North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Hi all,

Heading out to Wiligi in a couple of months for the first time. I'll be towing my 5.5m Plate boat. Just wondering what spares people would recommend taking for the trailer. My trailer is a dual axle C-Chanel and is pretty solid in construction and only 3 years old.

The list I have so far is
1x spare complete leaf set
U-bolts x 6
Additional spare wheel and Hub
2x bearings and grease
Axle
Trolley Jack
Studs for skids (Square head) x 10
Full tool kit.

If any of you that have had misfortunes travelling this way could add to my list of things you wish you had, it would be much appreciated.

Chris

Tyre pressure gauge. Ran my trailer at 20psi and didnt have an issue, and its a sh..ty telwater ally trailer

Should have all you need there mac10, but if you take jacks advice and deflate your trailer tyres once you cross Cahill's you shouldn't have any issues, and as importantly as deflating - slow down. V

Thanks guys, are you still tide restricted at the crossing at the start of July? Tide looks to be about 5.8m at the time I want to cross.

Best thing that we took was a piece of timber that fits exactly between the spring hanger and the axle. This can be secured with multiple large cable ties or some rope and duct tape. This piece of wood stops the axle from slipping backwards (especially when you lose the locating lug / spacer between the axle and spring).

Make sure that the boat motor is secured to stop it moving both up and down as well as sideways. One of the boats in our convoy broke the stainless steering arm, luckily it was on the way back home and not on the way there.

Cheers

Warren

When the tide comes up it stops everyone who owns there own car. It is salty. Make sure u can move nuts to change a tyre. If the corrigations are bad take it slowly.

I second Swoffa's comment on the timber packer to secure the axle in place. I borrowed his one day coming out of Corroborie.

Also, take as many spare wheels as you can. I shattered 2 rims and a set of springs and ran home on 3 wheels with the axle tied up to the U/S of the trailer.

Now days dirt roads make me loose sleep.

Anyone got a picture of this timber packer in place? I cant visualise what you mean?

mac10 wrote:Hi all,

Heading out to Wiligi in a couple of months for the first time. I'll be towing my 5.5m Plate boat. Just wondering what spares people would recommend taking for the trailer. My trailer is a dual axle C-Chanel and is pretty solid in construction and only 3 years old.

The list I have so far is
1x spare complete leaf set
U-bolts x 6
Additional spare wheel and Hub
2x bearings and grease
Axle
Trolley Jack
Studs for skids (Square head) x 10
Full tool kit.

If any of you that have had misfortunes travelling this way could add to my list of things you wish you had, it would be much appreciated.

Chris

Mate you have enough there.......I mean you cannot account for every contingency unless you take a whole spare trailer with you and what you have is a lot more then most take!

I went up to Coburg towing my 6mtr polycraft and didn't take all the spares you have, I always have spare bearings and grease, spare hub, wheel (sometimes 2) U bolts and some spare studs (just in case).

Don't be tempted to totally load your boat up with gear while towing, this is often what causes the damage especially on tinnies, so heavy stuff like extra fuel should be carried in/on the vehicle if you can.

Then as others have said, drop your tyre pressures after Cahills and keep the speed down.......breakages usually occur when patience runs out.

Just got back from my 3rd trip there. Road was awesome. Between cahills and the coburg turn off it was rough, after the turn off I set the cruise control to 80 and relaxed. Won't stay like this for
Long though. Lower your tyre pressure, keep the boat light and slow down and you'll be fine. The best thing I did was build an extension for the drawbar. Took all the stress out of the beach launch even when it blew up

and PS Gold colored lures, big laser pro's, giant Halco Tremblers - were doing the damage. Only had 4 gold lures and once they were lost/smashed we struggled a bit. Hit the sandbar on copeland island straight in front of wiligi with small metals and fast poppers on the early incoming tide for awesome queenfish and trevally action. Had a couple of fish a cast sessions with fish to 70cm

JackH, here is a photo of the timber packer. It is held in place by cable ties, rope, lots of duct tape or a combination of all the above. The timber wedges behind the axle stopping it from sliding rearwards.
The piece of timber also doubles as a engine support, a Powertail pacifier, a wheel chock, a hammer or even fire wood in the event that you run out...

Thanks Swoffa....

when you heading up mac10. i just booked yesterday for the 17/18/19 june

Lets not forget a permit??