GUIDE ONS?

I want to put guide ons on my trailer before my season starts.

What can I expect the cost to be making them myself compared to buying retail? :?:

I guess I'm really asking this;

What have you guys done? :?: :?:

Would you mind posting some pics (or links) here so I can get some ideas? :idea:

I would certainly appreciate it!

Attached below is a link that might help you. I think a lot depends a lot on the size of your boat & the water conditions at your ramps. I bought a pair of pvc guide-ons from Cabelas Bargain Basement.

They are great when I load in my protected cove, mostly they are like goal posts to help me center my 10' foot Jon boat on the trailer. The few times that the wind & waves came up, I have bent the mounting posts because I had to come in from upwind at an angle and had to use them for leverage to get the boat on the trailer. My buddy has a heavy boat and uses the rub board style guides that take a lot of abuse. His guide-ons did not move & I straightened my up later. Regardless, either type can make the difference between getting the boat on the trailer or not.

https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=29246&p=308608&hilit=Ladder+guide+so+on#p308608

I just installed a set this week. I bought the side bunks from Academy Sports. Cost less than $120.00 and easy to install, especially if you have access to an impact driver (battery powered worked great). I haven't had a chance to try them yet, but they look great.

Now to move the lights and tag from under the boat and mount them on the uprights.

Good choice.

My trailer came like this so I had nothing to do with making them. But these are some of the stronger and better ones that I've ever used. First of all they are strong. The front support bar is probably over kill but it is solid square steel stock. I think it's one inch square. The back support is hollow 1.5" square tubing. It also has a second brace to the rear. It has a piece of sheet steel welded to the top of the bunk support and the tail light is attached to the back side while a yellow marker light is attached to the front side. The wires are routed up through the hollow support tubing so the stay hidden and out of the way from being snagged by anything. The lights are high enough that they never get wet so there's no blown bulbs or no need of disconnecting your lights at the lake. And they are easily seen over the tailgate of a truck so backing the trailer up is easy even when it's empty. The yellow marker lights on the back side of the tail lights makes it so much easier to back the trailer up at night.

Thanks for the ideas, guys - please keep them coming!

i went to a muffler shop and bought 1 1/2 inch tubing (outer diameter) i t was 2 foot long and then went to a steel shop and bought 3/8" x 2" flat steel 4 feet long.

I cut the tubing and the steel plate in half then welded the tubing to the steel plate and then got pvc pipe that is 1 1/2 inches inner diameter and slid the pvc over the tubing and then I am going to bolt them to my trailer.

I haven t gotten them put on the trailer yet but they seem to be very strong if it ever quits raining I will put them on try them and report back.

Jonmac I am looking to do the same. Do you have any pictures?

bdrechsel said:

Jonmac I am looking to do the same. Do you have any pictures?

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No not yet as soon as I can get my Daughter over here I will have her take some and post them.

I just put a set on from Sturdy Built and they are solid as a rock. No way I could use the boat with out them. Best hundred bucks spent on the project yet. I did the pipe style. Link below.

https://www.sturdybuiltonline.com/Boat-Trailer-Guide-Ons_c_172.html

jonmac said:

i went to a muffler shop and bought 1 1/2 inch tubing (outer diameter) i t was 2 foot long and then went to a steel shop and bought 3/8" x 2" flat steel 4 feet long.

I cut the tubing and the steel plate in half then welded the tubing to the steel plate and then got pvc pipe that is 1 1/2 inches inner diameter and slid the pvc over the tubing and then I am going to bolt them to my trailer.

I haven t gotten them put on the trailer yet but they seem to be very strong if it ever quits raining I will put them on try them and report back.

Click to expand...

Sorry it took so long to get the pictures, hope they help.

Mine is similar to one posted above. Long Side bunks Best way to go IMO. you have a guide all the way up. Once the bow is in, it's cake from there. Makes loading a breeze.

Uprights are angle iron and have been sturdy enough to last about 20 years so far. And as mentioned lights mounted up keeps water out and helps you see the trailer.

Doing some rehab on the trailer

here is what i did, let me know if you need details

Nice bunks!

Might try those myself!



Randy

muzikman said:

Nice bunks!

Might try those myself!



Randy

Click to expand...

thanks, inexpensive and easy to do. hardest part was coming across a decent metal drill bit and then drilling the holes....everything else was easy to do

I bought a piece of 1" square tube from Lowes & 4 ubolts and a piece of PVC with 2 end caps to slip over the tube (I believe it was 1.5"). I had some steel scrap at home or I would have needed a piece of angle too. Cut the square tube to size and bolted it to the trailer brace and slipped the PVC over so it can act as a roller to a certain degree.

I'll throw up pics when I get home, very inexpensive though, probably <$30 in materials, most of that is in the 4 u-bolts.