Can I Use Roller Bunks and Carpeted Bunk Boards Together on Boat Trailer

Updated 03/09/2021 | Published 03/04/2021

Products Featured in This Question

CE Smith Roller Bunks for Boat Trailers - 6 Rollers Each - 5' Long - 1,500 lbs - 1 Pair

(219)

$241.13

CE Smith Bolster and Swivel Bracket Assemblies for Roller Bunks - Galvanized Steel - Qty 4

(639)

$80.01

CE Smith U-Bolts - Galvanized - 3-13/16" Long x 3-1/16" Wide x 1/2" Diameter - Qty 2

(386)

$33.80

CE Smith U-Bolts - Galvanized - 3-13/16" Long x 3-1/16" Wide x 1/2" Diameter - Qty 4

(386)

$62.84

CE Smith Carpeted Bunk Boards for Boat Trailers - 7' Long - 1 Pair

(784)

$119.53

Question:

Need replacement carpeted runners on my ranger boat trailer I saw the seven foot ones can I get a set for the sides and bottom and use the exsisting hangers? Second on the side instead of carpet use the roller style do they leave marks on the fiberglass. Or are the carpeted better.

asked by: Mark D

Expert Reply:

I'll start off by saying that I've seen quite a few boat trailers that use a combination of rollers like the CE Smith Roller Bunks for Boat Trailers - 6 Rollers Each - 5' Long - 1,500 lbs - 1 Pair # CE27710 and a carpeted bunk like the CE Smith Carpeted Bunk Boards for Boat Trailers - 7' Long - 1 Pair # CE27845. The rollers definitely help if you're on a lot of shallow or steep boat ramps and combining the two gives you the best of both worlds, with the rollers on the bottom and boards up top to help stabilize the boat.

The roller bunks are made from a hard rubber that shouldn't mark up your fiberglass hull at all; they're not designed to compress, and their hardness keeps them from marking things up, so they're a great solution.

It sounds like you've got a way to mount the bunk boards already, but to mount the rollers you'll want to use the CE Smith Bolster and Swivel Bracket Assemblies for Roller Bunks - Galvanized Steel - Qty 4 # CE10003G-4. These are designed to work with the rollers mentioned above and attach directly to your trailer with U-bolts like the # CE15283GA-4; those U-bolts are 3-1/16" wide and 3-13/16" long; you'll want to choose the U-bolts based off the size of your trailer frame. I've linked all our available U-bolts for you to check out if those won't fit on your trailer.

I've also linked some review videos of these parts for you to check out, but I think combining the rollers and bunk boards will give you a nice looking and easy to use way to load and unload your boat.