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roverman
Art Gertz
Winchester, CA.
(3188 posts)

Registered:
04/24/2009 11:02AM

Main British Car:
74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L

Trailer power assist
Posted by: roverman
Date: June 18, 2015 11:37AM

NOT sports car-but, we like engineering-right ? I want to launch a 28' pontoon boat, on a "marginalized" ramp. No place to winch to. Considering something like a Kawasaki "Mule" to move/launch boat/trailer. Still likey to have "stuck" problems. What kind of simple power assist for 2-4 of the trailer wheels ? Two miles/hr. max ? Air motor via CO2 bottle ? Hz seems too complicated. Ideas please ? Thanks, roverman.


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Trailer power assist
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: June 19, 2015 09:57AM

How about a hydraulic motor on a tag axle lowered by a hydraulic cylinder with a hydropack and battery in the tool box? Might get some parts from an old Bobcat.

Jim


roverman
Art Gertz
Winchester, CA.
(3188 posts)

Registered:
04/24/2009 11:02AM

Main British Car:
74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L

Re: Trailer power assist
Posted by: roverman
Date: June 19, 2015 11:30AM

I dunno, got sketch ? "Maybe" gear reduction starter motor(s) ? They only need "forward", working in concert with 4WD truck. "Maybe" higher floatation tires, on the trailer ? Only need 400 ft./max., beyond the concrete ramp. Thanks, Art.


rficalora
Rob Ficalora
Willis, TX
(2764 posts)

Registered:
10/24/2007 02:46PM

Main British Car:
'76 MGB w/CB front, Sebring rear, early metal dash Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: Trailer power assist
Posted by: rficalora
Date: June 19, 2015 11:47PM

Quote:
Only need 400 ft./max., beyond the concrete ramp.

Sounds to me like what you really need is just some rain!!

I feel for you though. Our lake is full again, but for a few years, I had a beach that extended about 40'. Luckily I got my boat off the lift & on the trailer before it was too late and there was a ramp not too far from me that was still in the water.

400' is a long way. If the ground is dry up till the last 10'-12' or so, consider making some wooden ramps out of some 2x12's & plywood.


roverman
Art Gertz
Winchester, CA.
(3188 posts)

Registered:
04/24/2009 11:02AM

Main British Car:
74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L

Re: Trailer power assist
Posted by: roverman
Date: June 20, 2015 12:02PM

This is Salton Sea, so about 3"/year, counting on rain for help...not going to happen. Launch was built when level was above normal, via tropical storms in 76' and 77'. 300+ square miles of class 1 recreation water, with NO boats on it ! Boats would help aerate oxegen into the water, a dire need. PBA used to race here, 227' below sea level, so fastest water and densest air, in the West. Estimated 20million tilapia, too much salt content, and not enough oxegen. Cheers, Art.


Dan B
Dan Blackwood
South Charleston, WV
(1007 posts)

Registered:
11/06/2007 01:55PM

Main British Car:
1966 TR4A, 1980 TR7 Multiport EFI MegaSquirt on the TR4A. Lexus V8 pl

authors avatar
Re: Trailer power assist
Posted by: Dan B
Date: June 20, 2015 05:52PM

Low tech...Use a winch to pull the trailer out.


waterbucket
Philip Waterman
England
(112 posts)

Registered:
07/30/2011 01:08PM

Main British Car:
1972 MGB GT

Re: Trailer power assist
Posted by: waterbucket
Date: June 21, 2015 03:16PM

I am with Jim on this one, I have used hydraulic motors on all sorts of machines (agricultural) from little 2 or 3 hp ones to 65hp on hedge trimmers. You can get various types ie slow or fast turning variations as well as different operational types. Most of these have been driven by the hydraulic system on the tractor but it is easy to calculate the size pump that you need from the motor spec, ie a motor requiring 100cc a revolution revolving 200 rpm will require a 20 litre a minute pump. Motor speed can be controlled by a needle valve . How you get the drive to the wheels is the only problem, but I assume a tag axle is an additional axle which is lowered when needed. I would used a small engine (Briggs and Stratton) driving the pump with the motor connected directly to the diff input on the axle. I would use a low rpm (high torque) motor rather than trying to gear down a high speed one though.
At the moment there are two hydraulic power units on ebay for $100 each, just need converting from electric to gas engine but New Hampshire is a long way from California



roverman
Art Gertz
Winchester, CA.
(3188 posts)

Registered:
04/24/2009 11:02AM

Main British Car:
74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L

Re: Trailer power assist
Posted by: roverman
Date: April 25, 2016 05:45PM

For the sake of simplicity, I'm giving a second look to gear reduction starter(s). The boat will have 2+ deep cycle group 27 batteries, so enough power available. Cheap, available and hi-tork. Perhaps a flexplate could adapt to the back of the brake drum ? The starters would assist until trailer speed exceeded starter speed and bendix would unload. What if ?


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Trailer power assist
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: April 25, 2016 08:28PM

Start a petition to have the ramp extended.


joe_padavano
Joseph Padavano
Northern Virginia
(156 posts)

Registered:
02/15/2010 03:49PM

Main British Car:
1962 F-85 Deluxe wagon 215 Olds

Re: Trailer power assist
Posted by: joe_padavano
Date: April 27, 2016 12:48PM

Google trailer mover. There are dozens of these out there commercially plus a whole bunch of homemade ones.

[www.youtube.com]


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