About to buy A mac- 1998 26x Need Advice

tkanzler · Jul 19, 2011

Sounds like a good deal to me, assuming the sails are in good condition, and the hull doesn't have serious damage.

Trailer brakes are easy to replace. I had the same problem (2 axles on mine, though), with brakes burning and trying to lock up due to extreme wear. I had to remove them just to get the trailer home after launching by pulling the shoes out, which is probably what the seller did to the trailer you're considering.

I'm assuming that trailer has a single axle. A set of 10 x 2-1/4" drum brakes is about $110 US (etrailer.com) for new backing plates, slave cylinder, shoes, springs, etc. complete. Pull the drums, bearings, and seals (which you should also replace, anyway), disconnect the brake line, and it's just 4 bolts holding the backing plate.

The drums are probably fine. Brakes lines, maybe not so OK, given their age, and the fact that the OEM stuff wasn't stainless.

You can rebuild the coupler, if it needs it, and it probably does given its age. If it's the original steel MacGregor trailer, it's a DICO coupler, and it's welded on. If you're not into torching or grinding off the welds and bolting a new coupler on (complete), you can get a complete replacement master cylinder for around $60, or half the cost of a new coupler.

Check the date code on the tires. It's the last 4 digits in the string of letters and numbers after "DOT" on the sidewall. Assume they're old, and budget for replacements. If they're painted wheels, I'd just buy two new tires on galvanized wheels. Eastern Marine has them on sale right now in the $88 (ST205-75D-14" load range C rated 1760 lb).

Look for the leaf springs separating - usually a sign they're getting tired. Not expensive to replace, but that's just another thing. Also check that the axle and/or spindles aren't bending, causing the tops of the tires to tilt inward.

Look for rusted fasteners holding the bunks onto the trailer, and especially rusted structure (bolts should be SS anyway, IMO). I lost one bunk board when I launched the boat this spring. I have to cut away some of the rearmost channel iron cross-bar and replace it so the bunk bolts have some steel under them.

Figure on new lights. Sealed LED units for over 80" trailers (they have separate clearance lights, outside the regular taillights, but part of the same unit), plus an amber clearance light on the front of the fender (again, since it's over 80"), plus amber side marker near the toungue, plus red ID lights (three red lights in a horizontal line at the center of the trailer, spaced 6-12", like you see on all big trucks). I picked up the Harbor Freight LED tail light kit, which seems to be identical to the Wesbar and other units, and it's fine. If you don't want to dunk it in seawater, make them removable, or put them on a bar mounted to the boat, on a long cord, and remove it when you launch.

http://www.easternmarine.com/ST205/75D-14-Tire-Galv-Rim/

Justin_NSA · Jul 19, 2011

Seems like a lot of money. And then you'll want to spend $$ on improvements. I'm partial to the classic Macs so don't heed my words.

tkanzler · Jul 19, 2011

Oh, almost forgot. If it's the OEM spinnaker, it's an asymmetric, and you don't need a pole. Easy to fly, but easier if you have a separate spinnaker halyard above the head stay. If the boat has the spinnaker, and the genoa, it probably has the tracks on the rail at the cockpit, so you're most of the way there, if not all the way.

MrBill_FLL · Jul 19, 2011

drum brakes always seize up. you want SS disks for a trailer (IMHO), so thats a normal maintenance item.

run a compression test on the engine. steering is also a maintenance item.

price seems about right if everything checks out..

& I think you'll find more x owners on macgregor-sailors.com

gl!

WHAT are you pulling this with?

Sumner · Jul 19, 2011

Don't go over there without coming back, but like MrBill said there are a lot more X/M owners over here....

http://www.macgregor26x.com/forum/index.php

....and that might help you. Like I said though stick around here also. You are allowed to visit more than one Mac Board

.

I can't tell you much about your decision on the boat, but here is some info to think about on the trailer. If the brakes are disc then it is easy to replace parts. If the brakes are surge drum then I'd switch to disc instead of putting more money into the drum brakes as they are harder to maintain in a wet environment.

Our trailer didn't have brakes and had only one axle. When I added...

...a second axle...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor2/misc-pics-18.html

... I also ...

.... added surge disc brakes from these guys....

http://www.blackbearsportinggoods.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ELLTIED82101&click=12

...and they have a good price on the kit right now, under $400 plus shipping. If the trailer has the brake backing bracket welded to the axle this should be a one day job to convert with the above kit. You could check with Tie Down and you might be able to get by cheaper by using the existing surge/master cylinder on the tongue and just buy rotors, calipers, and lines, but if the trailer has much usage I'd just start over again with the right parts and new stuff all the way around.

We have about 5,000 miles on the brake/2 axles and love the setup.

The brakes work great and the harder you stop the harder they apply.

Good luck,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

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tkanzler · Jul 19, 2011

Since the last two posters brought it up, I should mention that that is exactly what I'm in the process of doing - adding disk brakes to one axle (of two, on my modified 26X OEM trailer). The whole kit, with coupler (bolt-on), brake lines, rotors (including bearings and double-lip seals), and calipers is just a little over $400 from etrailer.

That's with a coupler with manual reverse lock-out, which I want since I don't want to cut into the backup light circuit in any of the several vehicles I'm likely to tow with for an electric one. With disc brakes, you must use some sort of reverse lockout, as disc brakes work equally well in either forward or reverse (unlike drums, and especially free-backing types), and you can't push the trailer backwards without some lockout system.

I mentioned the drum rebuild because it's the cheapest option in the short run.

Sumner · Jul 19, 2011

tkanzler said:
...The whole kit, with coupler (bolt-on), brake lines, rotors (including bearings and double-lip seals), and calipers is just a little over $400 from etrailer.

That's with a coupler with manual reverse lock-out, which I want since I don't want to cut into the backup light circuit in any of the several vehicles I'm likely to tow with for an electric one. With disc brakes, you must use some sort of reverse lockout, as disc brakes work equally well in either forward or reverse (unlike drums, and especially free-backing types), and you can't push the trailer backwards without some lockout system....

The Tie Down kit has the backup light circuit activated lock-out, but also there is a hole in the coupler that you just put a pin in and it is then manually locked out. When we are at the ramp I pull the trailer plug to cut the power to the trailer and put the pin in while I'm there. On the road though I really like the backup light activated lock-out as I never have to think about getting out and putting a pin in if I'm someplace that I now have to back up at. It is amazing on a long trip how often this happens.

It wasn't that hard to do the wiring for it, but if I was only going to occasionally tow with a different vehicle I might not do it. At home I move the boat/trailer around with a hitch on the front of the Suburban and put the pin in then.

I also have a 2 axle, electric brake car hauler flatbed trailer and I like the surge disc brakes way more on the boat trailer than I do the electric drum on the car hauler, you are going to like the new brakes.

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links