Boat Trailer Work in Fargo

[Bri-guy]

Anyone have a recommendation for someone to look at my boat trailer in Fargo/Moorhead area? My tires are not wearing evenly (only the inside tread is wearing) and I would like to find someone who can fix the problem or tell me if my current trailer is shot.

Any recommendations are appreciated.

 

[SupressYourself]

Your trailer is not "shot", it's just out of alignment. Any good alignment shop should be able to fix it. I had mine done a few years ago at Fargo Tire. You'll probably need to replace the tires too.

Note: The inside tire wear may indicate that they axle is not heavy enough for the weight of the boat + gear in it. In that case, alignment is only a temporary fix.

 

[guywhofishes]

 

[Bri-guy]

Yikes, my wear looks identical to figure 3. It's a 1991 boat with a 2001 motor, so the trailer has been in use with that boat for a long time.

If it is the axle, where would I go to get that replaced with a stronger one?

 

[guywhofishes]

any trailer parts dealer

I think KDM had his replaced in Fargo after a spectacular bearing failure - or was that SDMF?

 

[Spinnerboy]

Talk to Matt at ok tire in Fargo. He can straighten your axle no problem. About $100 if I remember right. Did my trailer a couple years ago.

 

[SupressYourself]

If you've gone this long without getting the axle straightened, the boat is probably only mildly overweight, or maybe you've just gone down some rough roads lately. I would just get it straightened.

 

[SDMF]

any trailer parts dealer

I think KDM had his replaced in Fargo after a spectacular bearing failure - or was that SDMF?

That was me. I had mine done by the salvage yard/auto repair place near the airport in Valley City (can't remember the name) because they were the ones that had a flat-bed retriever truck that could get my boat back to town from the approach I had to leave it on when the bearing blew and the hub essentially welded itself to the axle-shaft.

Buddy of mine had one done @ the Main Ave location of Fargo Tire.

 

[Wild and Free]

Most any bigger alignment shop should be able to do trailer axle alignments which is done by bending them, the best way to do it is to have the boat at full load meaning as much weight in it as you would trailer it with to get the proper amount of bend in the axle to where it would ride, full tank of fuel at minimum. I always have axles aligned on new to me boat and light duty trailers once I get the load on it even my travel trailer axles have been done. Part of proper trailer axle alignment is to also have the axle adjusted forward or back for the correct tongue weight distribution "If it has an adjustable axle" Some boat trailers do some don't have saddles that slide on the frame..
The price of an alignment is about the price of a pair of tires at most, well worth the time to have it done.
I have had a couple stock trailers aligned too over the years but didn't have any load on them lol, they can overcompensate just a bit on heavier trailer axles.
I used to work at Inland truck parts and service and when in the old location where RDO trucks is now had an alignment pit which made doing trailer axle bending a breeze also did front axle bending on OTR trucks the same way but they were a huge PITA!!

 

[wby257]

You may only have to rotate your axle 180 degrees to fix the problem. It could be a easy fix or your axle shafts could be bent.

Either way its a easy fix.

You could go to Fleet Farm and buy a new axle and not worry about fixing the old one.

 

[AaronJ]

OK Tire (North of 12th ave N west frontage road) for alignment.

Metz Trailers in West Fargo for anything else trailer related (just south of main on 9th street).