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Trailer Bunks - Make or Buy?

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6.4K views 25 replies 21 participants last post by  Crabcracker  
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#1 Ā·
One of my trailer bunks snapped in the middle and is in need of replacement. I might as well replace both while I'm at it. They are treated 9' 2x6 wrapped in carpet.

Thoughts on doing this myself or should I just make it easy and buy. If buying, is there a local source?

Also, seems like there'd be a better material than wood to use these days though the composite materials I'm thinking of aren't stiff enough.

Love to hear some thoughts on this.

Thx!

-Chris
 
#4 Ā·
joeer77 said:
Yeah ditch the treated wood. Buy some Doug Fir from Parr Lumber. Carpet from CE Smith. Staple gun and stainless steel staples. Done. Find a empty boat ramp to swap them out.

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I would add, be picky on the Doug Fir find the best tightest grain you can and not use green wood. I would also use outdoor carpet glue such as Roberts 6700 on the planks it helps waterproof the wood. Also, upgrading the job with poly wrap around pads they will keep the wet salty carpet from direct contact with the aluminum hull, that is if your boat is aluminum, if not I would not.
 
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#7 Ā·
Depending on how long you expect to keep the boat and trailer the fir wood/carpet is fine but for longer lasting you might consider high density poly possibly backed up by aluminum or galvanized metal channel. Here is one web site I found that sells it. The Ultimate Bunk Board Replacement Solution It has the HDP with aluminum backing (4"X 3/4" X 9') for $309.00 Less with out the aluminum.
 
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#13 Ā·
I replaced mine a couple years ago, went with steel instead - Iā€™ll never have to replace them.

C6x8.2x 10ft- pre-drilled the holes for mounting 1/2ā€ HDPE pads and the bunk brackets and then had them hot dip galvanized. A bit of a project but they are super strong and will only have to do it once.
 
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#15 Ā·
you can get the solid pvc one by 4 or 6 inch boards from h.d. use them for the top and ditch the carpet.
boat slides almost as good as the slides you buy for boats that are spaced apart..
get those if you use carpet.

if you do the carpet get galvanized roof nails and hammer them in. holds the carpet tight and no messing with staples.
 
#16 Ā· (Edited)
Trying to find high quality Doug fir boards is getting much harder these days. The PT lumber is absolutely terrible quality, and is typically not graded for structural use. Coming from a carpenter for many years ,I would stay away from PT lumber, and use kiln dried Doug Firā€¦.. When selecting your lumber if you can pick out quarter sawn material with vertical grain on the flat side , not the edges, it will be much stronger and last much longer. This is hard to find thoughā€¦. If forced to use flat sawn , or flat grain, try and pick out the tightest & straightest grain you can find. ( more ring count) . Unfortunately they are milling a lot more lumber from very small timber these days and there is a lot of crap out there.
If you find some nice tight grain that has a C shape end grain on the end of your boards, these can work fineā€¦. But make sure you orientate the the crown in the C up before bolting it down. This will give you added strength , and will not warp and cup on you as bad.

I wouldnā€™t worry about stainless steel staples or fasteners at all. Galvanized roofing nails nails, or staples work fine. Realisticallyā€¦just using those self tapping wide head sheet metal screws that are just zinc hold up longer than your carpet will and are easy to work with. Just use enough staples to hold it in place, then use a cordless drill and put the screws to itā€¦.

I just replaced my bunks with some old 2x6 I had purchased in 1996 when I built my pole barn. Lumber quality was a bit higher in those daysā€¦. Good luck to you guysā€¦. .02 cents worthā€¦

kirk
 
#18 Ā·
The problem with using Trex material or something similar is that it isn't very structurally sound unless its supported every 16". If you already have full length steel bunks that just need to be covered, it would work well.
But.... That stuff is very slick, and loads and unloads a lot different than a carpeted bunk does. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on the size and weight of your boat, and whether its glass or aluminum. ALWAYS keep that saftey chain hooked to the bow when backing down the ramp until the tail of your boat is in the water regardless of what you use. Dumping your boat out on the ramp can be pretty ugly.

The type of carpet you use can make a big difference too. Long thought of as a plastic-looking, green grassy surface that looked cheap and felt uncomfortable in bare feet, indoor-outdoor carpeting has since come a long way..... But........ This green grassy looking material you can get at Home Depot is great for trailer bunks. it slides easily, has a decent cushion to it, and actually lasts longer than some of the fancy new outdoor carpets on the market at twice the price..... another .02 cents worth. Kirk
 
#19 Ā·
If my new (to me) boat purchase doesnā€™t go through I will be replacing some old wood carpet bunks. In addition, there will be some painting and welding in reinforcement where I have some cancerā€¦. Whoever used enclosed tube non galvanized steel should be keel hauled.

anywayā€¦ this is the kind of stuff that I lie awake at night contemplating. My plan is to get rid of wood as much as possible. The base stiffener portion of bunk will be a 5/4 x 6 length of bullet wood decking. It is heavy stiff and water resistant decking material. I mocked up one with Trex and it is too flexible to support properly. I will then cap the runner with a 1/2 strip of solid UHMW I get from a supplier in 4ā€™x8ā€™ sheets or in remnants. The strips will be drilled and countersunk for stainless flat head screws recessed 1/8ā€ minimum. The final addition before attaching UHMW strips is to run over router table with half round fluting button lengthwise on 1 1/4ā€ centers. This is to allow hose or pressure washer to effectively wash out salt residue.
 
#21 Ā·
Well if you pardon the play on words, that sounds like a ā€œbullet proofā€ bunk system that should outlast the boat itself much less your lifetime. Sounds like serious over kill to me using expensive hardwood for trailer bunks on an older trailer with cancer. They are just not that tough to replaceā€¦. But it would make a great selling feature if ya use enough bondo and paint on the trailer.

I just rebuilt my old tube steel trailer to get it structurally soundā€¦.. or rather patched it up with reinforcements to extend the life rather than replace it. That part was time consuming, but not too expensive. I also considered using the UHMW slicks over my 2x6, but was concerned about it being to rough on a fiberglass hull.

anyone else have an experience with using that on a glass hull? It might make cranking that heavy boat of min up the trailer easier. Iā€™m just concerned about the hull. Kirk
 
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#26 Ā·
I used cedar 2x6 with trex on top because I had some laying around. No problems for last 7 years. Success may depend on spacing of supports and boat weight. Neither cedar or trex are cheap though, so If I was going to buy something, Iā€™d spring for aluminum or galvanized channel with plastic on top. Uhmw may be a little too slick for me. I donā€™t need the boat flying off the trailer, and itā€™s nice if it can stick a little when loading, especially solo
 
L
#25 Ā·
Just an option

Call IRC aluminum, coast aluminum, alaska copper and brass, and get a quote on a 20 foot stick of 6061 T6 1x4 or 1x6 Rect tube, 1/8th inch wall.
Or, channel with 1/8th wall.
Cover it with trex. will last forever.

A load calculator I use shows the 1x4 rect tube supporting 1000 lbs at the center of a 3 foot span.
the 1x6 around 2000.

I put Trex under my 20 foot Duckworth with a 454 and I only used 3/16ths flat bar about 3 inchs wide. Its still straight.

The ultimate bunks would be bullet proof.

If you've got an aluminum boat, it is far stronger than any bunk system you put in.

So when I pull my boat on the trailer the hull is only making contact with the very front the bunk, boat doesnt make full contact till I ppull it up the ramp. So there really shouldnt be a ton of stress on the bunks. . Fiberglass may need more support along the length of the bunks????

Also, I made stairs for my pool out of the original trex from some 25 years ago???? They are still good to go.
 
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