Dodged a "Bullet"

[Bassassin]

Thanks guys for all the feedback and commiserations, I really do appreciate it.

I did recover the axle and the wheels are both turning freely so it doesn't appear to be a seized wheel bearing.

I heard something break then the boat and trailer went into the air before coming down, minus the axle, onto the deck, throwing the bakkie off the road onto the shoulder. I am pretty sure that a U bolt snapped, it also looks as though one or more of the bolts attaching the leaf spring tore loose from the frame, there is a jagged hole where the spring was attached. Not sure what was the first to break though.

[crankystanley]

main thing is the bakkie didnt roll or crash and you are not injured...we had a wheel come off the trailer once that was scary enough...loosing the whole axle :blue-shock:

i assume the axle has nyloc nuts holding everything together so the chances that they could have come loose is small...it sounds like one side of the axle came loose then twisted and ripped everything loose...do you think one of the bolts snapped or the thread was not long enough to go thru the nyloc completely allowing it to come loose?

any chance you could have hit a pothole which broke it loose?...if the roads are anything like they are here in durban you spend have your trip swerving potholes the roads are shocking.

[Bassanator]

Hey bro, not good at all, I'm in the same boat... 5 months ago the same thing happened to my triton but the neck snapped and my mate almost rolled, triton did really help me and looked after me but the thing is I feel thyat the trailer was still under warrenty and wanted a new one from them but no go, and there is no legal advise you can get as you have no leg to stand on as the will turn around and tune you it was your mistake you know they will find any execuse not to pay

[Hawkeye]

Bassassin,sorry and sad to see such damage to your rig . What a nightmare :blue-doubt: I guess that is the last thing one would expect. I do believe that trailer manufactureres have to be "registered" and comply with certain SABS standards. Once the experts have checked it out maybe they will determine the cause of the failure.
I really hope you will not be without a rig too long and back on the water soon :blue-confused:

[Bassassin]

triton did really help me and looked after me

I'm glad that Triton at least assisted you, in my case the manufacturer has shown very little inclination to take the (many) problems experienced with this boat seriously. Thus far I have had no reply to my communication with them about this latest mishap.

[August]

Holy sh*t!!!!!!!
That is one bad ass accident.
Seems like you dodge a bullet there....
If you want a good quality trailor,speak to the poeple at Brilliant bass. They are slow with every thing they do, but the end reasult is high quality. They supply the trailors that carry the skeeters, they are also putting them underneath the terminators now, like mine. Extremely well built and tough trailors. Big wheels and brakes and everything. Worth while.

[Bassanator]

Well I'm still waiting on triton in the US to reply

[Bassassin]

So my boat was transported to Cape Town yesterday and I have had a chance to have a closer look. The hull seems to be ok, same with the outboard although next week we will know for sure.

The wheels are turning freely so there was no seized wheel bearing and the road on which I was travelling is actually quite good without any major bumps or potholes. The U bolts are still in place, from the photos below it appears that one of the leaf springs ripped out of the frame. What is apparent is that the frame seems to be made from a pretty thin steel, as far as I am aware SABS standard is 3mm (please somebody correct me if I am wrong). Putting a rig with a replacement value of close to R180K on a trailer that is not strong enough for day to day conditions just doesn't make sense to me :blue-shock:





Below, my poor boat being offloaded

[August]

Same happened to me with a previous boat. Luckily not at great speed. Once when I took it out on a bad slipway and once hitting a pothole. Had to re do the main frame with thicker metal.

[CrankbaitCarl]

Hi Chris, definetely stress corrosion cracking of the weld.The HAZ(heat affected zone) was not stress released after welding which caused it to crack.That amount of welding onto 1,6mm sheeting is way out. The thickest fillet weld that you can apply should never exceed the thinnest part you are welding to.A doubling plate(reinforcing) should have been wrapped and welded around the area where the axle bearing plate is supported.
Shit design and bad workmanship coupled with unqualified welders caused your problem.
I do not understand how people design trailers without an engineers input,
maybe they think they know it all.
My advise to boaters is to have an engineer check out the stresses and strains on the frame before using it.
And please the clever guys, don't tell me "but he has been building trailers for ages".My trailer was built by a well known manufacturer . I had to make substantial changes as it was falling apart. After doing some calculations I was horrified to see the under design.
The manufacturers stamp 750kg on the frame to get away from legislation, whether you load a Ranger or a Dragonfly.
I hope you are insured properly as I have been thru this in May 2007 and luckily I had good insurance.

[Bassassin]

Thanks for that Carl. I am insured, I have notified my brokers and the assesor will come through next week. Currently the boat is at Richard Blair's place, he's closed until Monday, not much that can be done before then. Once everybody is back at work we can get the ball rolling to get repairs started and an insurance claim in place.

[Shannon]

Carl is right, bad design and bad workmanship.
The metal inside the tubing is also very rusted for an 8 month old trailer.
When you get a new trailer make sure it's galvanized, you stay at the coast, even though you are using it in freshwater, the sea air eats mild steel for breakfast.
Even a powder coated trailer will rust, one trip over a bad gravel road puts chips into the paint and the rust starts quickly from there.

[CrankbaitCarl]

If you want to I can run a calc to check the rest out. I can do a FEA (finite element analysis) as I do it everyday in my work environment.Richard does CO2 welding and does not stress relieve the welds, so the design of the connections need to be checked for that kind of welding.
Remember your trailer is in cyclic conditions whilst driving and does not just carry dead weight.
Make sure the same thing does not happen again.

[Bassassin]

Carl, I might just take you up on that, I'll call you next week. Thanks for the heads up, I'll stress what you have said when I talk to Richard.