Can You Drill Into a Crossmember on a Boat Trailer to Add Retractable Transom Tie-Down Straps

Question

Question:

I am looking to connect boat buckles like: BoatBuckle G2 Retractable, Ratcheting Transom Tie-Down Straps - 43 Long - 833 lbs - Qty 2. My stock trailer rusted out and I needed to get an aftermarket trailer. There is no real way to get to the side of the trailer based on where the transom eyelets are at. Can I drill one hole for each side into the 3x3 crossmember to install the buckles? I see others doing it, but would it affect the strength of the crossmember? I will use washers and bolts and drill all the way through. I can send a picture if you like. Thanks!

asked by: James C

0

Expert Reply:

Drilling into the crossmember at the back of the boat trailer to add the BoatBuckle G2 Retractable, Ratcheting Transom Tie-Down Straps # IMF08893 should not have any adverse effects on the strength of the trailer.

That being said, the best way to get peace of mind is to contact the trailer manufacturer for their opinion on drilling into their trailer.

expert reply by: Scott S

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Answer 1

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 2

Hi Paul, you’re definitely on the right track here, and I can help you narrow this down with confidence. With your tandem 3,500 lb Dexter axles and 33 inch spacing, both the Dexter EZ Flex part #K71-652-00 and the Lippert Road Armor part #LC53CK are…

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Answer 3

Hey Andrew! Yes, Furrion does have a Chill Cube model with a heat pump. This was actually just released for aftermarket sale. You will need a complete system to make the switch, new R32 units aren't backwards compatible with old R410A systems.…

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Answer 4

It sounds like you are speaking of the wires for the brake magnets. If this is correct, you will need to connect one of the wires to the brake controller output wire on your trailer connector and the other wire will need to be grounded to a clean…

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Answer 5

The #84 spindle is just a common way to identify the spindle dimensions typically used for 3,500 lb axles. So instead of listing out the parts, people can just say they have #84 spindles and it's easier to know what fits it. The CE Smith Trailer…

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Answer 6

That's a very good question, we tend to be extra cautious and say to use 10 gauge wire because that would be more than enough. When you get into longer trailers that will end up using a lot of wire the heavier gauge wire becomes more necessary.…

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Answer 7

The 5.30-12 tires, being wider, are going to make more contact with the road. This means that the noise, and heat build up will be higher than a 4.80-12 tire but the rolling resistance will actually be less because the tire is larger diameter. The…

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Answer 8

The difference between an load range C and load range D tire in the same size is the capacity and psi rating. The two tires will still have the same dimensions and fit on the same wheel. The D rated tire has a higher capacity. For a ST175/80D13 like…

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Answer 9

A trailer that is over 80 inches wide is required by DOT regulations to have rear clearance lights. An over 80 inch taillight kit, like part #TL16RK, will have the side clearance light built into it. An under 80 inch taillight does not have the…

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Answer 10

Hey Eli! The first thing you want to do is make sure you have brake flanges on those axles. You also need to take a look at the axle tags and find the axle capacity. More than likely they're 3,500 lb axles so I'll answer based on that. If you…

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Answer 11

Hi Jeong-Won; the Dexter DX7.5L A-60 Brake Actuator w Electric Lockout #DX89FR fits a 3" wide trailer tongue without a specific height requirement. To add a hinge back onto the tongue you simply have to measure the height. If you have a 3"…

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Answer 12

Thanks for reaching out Robert, I did some digging and here's what I found. Optronics bracket #A65PB is a single wire design that grounds through the mounting hardware. I checked through Optronics for the 2 wire to find that it's been…

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Can You Drill Into a Crossmember on a Boat Trailer to Add Retractable Transom Tie-Down Straps

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