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Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:38 am
by Angry
Does anyone have self centering rollers on thier trailer ???

Do they work ???

Im tinking about fitting them , I drive my 460 on the trailer but want the hull to be centered on the trailer,

do these self centering rollers really work ???

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:06 am
by Swoffa
They work great......BUT they must be put on in the right direction. I have seen many boats where the self centering rollers have been put on backwards and they throw the boat off to the side rather than centering.

Check for the arrow on the side of the roller prior to putting it on!!

Cheers

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:58 am
by maxpower
Yep mine works well.

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:52 pm
by Swoffa
For those people that are having problems with their self-centering rollers, please do yourself a favour and check out the following photos.

My trailer came from the factory with the self-centering roller installed back to front and I know a hell of a lot of other people who have had the same problem.
Incorrect Roller Configuration.JPG
This is the WRONG way to have the roller fitted. Rather than centre the boat, it does exactly the opposite and throws the boat off to the side when winding it on or especially when driving it onto the trailer.
Correct Roller Configuration.JPG
This is the CORRECT way. Some rollers have an arrow to show the correct direction of travel but many don't!

I have walked around the boat ramps and noticed about 30 - 40% of self-centering rollers are on back to front. If you are having problems with the boat coming up onto the trailer straight then I would strongly recommend checking out the direction your roller travels.

Cheers

Warren

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:51 pm
by smarty
This is good news as i`m in the process with a little or actually alot of help from (UNCLDOUG) in building a new trailer and have bought a centering roller but was a little unsure of them,but it seems like there the go.Cheers all

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:23 pm
by grumpy
Hey Angry they work only problem is make sure your keel is smooth or they will rip them apart those new ones I did on mine, what 6/8 months ago? the first one is getting torn apart because my keel is flogged and rough as s..t

Remember I made the first 2 self centering it is only the first one that cops the flogging that has wear.

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:27 pm
by 2rods
Swoffa.... Why does your keel not sit on the roller ??? Is the keel raised at the rear or forward of the roller???

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:41 pm
by Swoffa
Hi 2Rods,
the keel is tapered up at the rear. She sits nice along the rest of the rollers. There is a bit of a lateral offset on the photos as there is just a little bit of play in the rear roller..

When I first picked up the boat and trailer I had a hell of a problem driving the boat on.....now that I have changed the self centering roller to the correct direction even my 12 year old son can drive onto the trailer.

Cheers

Warren

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:50 pm
by Angry
Thanks guys, thinking about putting a few on my trailer.

I put a wider axle under a Dunbier as the typical Dunbier axle being made pof Licorice was flogging the tyres out, I then fitted plastic guards so the boat sits down between the guards lowering the hieght & noticably , the centre of gravity. (Im also a short ass so its easier to get in the boat).

However when the winds blowing the boat has a habit of riding up on top of one of the guards & gets stuck on top of the guard, so I then welded two bits of Gal angle iron at about 60degrees behind the guards & bolted on the Nylon Channel that Dunbier sells to cover roller brackets, this keeps the nose of the boat between the guards & stops the boat from riding up onto the guard,........until my mate tried driving the boat on & smashed the bracket off one side !!!.

The Self Centering rollers were just to keep it centered a bit more, its not a centre loader trailer as I bought it second hand.................need to look for a bigger trailer

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:25 pm
by Mr RiverBabe
Biggest problem i find with people trying to drive onto the trailer at ramps is they back the trailer to far into the water so the boat essentially misses the self centering rollers anyways.

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Sun May 21, 2017 4:17 pm
by Flatheadchaser
Hey guys currently Dad is building a new trailer and we are trying to make the trailer self centred, hes getting older and had a few shoulder surgeries, we are putting the V guides on the back and possibly on the second row (4.55 quintrex coast runner) and now I'm thinking of the self centreing rollers as well, my question is how many do I need? just the back? The back and second? or all? So hard to set it up as Ive never done it before and Dad hates change so I just want to do it and get it right for him, once the trailer is built.
Cheers Guys, miss Barra fishing moved back home from Darwin loving the flatheads at the moment,
Tight Lines!!

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 8:02 pm
by sharkbait
I was told a while ago that you only need the rear roller as a self centring roller, so that's all I've ever used. I was also told to lift the self centring roller slightly so the bottom of the groove is the same height as the normal rollers, if that makes sense, so as the keel hits the normal rollers it won't lift out of the self centring groove. Hope that helps.

Re: Self centering rollers ...do they really work ???

Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 6:41 pm
by Flatheadchaser
Yeah that makes sense,
our regular boat ramp is kind of steep and on a bit of an angle so it will be tricky figuring out how deep to put the trailer but what ive been told is to just really put the back roller a touch under the water so the keel still hits the centring roller and doesnt float past it.
thanks for your advice will post photos of the V guides, reversing it in and pulling it out and seeing how centred it is with the angle of the ramp.

cheers!!