new style’ winch post from ranger which is a more tranditional style and one that the boat doesnt sit on top of so much.

I also had/have a bunch of rust under my road armor that I have been peeling off bit by bit, treating, and then covering with Road Armor. I don’t think they quite knew what they were doing when they first started the road armor. PITA 4 sure.

Wow, I can’t believe it’s doing that. I’ve got an 05′ 618Vs and the trailer looks brand new

You should try spraying some liquid rollers on your bunks. It makes hand cranking a breese. Just don’t forget to hook the bow strap on before you pull out, or you’ll be picking your boat up off the ramp

I just noticed the same exact problem with my ’05 619. I peeled away the road armor, bent the stand back in place, and re-welded it just for safety in getting back home yesterday.

I think the road armor starts to crack after the welds start to break and then water gets in and rusts out the welds/cracks. In other words, I think the welds crack and then it rusts out, not the other way around. The uprights and base plate don’t rust because they look to be painted with normal paint prior to being welded. Then the whole thing is covered with road armor.

I was really surprised at how these support uprights were welded. There was just one bead down the outside of each and they stopped about an 1/8″ from the ends. The ends are going to see the highest stress and stopping short like that seems like it is going to concentrate that stress even more. Add that to the fact they only welded on one side of each upright and you are asking for trouble on a weldment that sees that much of a load.

Oh well, I guess I will order a replacement and hope it holds up better.