Boat trailer repairs and modifications, Port Stephens

We repair and modify boat trailers at Salamander Bay — cutting out what’s gone, making new parts, and getting the welding done through the welders we work with.

Common trailer jobs

• Rusted-out members — cross members, chassis rails, the section under the winch post, the end of the drawbar. If it’s rusted through, it gets cut out and replaced, not patched over.
• Winch posts — bent, cracked at the base, or rusted where they bolt down. Also raising or repositioning a post so the boat sits right.
• Rollers and skids — replacing worn rollers, converting a roller trailer to skids or the other way round, adding a set of keel rollers.
• Drawbar extensions — the big one around here. Extend the drawbar so you can launch on a shallow ramp without dunking the hubs and the wheel bearings.
• Axles, hubs and springs — replacement, upgrades and repairs to the hangers and mounts. We do the metalwork; bearings, brakes, lights and wiring are the trailer mechanic's side and we will tell you who to see
• Custom brackets — spare wheel carriers, jerry can holders, rod holders, jockey wheel mounts, guard mounts.
• Guards and mudguards — repaired or replaced.
• Coupling and safety chain mounts.

Ramp reality in Port Stephens

Shallow ramps are why so many trailers around here are worn out early. If you’re regularly having to back in far enough that the hubs go under, you’re cooking your bearings and rusting the axle from the inside.

A drawbar extension fixes it properly. It’s a straightforward job and it saves you money on bearings for years afterwards. Talk to us about how much extension your setup will actually take — go too far and you make the trailer hard to reverse and put more load on the coupling.

The bit people get wrong

Rust in a trailer is nearly always worse than it looks. What you can see on the outside of a box section is the last stage — the inside has been going for years. When we cut into a rusted member, we sometimes find the rot runs further than the customer expected. We’ll show you and ring you before we go further than what was quoted. We won’t quietly weld a plate over a member that’s already gone.

Roadworthy and registration

A trailer that’s structurally repaired needs to be safe and legal.

We do not do inspections or blue slips. We repair the trailer so it will pass; the inspection itself is done by an authorised inspection station, and we can point you to one.

After we’re done

Wash the trailer in fresh water every trip, particularly the hubs and the inside of the members. It’s boring advice and it’s the difference between a trailer lasting eight years and twenty.