H260 Trailer Mods, Maintenance and Setup

Click to expand

The H260 Trailer is a fairly frequent discussion item on the hunterowners.com forum. If you are modifying a trailer to fit the H260, check these dimensions for the stock trailer manufactured by Magic Tilt. The Magic Tilt trailer has surge brakes on one axle. Virtually all boat trailers have surge brakes while electric brakes are common on travel trailers. However, since electricity, salt, and water really don't mix well, electric boat trailer brakes are rare because they require more maintenance.

A properly loaded trailer has about  9 - 12 percent of its weight on the tongue. The stock trailer weighs 1280lbs. The combined H260 trailer &  boat combination weighs almost 5800 pounds with a tongue weight of 600 pounds including water, engine. Adding the usual "stuff" probably adds another 250 pounds or so. Make sure you have a vehicle that is capable of handling this load safely. There is a lot more on this subject at this link.

Maintenance instructions for the trailer are at this link: H260 Trailer Maintenance

Loading the trailer
The Magic Tilt trailer for the H260 is versatile and durable. However, it is sometimes hard to get the boat centered on the trailer.  Many owners have added a keel alignment device so that the boat automatically centers itself. Here's my approach.

Binding on Trailer hitch extension
It can also be a challenge to pull the tongue extension out. There is an upward pressure on the ball end of the bar forcing the other end of the bar down causing some binding. The lip welded on the cross piece at the aft end of the tongue helps distribute the weight from the forward to the back of the tongue. 

Early on,  I tried to extend the tongue by hand but it was too stiff. I greased the tongue but all that did was attract sand and dirt making it even harder to slide in and out and I ended up with black grease stains all over everything. What a mess! Hunter recommends using the vehicle to extend the tongue. Some people also advise slacking the winch cable before pulling the extension out. 

I have not found a gentle way to do this. I block the trailer wheels and use my car to extend and contract the tongue. This works OK for pulling the bar out, but by using the car to slide it back in place I have distorted the crossbar a couple of inches in the middle where the tongue slams into the crossbar. Most of the summer the boat is on a mooring, but when I dry slip the boat I leave the tongue extended in between sails and I now try to keep the tongue from slamming into the crossbar. 

Inserting the pin
Getting the extension pin in and out can also be a struggle. I use a large heavy duty screwdriver to align the top and bottom holes. One owner reports good results using a large marlin spike to align the hole. Another has ground the stock pin to a point. A hammer is sometimes needed to align the holes and drive the pin home.

This year, I'm going to take the whole thing out of the tube, clean it good, straighten the cross bar, and try to come up with a better technique for pulling the tongue in and out.

Click any Picture to Expand

Other Stuff:
The front roller can easily scratch the hull during loading. Here's an idea  for fixing this problem. Some owners have replaced the black roller with the non-marking kind. Also, don't forget to carry a spare tire and hub. Check the winch cable for breaks. Also, check all bunk brackets on the trailer.

Click any picture to expand

	Left: Stock bow roller lasted two seasons & left black marks on bow Right: This is the replacement roller. Note the roller guard to prevent scratches to the bow when loading the boat.
	The H260 is a heavy boat and I've hauled it over some pretty rough roads. Another owner alerted me to the possible problem of broken trailer bunk brackets. When I checked, one was broken completely, another was cracked. Bought several brackets from http://trailerpartsdepot.com  The item code is PT2060, Bunk, Bracket Angle (Mt Ld) $1.04 each. I bought 5 because that was the minimum order quantity.
Tires - Here's some tire stuff from various sources: Tire size: F78 -14ST or ST205/75D-14. The ST stands for Special Trailer. ST rated tires have a stiffer sidewall than passenger car tires and are able to take more abuse, like dropping off the edge of the road, or hitting curbs. Passenger car or light truck tires are not designed to take the trailer sway and heat generated from it. Trailer tires (ST) also have higher inflation pressures (50 pounds and up depending on the load rating). This results in a cooler running tire. Car tires these days are rated at 36 PSI max. They are ok on a very light load but are not recommended when the tires are loaded at or near their maximum load capacity as boat trailers and RV's typically are. To extend the life of your tires here are some suggestions:http://www.ufpnet.com/ For short term storage: Store in a cool, dark place at maximum inflation. Use tire covers to protect the tires from direct sunlight. For long term storage: Put the trailer on blocks to take the weight off the tires, lower the air pressure and cover tires to protect from direct sunlight. Care should be taken to avoid prolonged tire contact with petroleum based substances: oils, fuels and asphalt. Use thin plywood sections between the tire and the pavement. Note: put jacks and blocks under the axles not the frame. Age: Trailer tires don't get enough miles on them to show significant wear. Replace trailer tires every five to seven years, whether they look like they're worn or not. Other: After a blowout on a tandem-axle trailer, you should consider replacing both tires on that side. The remaining tire was likely subjected to excessive loading and, as a consequence, may fail in the near future. If you do not know the exact weight of your trailer, keep the ST tires at the maximum cold psi.
Wheels and Bearings: Check the boat yard. How many trailers have a spare tire and hub? I've never had to replace a tire or bearing - I check the tire pressure and make sure I have plenty of grease in the bearings. I did repack one time and all I needed was seals. Hunter/MagicTilt probably used various suppliers, but my MT trailer axles/brakes are supplied by UFP If you must replace the bearings you are looking for the L68149/L44649 bearing kit. Bearing & seals come individually but if your bearings are shot, a bearing kit might be cheaper as it has usually has everything you need. Less than 15$ per wheel. Unique Functional Products (UFP) is the manufacturer of the axle and brake system for my 2003 MagicTilt trailer. UFP recommends bearings and seals designed expressly for marine use. My contact at UFP is Lyn Dyer LDyer@ufpnet.com, 800-854-1905 ext.107,  UFP recommends Waymire Corp, 1280 N. Senate Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202,  317-631-7551. Here's another source for the kit  http://www.etrailer.com/p-BK2-100.htm . This site has a great video on repacking bearings for marine applications. A great refresher. The only thing I would add is to use a plastic hammer and a block of wood instead of a claw hammer to seat the races and seals. The video does not deal with buddy bearings. Getting the bearing buddies off is simple; start at 12:00 O'clock and tap on the protector all around the front edge until it comes off. Use a block of wood to reinstall the protector. Go to the UFP website for information on maintenance of trailer brakes and bearings. I purchased a spare hub so I could have a built up spare wheel on the trailer.
Hub: Dexter 8-248 Bearing Kit: 1-3/8" Inner bearing number L68149 1 - 1-1/16" outer bearing number L44649 1 - Inner race L68111 fits inner bearing L68149 1 - Outer race L44610 fits outer bearing L44649 1 - Double lip seal - OD P/N 32373 1 - Grease cap P/N 07509/07500 1 - Cotter pin
Trailer Winch: Nylon winch cable is easier on the hands than wire.

Click HERE for More Pics and Discussion on the H260 Trailer