Q&A

Q. I sure hope you can help me. I am launching with the rear wheels of my tow vehicle halfway underwater. The exhaust pipe isn't submerged but all it takes is a wave and then it's underwater. I have a 24-foot Boston Whaler. Do you think a hitch extension (or is it called a tongue extension) would work? Or is this something I shouldn't waste time
worrying about? Thanks for the assistance.
T. Dellums, Lake Lanier, GA

MIKE: I would go the route of using a tongue extender. Submerging your wheels halfway is about halfway more than I would feel comfortable with. Certainly there are cases where your tow vehicle tires will get wet but I wouldn't go as far as halfway up the wheel. As you have pointed out, it would only take the wake of a passing boat to put your exhaust under water. The extenders are easy to use and only take a few minutes to set up once you get to the ramp. Just be considerate and do it off to the side so that you are not causing a back up in the ramp line.

DUSTIN: You have to be careful of hitch extensions because they greatly reduce the intended weight capacity of your tow vehicles hitch. I would look for other ramps that allow you to launch easier and/or a lower trailer. If that's not an option, just practice getting that exhaust a few more inches out of harm's way. And if all else fails, just make sure your engine is always running to push any water back out of the pipe. Most properly running cars can handle the backpressure of a few inches of water.

Q. Is there a trick to replacing bearings, adding grease and ensuring there's no air pockets in the grease around the bearings?
J. Hilliard, Indianapolis, IN

DUSTIN: Make sure you replace the bearing and the race. A race driver set is worth its weight in gold. Bearing Buddies will fill the void and spinning the wheel while adding grease will also help. Be careful not to overdo the grease because you can damage the grease seal.

MIKE: The trick to thoroughly greasing your bearings and leaving no air pockets is to get a bearing packer at your local auto supply retailer. They are very easy to use.

This tool forces the grease through the inner side of the bearing and out through the bearing frame openings on the outer surface. It is a lot cleaner and more efficient than packing the bearings with a palm full of grease!

Q. I have a boat that weighs about 3,000 pounds and the manual trailer winch has bit the dust. Do I gain anything by getting an electric winch instead of a manual one and what do I need to consider if I go electric? K. Luscomb , Burlington, VT

MIKE: Your back (or your spouse) will thank you for the experience of loading the boat at the push of a button. There are even remote-control operated units that make it easier for single-handed launching for those days where you either want to get out by yourself or can't find any takers for a day out on the water.

The other factor that you have to take into consideration is the cost. The manual winch for your boat will run you around $100; the electric winch will be closer to the $400 mark.

If your wallet can handle it - go for the electric winch. Just make sure that you get one that is rated with the adequate pulling capacity for your boat and check out the ones with the remote control.

DUSTIN: A 3,000 lb boat can easily be recovered with a good two speed manual winch. With electric winches you always want to go big. One that can haul a 5,000 lb boat would work great. Keep them clean and have the wiring for the vehicle installed properly and with large enough wire to carry the load.

Q. I can't get the actuator piston on my trailer to move at all. I've been hammering it (gently) to no avail. Am I dealing with corrosion and do you have any thoughts on getting this to work? I'm not even sure I can replace it without putting a new actuator assembly on. Help.
N. Roberts, Tucson, AZ

DUSTIN: When you get to the point that you must use a hammer, it's probably time to replace the actuator. If you free it up and it locks again going down the road you could have real trouble.

MIKE: Corrosion is most likely the culprit here. Instead of using the hammer, look for the hole/slot where you can insert a screwdriver to activate the piston; the one used when you are bleeding the brake system. On that note, try opening up the lines at the brake cylinders to let off some of the pressure and go through the bleeding procedure. Perhaps the problem is at the cylinders and not the actuator. Through process of elimination you will figure out what needs to be replaced. A new actuator assembly will run you anywhere from $200-$300.

Q. Am I better off putting metal valve stems instead of the standard rubber ones on my trailer tires? B. Harris, Spokane, WA

MIKE: I have never had anything but standard rubber valve stems on my trailers (and vehicles for that matter) and have not had any issues. I have seen some rubber valve stems on older tires that were exposed to the elements for an extended period of time, succumb to dry rot. But on those tires/wheels they had a lot more to worry about than the valve stem. Perhaps if you are traveling on rough roads in remote areas they may be a good thing to have.

DUSTIN: Metal valve stems are OK, depending on what kind of water you are launching in. If you are on the ocean in heavy saltwater, my answer is simple: NO. If you're in brackish or freshwater, you'll be OK. Arizona will be user-friendly to metal valve stems.

Q. I've got to do some repairs on my trailer wiring. Wouldn't plain old electrical tape over the connectors be enough to keep water out or is this liquid electrical tape really a better product to use? I'm old school but I'm willing to try new things. P. Dillard, Iowa City, IA

DUSTIN: The liquid tape is by far the best sealer on the market. You can really get a solid seal that tape just can't equal and heat shrink would be another option. Neither is as good as the liquid tape. Mike is going to disagree on this one.

MIKE: I vote for putting shrink-wrap over the connections for the best watertight seal. The product that I am referring to looks like a straw, although it comes in a variety of sizes depending upon the gauge, and number of wires, that you are putting through it. After it is on the connection you put some heat to it and watch it shrink around the connection for a life long seal. It is so much better than electrical tape, which will start to unravel after a year or two, and is much less of a mess than the liquid electrical tape.

Q. I'm in the market for a new boat trailer and a dealer says I want to buy aluminum because it isn't going to rust. That sounds good but I'm not sure I'm buying his sales pitch (I had a galvanized steel for more than 20 years). Is there any other thing I should know that he's not telling me? Is aluminum the way to go? B. Kester, Clarksville, TN

MIKE: If you were in Florida, or another saltwater market, I would tell you that you should certainly consider aluminum. Since you are in Clarksville, TN (not sure how often you get to the coast) I would say that your past experience should weigh heavily in your decision. Twenty-plus years of usage out of a well-maintained galvanized trailer is not unheard of, especially in a freshwater environment. My vote? Stay with galvanized.

DUSTIN: Aluminum trailers are nice but most of them have steel axles and or springs that can rust. If these parts are galvanized and the bolts are all stainless steel then you would be ahead of the game. The biggest factor in Aluminum is the weight. If that's not an issue for your tow vehicle, then galvanized is just as good in my opinion.