Bent spindle/trailing arm 2016 Boatmate

[Bakes5]

Ok....so hit a little curb the other day and now my front tire is not perfectly straight up and down. Visually looks off and is clearly off when I put a level on it.

Doing a little reasrach, it looks like I just need to replace the trailing arm/spindle that I apparently bent. I will call boatmate tomorrow and order.

That said, do I need to be looking at something else as well? I read that these things bend pretty easily.

Also, I'm gonna do it myself. Anyone else do their own trailing arm replacement? I'm pretty handy with a wrench and it looks to be pretty simple. Just looking for any tips or advice that you learned the hard way.

Thanks

Bakes.

[Bakes5]

So I orderd a replacement arm. Arm, bearings and rotor was $160 with shipping. I'll let you know how the install goes.

[hcooperrn]

I've replaced a trailing arm before, I was careful to index it -- I made a couple of hash marks on the bent arm and the axle, transferred the mark to the new trailing arm, and then realigned to keep all evened out. Other than that, I was liberal with the heat to get the bent one off easily. Not sure if that helps, it's pretty straightforward I think.

[freeheel4life]

X2 on above post. Each tooth is 6degree change. So making sure you get new trailing arm indexed same as the old one or it will affect ride height. Also it's been a bit but I can't remember if it's Boatmate of Metalcraft, but one does a hardline to brake assembly, and one does flex line. If it's hardline you will have to crack the line to move rotor and caliper out of the way. Which means breaks will need bled after if you do. I believe 16 Boatmate has a flex line that allows you to just move the whole assembly out of the way.
I have boatmates service info on a thumb drive from when we went to the factory. Will see if I can dig up any info on it tomorrow at the shop and will try to post it here.

[UNSTUCK]

How can it only be a hard line? The brakes are constantly moving. There has to be a flex line at the pivot. Maybe a hard line after that I guess.

[freeheel4life]

Manufacturer just puts a bend in line to take up slack. Mind you this is not a torsion bar trailer that pic is from, and it's a drum.

Found my Boatmate thumdrive and their instructions on how to replace. Will try and post it here after work.

[freeheel4life]

Servicing/Installation of UFP Adjustable Trailing Arm on Torsion Axles
The UFP torsion axle offers the Unique feature of having an adjustable ride height and separately serviceable trailing arm. The trailing arm is on a splined shaft that allows adjustment every six degrees, which translates to about 3/8” to ½” of ride height adjustment with each notch. Trailer manufacturers take full advantage of this adjustability, and install the trailing arms at a variety of angles to fit various fender, tire, and wheel styles. The removable feature also allows the trailing arm to be serviced separately to address bearings or brakes on the axle.
This service bulletin assumes an existing trailer is being worked on, and the trailer is being returned to its original specifications. General information on installation on new trailers is provided below and attached only for reference. If servicing a trailing arm on an existing trailer, the intent is to install a new or serviced arm at the same installation angle/same amount of tire clearance as the original. Service procedure follows below:
1. Jacking and Supporting the Trailer for Service: If the trailer has a boat or other heavy load on it, take this into consideration as possibly removing the boat or load may make the job easier. Before jacking up the trailer, be sure you are working on relatively level ground and the trailer is secured against movement during jacking or servicing. Don’t leave the trailer tongue solely supported by the tongue jack. Securing the trailer can be sometimes be accomplished by attaching the trailer to a tow vehicle ball, and ensuring the tow vehicle parking brake is set and its transmission is in park/gear. Jack up the side of trailer to be serviced either by jacking on the axle beam immediately adjacent to the axle frame mount bracket or by jacking directly on the trailer frame just behind the frame mount bracket. Take care to protect the trailer paint with a block of wood or carpet and avoid brake lines when jacking. Don’t jack on the axle beam in the center or far inboard of the frame mount or you can bend the axle and damage it. Jack the trailer up just high enough so that the tire will barely hang free of the ground when the trailer is supported by jack stands. Insert jack stands under axle beam or trailer frame immediately adjacent to the jacking points. Be sure the trailer is absolutely secure against movement before removing the wheel and tire. 2. Remove the wheel/tire assembly and set it aside. 3. If the axle has disk brakes, and disk brake caliper service is not required, remove the two bolts holding the brake caliper to its mounting flange on the trailing arm, and carefully tie the caliper out of the way with a piece of rope, etc., so you do not have to remove/open the brake lines. If the brake lines are opened, you will have to bleed the brakes on the trailer when done. 4. If the disk brake caliper must be disconnected from the brake line for later service, disconnect the flexible brake hose going to the caliper and temporarily plug the open end of the line with a golf tee or other plug to keep the brake fluid in the line from running out. At this point, the caliper can be removed from the trailing arm, or can come off with the trailing arm assembly when it is removed. 5. Once the trailing arm is hanging unloaded, and before removing the large bolt that holds the trailing arm in place, determine the original installation angle of the trailing arm in one of two ways, detailed below. On the same trailer, all torsion arms should be set at about the same down angle, as close as you can get with the 6 degree notches.

a. The installation angle can be measured directly with an inexpensive magnetic protractor available from Sears, Lowes, Home Depot, or other tool store. Each notch on the trailing arm is 6 degrees adjustment. You will want to re-install the new trailing arm at this same angle. b. The installation angle can be measured just as well indirectly by measuring from the top of the brake rotor or hub vertically to the bottom of the fender. You will want to reinstall the new trailing arm at this same distance vertically to the bottom of the fender. 6. Remove the large bolt and nut from the end of the trailing arm. Insert a wedge or thin chisel into the slot to expand the splined end of the trailing arm slightly to make it easier to get off. If you spread the trailing arm more than necessary, it actually makes it harder to get off because the splines will then bind on the opposite side from the split end. Take a mallet or shop hammer and drive the trailing arm off the splines from the rear. In cases where corrosion has made it difficult to remove the trailing arm, you can use a puller, but will have to remove the brake rotor for access. Be ready to catch the trailing arm as it comes off the end of the splines, since the weight is off center. 7. Clean the splines on the axle end, and apply anti-seeze liberally to the splines. 8. Reposition the new or repaired trailing arm and align with the splines at the same down angle or fender clearance measured in Step 5 and press it back on the shaft until the bolt hole in the trailing arm lines up with the bolt radius cut in the shaft. Install the trailing arm bolt, nut, and washer and torque to 150 foot pounds. 9. If a disk brake caliper is being reinstalled, the caliper bolts must be installed using Loctite 242 or equivalent, and torqued to evenly 55 foot pounds. Tip: If you received new caliper bolts from UFP with Loctite patches on them, it still doesn’t hurt to add the Loctite 242 as well. If using a Loctite patched bolt, install it fairly quickly and fully seat it as the Loctite will set up fairly quickly. If you take your time and slowly tighten one bolt and then the other, the Locktite may set up before the bolt is seated. 10 . If the brake lines were removed from the caliper, reconnect the brake line, and just tighten the fittings until they are snug, since they seal with a flared fitting. Bleed the air out of the brake lines in accordance with the bleeding instructions available in the actuator owner’s manual or available from UFP. 11. Reinstall the wheel/tire and torque the lug nuts to the trailer manufacturer’s recommended torque. After towing the trailer a short distance, recheck the lug nut torque again. Wheel nut torque is very important on a trailer, as these fasteners are generally loaded much higher than those on a car or light truck. 12. Remove the trailer from the jack, and reinspect the fender clearance versus the original or expected ride height. All tires on the trailer should have the same fender clearance within ½” or so when done.

sorry the cut and paste jammed it all together. didn't bother with pictures. any info needed I have more service info relating to alignment, bearing service, actuators etc

GOOD LUCK