My 2024 pre-season prep (maintenance/upgrades/repairs) checklist

[Ronnie]

I got a good deal on this new in package tube which completes the tube fleet this year. Nice because it can be pulled from the front or back. Now back to the real work of getting ready for this boating season.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

So the weather has been sunny and hot on the weekdays / raining and cold on the weekends for the last three weeks. So much for boating or working on the boat but I am still getting what I can done. First unplanned task of today was installing a new hitch on my SUV. Pushing a trailer forward into a tight spot is a lot easier than doing it in reverse. View attachment 218007
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All that rain hopefully means full lakes and reservoirs in your AO! Nice job putting a front receiver on ! I was told once by a Minnesota native the front receiver is a MN invention!

 

[Ronnie]

Painted the plastic on the new trailer fenders.


also got a pick if the surface I’m going to put an access port in.

 

[Ronnie]

I installed the new fender supports, two nuts bolts over three hours, with new jack stands and various other tools, in the sun on a bad day if you have alllergies, which I do. These free / warranty fenders are turning out to be everything but free but I’m glad to have had the experience and that the task is done.

 

[Ronnie]

Today I sprayed some rust stop on the leaf springs and painted the brake caliper and hubs on one side of the trailer. I also replaced the bearing buddies and grease (got to use my new tool to pack the bearings, it took a lot longer than doing it by hand but I feel it got everything). Finally I cleaned off all of the grease that slung onto the rims after I overfilled the old bearings and blew the seals. Not a great pic but there is not much to see. As usual it took a lot longer than expected but the second side should go a lot faster.

 

[drewkaree]

Today I sprayed some rust stop on the leaf springs and painted to the brake caliper and hubs on one side of the trailer. I also replaced the bearing buddies and grease (got to use my new tool to pack the bearings, it took a lot longer than doing it by hand but I feel it got everything). Finally i cleaned off all of the grease that slung onto the rims after I overfilled the old bearings and blew the seal. Not a great pic but there is not much to see. As usual it took a lot longer than expected but the second side should go a lot faster.
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I might have missed it - did you get those rims from etrailer, or were those already with that trailer? I can't recall with the saga you've had with the boat, whether or not you bought the scrapped boat AND trailer, or if this is your old trailer.

 

[Ronnie]

@drewkaree , the rims, tires and guides are all aftermarket and came from my 2010 trailer. I switched out the parts before selling the 2010.

 

[Ronnie]

I Just finished painting the brakes and hub as well as replacing the bearing buddies and repacking the bearings on the starboard side of the boat trailer. I cleaned the rims and applied rust guard on the leaf springs as well.

Tomorrow I plan to remove the original glass and replace it, or most of it with the glass from a 2017 AR 240, I may have to have the two side parts (triangles) cut from plastic. Either way i w got to modify the frame, the first gen 240s have windows which are shorter and not as long.

 

[Ronnie]

Houston, I have a problem!

however, I also have a solution, I think.

The problem being that the black bottom frame of the glass from the 2017 ar 240 is not only a little too long, it also curve upwards at the end. It looks like it rises about 2” from the start of the curve to the end of the frame. The bottom rail of the silver 2010 frame is close to flat.

Of a few alternatives, I thinking of just cutting the bottom and top frames of the 2017 so that I ended up with only the three forward facing windows/windshields. I will need to round the corners at the top and put a vertical stabilizing post on each side. I’d also try to order up some seadek from jet boat pilot to cover the original mounting points for the side windows. This maybe a temporary solution until I buy the replacement glass for the 2010 set.

what do you guys think?

 

[drewkaree]

What is the amount that needs to be removed? I've seen diamond sanding blocks used for concrete, and I'm wondering if that might work, if the amount isn't huge. I've never used them, but it seems gentler and possibly less chance for breakage if sanding vs cutting.

No idea or personal experience, just offering ideas. Look for concrete countertop tools - I think there's grinder disks and blocks, not sure if the cost would be prohibitive either.

 

[Ronnie]

What is the amount that needs to be removed? I've seen diamond sanding blocks used for concrete, and I'm wondering if that might work, if the amount isn't huge. I've never used them, but it seems gentler and possibly less chance for breakage if sanding vs cutting.

No idea or personal experience, just offering ideas. Look for concrete countertop tools - I think there's grinder disks and blocks, not sure if the cost would be prohibitive either.

I’m not in a position to try to rebend /straighten the bottom rail of the frame to make it touch the boat and I can’t reuse the 2010 frame because the curve of the windshields is less steep on the 2017 frame. My original plan was to cut the ends of the top and bottom rails to fit and have two custom side windows made from plastic. Cutting the side window to fit was never in my plan, if it’s safety class like the the front panes it would likely just shatter. The only things holding my shattered window together were the tiny and frame.

 

[Ronnie]

I removed the 2010 glass and replaced it with glass parts from a 2017 this weekend. As usual it took a lot longer than expected. This will be the first season in three that I can see through my front windshield.

I may fill the rear frame with glass or plastic if time permits.