Bob,
We are going with surge brakes/disc brakes on each axle. We drive on mustly flat land around here--but if I was to do a lot of mountian work, I might go with electric over hydraulic. I don't think that the conversion will be too difficult.
I'll post photos of the trailer when done. I have talked directly with the owner of Float on. They use a cross beam at the front of the trailer, instead of the roller (which really doesn't work well for a cat, in my opinion). We also will have 12 feet of slick plastic on the bunks on each side--with a good chain down system fore and aft. I am also looking at using an electric winch--the manufacture is a bit "nervous" about this--so I may put it down lower on the post, and use it just for certain situations, and for winching off, with a snatch block between the hulls--to be able to move the hull back several feet. The trailer will be tested on another hull that Wefing's has just recieved.
Our only concern was tires. I wanted Goodyear Marathons--Float on said that their cost was an additional $ 700 for 5 tires (4 on the road and one spare with hub and bearings). Each wheel/ tire is rated at 3700 lbs, and each axel at about 7,000 lbs (Tandem axle). So the capacity of the trailer will be over 13,000. The weight difference of the actual trailer between 10,000 lbs capacity and 13,000 lbs capacity is very little. We also have a number of shallow ramps in Florida, and the Float on's seem to be the best for cats down here. (that doesn't mean that it always floats all of the way on--just like it is not always "easy Loader".
We are going with surge brakes/disc brakes on each axle. We drive on mustly flat land around here--but if I was to do a lot of mountian work, I might go with electric over hydraulic. I don't think that the conversion will be too difficult.
I'll post photos of the trailer when done. I have talked directly with the owner of Float on. They use a cross beam at the front of the trailer, instead of the roller (which really doesn't work well for a cat, in my opinion). We also will have 12 feet of slick plastic on the bunks on each side--with a good chain down system fore and aft. I am also looking at using an electric winch--the manufacture is a bit "nervous" about this--so I may put it down lower on the post, and use it just for certain situations, and for winching off, with a snatch block between the hulls--to be able to move the hull back several feet. The trailer will be tested on another hull that Wefing's has just recieved.
Our only concern was tires. I wanted Goodyear Marathons--Float on said that their cost was an additional $ 700 for 5 tires (4 on the road and one spare with hub and bearings). Each wheel/ tire is rated at 3700 lbs, and each axel at about 7,000 lbs (Tandem axle). So the capacity of the trailer will be over 13,000. The weight difference of the actual trailer between 10,000 lbs capacity and 13,000 lbs capacity is very little. We also have a number of shallow ramps in Florida, and the Float on's seem to be the best for cats down here. (that doesn't mean that it always floats all of the way on--just like it is not always "easy Loader".