Zim
06-06-2013, 10:48 AM
I thought I'd post this to help anyone looking for a solution to their broken/worn out actuator parts on their swing away trailer tongues. Not sure what years this will apply to, but I wanted to post it anyway.
My trailer is a 2006 single axle boatmate trailer with 4" tubing and swing away tongue. The original actuator was made by the brand "Reliable", but they have since gone out of business. I bought the boat used, and the previous owner didn't take care of the trailer (or boat for that matter), so I had a little work I needed to have done. The boat would "slam" forward when I'd brake, and "slam" back when I took off again. I had the trailer inspected and basically every part in the actuator was bad. Resevoir was bone dry, master cylinder trashed, spring worn, etc. After researching and learning that reliable no longer made parts for their actuators (since they're out of business), I learned that boatmate has transitioned to using the UFP actuators instead. After more research, I learned that Boatmate wasn't the only trailer manufacturer to use Reliable brand actuators either, in fact, MasterCraft used these actuators for a long time on their trailers built in house. In fact, UFP has since made a new actuator which is a direct swap to the old Reliable set-up that came stock on their boats. After learning this, I called up Waymires (trailer parts store) www.waymires.com, and had them do some measuring for me in hopes that my set up would swap directly with this direct bolt-on made for the MC trailers.
Turns out, the measurements came back positive. If you look on waymires website, you'll see the mastercraft retro-fit available there. The measurements I had them check was the distance center to center from the bolt and pin that held the swing portion on the trailer. That should be exactly 4". Then just measure your tubing on the main tubing of the trailer (the height). DO NOT MEASURE YOUR ACTUATOR. You need to determine if you need 4 or 5" tubing. Most will be 4", but larger trailers used 5" tubing.
The only other modification you'll need to do is cut the safety chain mount off the old actuator, and re-weld it to the new actuator. The MC safety chains attached at a different point on the trailer than the boatmate trailers, so that is one downfall. Otherwise, this is an exact replacement. You pull the old Reliable actuator off, and put on the new UFP actuator, connect brake lines, connect the electrical for the reverse solenoid, weld on the safety chain mount, and away you go. Here's a picture for reference. The red is the old Reliable actuator, and the other is the outer housing of the new actuator. The waymires piece comes fully inclusive. All parts are pre-installed, you just need to insert the inner member into the outer member when you receive it.
http://imageshack.us/a/img37/8127/dscn1442i.jpg
I'll take a picture of it on my actual trailer next time I'm by the boat, but it works great. It's slightly longer than the Reliable piece, but at least now you'll have an actuator that a manufacturer makes parts for. Any questions, shoot them over to me.
The whole piece cost $408 shipped to my door, so for new working trailer brakes, it was worth it. I bleed them myself.
My trailer is a 2006 single axle boatmate trailer with 4" tubing and swing away tongue. The original actuator was made by the brand "Reliable", but they have since gone out of business. I bought the boat used, and the previous owner didn't take care of the trailer (or boat for that matter), so I had a little work I needed to have done. The boat would "slam" forward when I'd brake, and "slam" back when I took off again. I had the trailer inspected and basically every part in the actuator was bad. Resevoir was bone dry, master cylinder trashed, spring worn, etc. After researching and learning that reliable no longer made parts for their actuators (since they're out of business), I learned that boatmate has transitioned to using the UFP actuators instead. After more research, I learned that Boatmate wasn't the only trailer manufacturer to use Reliable brand actuators either, in fact, MasterCraft used these actuators for a long time on their trailers built in house. In fact, UFP has since made a new actuator which is a direct swap to the old Reliable set-up that came stock on their boats. After learning this, I called up Waymires (trailer parts store) www.waymires.com, and had them do some measuring for me in hopes that my set up would swap directly with this direct bolt-on made for the MC trailers.
Turns out, the measurements came back positive. If you look on waymires website, you'll see the mastercraft retro-fit available there. The measurements I had them check was the distance center to center from the bolt and pin that held the swing portion on the trailer. That should be exactly 4". Then just measure your tubing on the main tubing of the trailer (the height). DO NOT MEASURE YOUR ACTUATOR. You need to determine if you need 4 or 5" tubing. Most will be 4", but larger trailers used 5" tubing.
The only other modification you'll need to do is cut the safety chain mount off the old actuator, and re-weld it to the new actuator. The MC safety chains attached at a different point on the trailer than the boatmate trailers, so that is one downfall. Otherwise, this is an exact replacement. You pull the old Reliable actuator off, and put on the new UFP actuator, connect brake lines, connect the electrical for the reverse solenoid, weld on the safety chain mount, and away you go. Here's a picture for reference. The red is the old Reliable actuator, and the other is the outer housing of the new actuator. The waymires piece comes fully inclusive. All parts are pre-installed, you just need to insert the inner member into the outer member when you receive it.
http://imageshack.us/a/img37/8127/dscn1442i.jpg
I'll take a picture of it on my actual trailer next time I'm by the boat, but it works great. It's slightly longer than the Reliable piece, but at least now you'll have an actuator that a manufacturer makes parts for. Any questions, shoot them over to me.
The whole piece cost $408 shipped to my door, so for new working trailer brakes, it was worth it. I bleed them myself.