# Trailer crossmember replacement



## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Have a 2008 Venture aluminum trailer that needs the front crossmember replaced. Crossmember is bolted to the inside of the I beams.
Eyeballing it, am I correct that the only way to remove/replace is that the I beam frame on one side has to be unbolted and moved out to clear the part?


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## answer24 (Jan 15, 2008)

I did mine when you remove the old one the trailer will close a little ,i used a porta power to spread it open,do the rear one first .of course you will have to get boat off of trailer when you do this


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Hmmmm. So you unbolted both of them, took the rear off to spread the frame to slide the front one back to the rear?
Did you loosen the I beams where they met at the tongue?


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## murfpcola (Aug 28, 2012)

Y’all write this down. Kanaka asking a mechanical question&#55357;&#56832; I would agree from your pic that you will have to loosen quite a bit of hardware to get that out from between the I-beams.


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

If I end up doing this myself, I'd really hate to have the trailer fold up like a cheap erector set in the trailer parking area at the boat ramp. :no:

The interesting part is that I haven't seen the "Bring it to us, we can fix it" posts yet. Must be a PITA. 

Gonna stop by a few trailer shops next week.


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## Murphy's Law (Sep 27, 2007)

kanaka said:


> The interesting part is that I haven't seen the "Bring it to us, we can fix it" posts yet. Must be a PITA.




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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Cut a 4x4 slightly longer than the distance between I-beams and hammer/wedge it in place to remove the cross member. Should take the strain off and keep it there until you get a new one.

This coming from the "Stupid tax" idiot.


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## floater1 (Oct 31, 2007)

I can fix it for you bring it to my shop 2201 west navy blvd The key to it is get boat off of trailer you can contact me at 850 602 143 four thanks kris


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Mark, bring it to the house....I got that hoist and all kinds of room to work now, we'll do it!!!!


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

One of the PITA factors in doing this is having the boat off the trailer. Not happy with leaving it tied off at the launch and I'm not in the area.
Already have the replacement piece.
Going to pre soak the nuts on the trailer w Kroil in a bit.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Mark, I have a buddy up here who has a pond with a launch so it would be private if you want to leave it there....


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

That would work. Was going to ck with Eglin about storage/wet slip.
I'll PM you.

Trailer place was pretty up front about the issue. Didn't know how much because it might be easy or become a PITA. He did mention about the base marina for the boat.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Talked to my buddy this AM and he said he has launched a 18 ft bass boat in it, we can just hook it up to my truck just in case we need 4x4... But he said it was OK with him...


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Crossmember replacement epilogue: Jason and I got together yesterday.
Dumped the boat in the water and looked at the trailer at his place.

He thought I was crazy with the plans to unbolt stuff and slide the crossmember back thru the frame. 
I thought he was crazy for thinking the thing would pivot out by just unbolting it.









What have I got to lose, go for it. As soon as one side was loosened, the frame spread open like a clam shell.  Mind you, the axle and rear crossmember were still "securely" bolted.
Crossmember pivoted out and replacement went in the same way.









Needless to say all fasteners got snugged down, guess a 11 year old trailer needed it. Yes all moved 1/2 to 1 full turn.
Done, thanks Jason. :thumbup:


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

good for you!!!!


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Damn that's a sexy joker in the pic!!! Glad we got it done it alot easier fashion then you thought. When the ole lady asked about it, I told her it went great since it was your trailer. Ifin it was mine, we'd still be out there!!!! Or I would have cut it up into scrap and had to buy a new one!!!!


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Went to finish the charge on the batteries yesterday and about a hour later I thought there was something cooking onboard.
Was the cosmoline smell from the anti-corrosion spray I put on gassing off in the "heat" of the afternoon.


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