My Recent Experience with Replacing Keel Rollers

[bcoastal]

[0n a boat trailer carrying a] 1986 25' Outrage I replaced a two keel rollers with ones sold on Amazon.com

[The steel axle] rods used [with the new keel roller were] zinc [galvanized steel axle] rods.

[Under the load of the OUTRAGE 25 boat on the trailer] the “zinc” axle rods bent due the weight they bore, and this caused two [Stoltz-brand polyurethane keek rollers in otherwise] good condition to also bend.

I am now replacing four keel rollers with [Stoltz-brand polyurethane keel rollers] and also buying [roller axles made of stainless steel].

[The prices of the Stoltz-brand polyurethane keel rollers and the stainless steel axles has increased.] I paid $280 for four [Stoltz-brand polyurethane keel rollers and four] stainless [steel axle] rods, the lowest price I could find for them.

[Phil T]

I agree, prices are stupid.

Consider installing a roller on each side of each cross member.

I went with stainless shafts drilled for cotter pins and non-marring rollers. See

https://www.sturdybuiltonline.com/12-inch-Yellow-Poly-Vinyl-Boat-Trailer-Keel-Roller_p_2400.html rollers.

[jimh]

When I bought my 1990 REVENGE 22 W-T Whaler Drive boat as a used boat in May 2004, the trailer had black hard rubber rollers. Shortly thereafter I converted the trailer to use tandem keel rollers at the crossmembers. I replaced all the rubber keel rollers and the winch stop rollers with polyurethane rollers. I purchased Stoltz-brand 12-inch wide keel rollers, galvanized steel mounting brackets, and stainless steel axle rods. During installation the axle rods and roller internal steel collars were well greased with a marine grease.

The boat has been sitting on that trailer for an average of 50-weeks per year, as the total time for the boat to be in the water has been limited to perhaps two weeks a year. That is to say the keel rollers and axle rods have been bearing the weight for those many weeks. The boat and trailer have also been hauled many tens of thousands miles on the highway.

All the keel roller gear is still in excellent condition after almost 20-years of use, which has been predominantly in the pure, clean, cold water of Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior.

I don’t have any records for the costs I paid in c.2005, but considering the service life, the price of the Stoltz-brand polyurethane keel rollers and stainless steel axle rods was certainly worth their increased cost compared to lesser quality parts at the time they were purchased.

About the HIGHEST price I could find for s Stoltz 12-inch RP-12 polyurethane keel roller was $46:

https://www.boattrailerparts.com/12-inc ... p_203.html

For stainless steel 5/8-inch diameter axle rods for 12-inch rollers that same vendor has them for $29.

https://www.boattrailerparts.com/Stainl ... p_521.html

Eight galvanized end caps are about $13.

For four rollers, four , and eight end caps the total cost would be around $313, with tax and shipping additional.

My favorite trailer vendor is EASTERNMARINE. Here are links to their prices:

RP-13 for $31.25
https://www.easternmarine.com/12-stoltz ... 8-id-rp-12

5/8-inch rolled steel galvanized axle for keel rollers cost $5.00.
(They do not carry stainless steel axles for keel rollers.)
https://www.easternmarine.com/5-8-x-13- ... haft-86041

The total for four rollers, four axles, and eight end caps would be $158.

Also, I don’t think there is any particular difference in tensile strength between a quality rolled steel axle with galvanized plating and a stainless steel axle. The failure cited above that occurred with a galvanized steel axle was probably due to poor quality steel, and not because it was galvanized.