How tight do you make your bow roller to the boat? My Stoltz is so tight it’s leaving orange marks on the boat and I think caused a few stress cracks

[NewBoater]

Guys I’m not gonna lie I tighten the bow roller really really tight and maybe too much based on my orange Stoltz roller is coming off and leaving marks on the boat and now I think I see a few hairline stress cracks. When it’s tight I continue to tighten and make it even tighter until I physically can’t make the crank turn anymore. My logic is less bumping around and moving back and forth on the trailer potentially bouncing up and down during travel on the stoltz.

Maybe I’m going way to tight? Anyone ever had the Stoltz start rubbing off on the boat? Do I need be worried about these hairline cracks?

How many cranks do you do extra once it’s touching the roller? I still can crank it around tons of times after it’s touched.

As you can see in this picture my Stoltz bow roller is dented in these areas where it was so tight. I guess I need to replace it as it’s only going to keep leaving marks on the boat?

Thanks

 

[Crob83]

Guys I’m not gonna lie I tighten the bow roller really really tight and maybe too much based on my orange Stoltz roller is coming off and leaving marks on the boat and now I think I see a few hairline stress cracks. When it’s tight I continue to tighten and make it even tighter until I physically can’t make the crank turn anymore. My logic is less bumping around and moving back and forth on the trailer potentially bouncing up and down during travel on the stoltz.

Maybe I’m going way to tight? Anyone ever had the Stoltz start rubbing off on the boat? Do I need be worried about these hairline cracks?

How many cranks do you do extra once it’s touching the roller? I still can crank it around tons of times after it’s touched.

As you can see in this picture my Stoltz bow roller is dented in these areas where it was so tight. I guess I need to replace it as it’s only going to keep leaving marks on the boat?

Thanks

Does it even roll? If not than its most definitely too tight

 

[NewBoater]

Does it even roll? If not than its most definitely too tight

Not sure I’m guessing not

 

[yam240sx]

get a softer roller , rubber ... the hard plastic is overkill ..

 

[Wayloncle]

I think you answered your own question, in my opinion, yes you are cranking too tight. I crank mine until the roller is against the bow eye and stop there, I don’t think there is a need to keep cranking tighter.

 

[NewBoater]

Alright boys spent the morning cleaning up the Stoltz bow roller marks off the front of the boat with my finger nail and tons of rubbing and elbow grease with a microfiber towel. Here are the remaining stress cracks on front of boat. How big of a deal are these? Do I need to repair them or it’s not a big deal and just don’t crank boat so tight to roller anymore? I had to use flash to capture them as they can’t be seen unless your really looking for them. Thanks! Here’s some before and after pics. Also added a few more pics of Stoltz roller that’s scratched up and leaving these marks on the boat. Going to install another one and not crank as tight going forward. I only use the trailer once a year to take it Lake Gaston for a week and the rest of the year the boats on my lift in the backyard.

@HELP

 

[Farny]

Alright boys spent the morning cleaning up the Stoltz bow roller marks off the front of the boat with my finger nail and tons of rubbing and elbow grease with a microfiber towel. Here are the remaining stress cracks on front of boat. How big of a deal are these? Do I need to repair them or it’s not a big deal and just don’t crank boat so tight to roller anymore? I had to use flash to capture them as they can’t be seen unless your really looking for them. Thanks! Here’s some before and after pics. Also added a few more pics of Stoltz roller that’s scratched up and leaving these marks on the boat. Going to install another one and not crank as tight going forward. I only use the trailer once a year to take it Lake Gaston for a week and the rest of the year the boats on my lift in the backyard.

@HELP

I just received my Stoltz roller and haven’t installed yet. I noticed a greasy substance all over it. Wonder if it is something that needs to be revisited periodically?
Also - is it possible to replace the roller with the boat on the trailer?

 

[tkeru408]

Also - is it possible to replace the roller with the boat on the trailer?

I think it's possible but it's a heck of a lot easier to do it without the boat on the trailer. I did it after dropping the boat in the lake on a day that it wasn't busy and I didn't need to rush to get out of someone else's way. If you have your tools laid out and ready to go, the replacement process only takes a few minutes.

 

[Crob83]

I just received my Stoltz roller and haven’t installed yet. I noticed a greasy substance all over it. Wonder if it is something that needs to be revisited periodically?
Also - is it possible to replace the roller with the boat on the trailer?

I did mine on the trailer, you should be able to get enough space to remove the old one and replace it by loosening the winch a little bit. Would def be easier with the boat off though!

 

[Farny]

I did mine on the trailer, you should be able to get enough space to remove the old one and replace it by loosening the winch a little bit. Would def be easier with the boat off though!

Thanks - just impatient . And my wife usually drives the truck when we launch / retrieve. She’s to nervous to dock the boat. Was looking for alternatives

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Farney If you cant get enough clearance, put a couple of 4x4's or blocks with a good cushion under the keel toward the front and then just lower the trailer tongue down a couple of inches, the boat will be pushed up. I used some of the 4x4's and a Life Preserver cushion on top so not to mark or damage the keel.

 

[Farny]

@Farney If you cant get enough clearance, put a couple of 4x4's or blocks with a good cushion under the keel toward the front and then just lower the trailer tongue down a couple of inches, the boat will be pushed up. I used some of the 4x4's and a Life Preserver cushion on top so not to mark or damage the keel.

Brilliant!!!!

 

[1BadTundra]

My Bow roller doesn't roll... Should it? I always thought of it more of a Bow bumper...

 

[Seadeals]

It is good to have it roll under a little effort. Depending on angle of boat ramp, you may end up contacting up high and then climbing up the roller. That will definitely leave skid marks if it still can’t roll under that load.

 

[1BadTundra]

I bought the Stolze roller, I had to pry the mount open a little bit to get the inner part inside of it. I don't see how this could roll. I had never seen any marring or scratching at all from it not rolling.

 

[1BadTundra]

I bought the Stolze roller, I had to pry the mount open a little bit to get the inner part inside of it. I don't see how this could roll. I had never seen any marring or scratching at all from it not rolling.

Pics of my roller... Is this not the right one?

 

[1BadTundra]

I was always told not to crank it until its that tight. Your stress cracks are probably from you winching the backer plate through the hull. I always heard to crank it until it sits on the bow roller, not squishes it. Then use transom straps. I trailer 60 miles to the bay, we've done it like this for 15 years now. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[Crob83]

Pics of my roller... Is this not the right one?

looks fine to me

 

[Farny]

Pics of my roller... Is this not the right one?

It looks like your bow is not touching the roller. The bow should be touching at minimum. The roller looks ok. What size is it? Should be a 3.5 inch center roller if you have the 19ft boat. Spoke to the supplier today because they sent me the wrong size. I asked them about the lubricant that came on it and whether I should periodically lube it. (Might help avoid marring). He said you can but not necessary. But he also said it should be free enough to roll slightly.

Unfortunately I made this mod too late and have marks from the stock shorelander roller already

 

[HangOutdoors]

I did mine without the side larger side bells so the hull sits solid against the center roller snug. With the side bells it looks like you have to crank it down to get the center to be firm and solid. The smudges you see are from the stock POS roller from the day I brought it home. This pictures was right after I took delivery.