Can a Wobble Roller on a Boat Trailer Be Held In Place Using Only Retaining Rings

Published 05/01/2014

Question:

I have an old calkins trailer with 4 8 inch keel rollers and 8 4 inch wobble rollers The wobble rollers shaft has 2 washers. Shaft looks like it was pressed to create 3 bulges on it to hold on roller. How do i hold on new rollers. Are the retainer rings strong enough to hold it if boat presses on roller outward. rollers do not sit flush on hull so it is putting more pressure on one side of roller than the other. I have adjusted but it still wont sit flush.

asked by: Josh

Expert Reply:

A wobble roller retainer ring such as # CE10981 can work to hold the roller in place provided you are using the right size ring for the shaft of the roller. For example # CE10981 will fit a 3/4 inch and 1-1/8 inch shaft.

You would want the weight evenly distributed to avoid uneven wear and the potential loss of a roller. The boat itself may not be balanced which could be causing the issue. It is also possible that the trailer itself, not just the rollers, needs to be checked and repaired or adjusted as needed.

You could also think about adding additional rollers for more support so that each roller has to do less work.

expert reply by: Michael H