# McClain trailers



## poppincork (Jun 28, 2004)

Maybe this will help if your buying a trailer!
I recently bought a boat at Witts and it came with a tandem aluminum McClain trailer..Today talking to McClain they charge $165 for their saltwater model. Mine was bought for a bay boat. It is not the saltwater version. It has plated stainless parts instead of stainless.

I would have been happy to pay the difference for the salt water version. So make sure you get the one you want if you buy one! One way to identify the saltwater version is they have protection covered side boards bolted to the the fenders to protect the side of the boat.The fresh water version has bare fenders.... I feel really bad about them not giving me a choice? I might get the hardware and replace it myself if I can buy it for the $165...


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## jtburf (May 26, 2004)

I own a McClain and They are the Biggest Pain in the Arse to deal with ...your better off repairing it your self !!! also seal your lights before you dunk it other wise you soon be replaceing them ....John


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## Tail Chaser (May 24, 2004)

*McClain*

I've got an OLD McClain that needs new springs and u-bolts. I called them to see about bringing it in, and it was all the guy could do to discourage me from doing so. He said that it was by appointment only and if I missed the appointment I'd be charged $50! Apparently they're really busy right now. I bought the stuff myself for less then $100 and am planning on doing it myself tomorrow.


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## JOKERSWILD (May 21, 2004)

I agree with the rest my trailer is 7yrs and the springs and hubs have aleady been replaced (my self) McClain wouldnt even return my calls. As of last week I lost another hub so I will be fixing it instead of FISHING! When I get a new trailer it will not be a McClain and I will lean twards something with more alum.
What really get me is those berings didn't have over 200 miles on them and the hub was still full of greese...oh well
joker


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## boashna (May 28, 2004)

your dealer boat dealer decides what to put on your trailer ,mine was half salt package and when rust showed up in hidden places like under the trailer , I demanded travis boating to fix the problem ,it took 2 visits but mcclain got the dealer to pay for it. if you grease and rust proof the lights in addition to unpluging them before entering the water , you wont have light problem for a long time. zero problem from my trailer after 125 fishing trip in salt water .


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## fishdoc1 (May 22, 2004)

Igot one thing to say about trailers http://www.techsuntrailers.com/ :smile: :smile:


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

Just bought one form techsun. Cant say enough about them guys. They built one for me for a 30ft boat, triple axle, 15k load lmt, no leaf springs stainless hardware and I hope I dont have to use as I got it for some insurance in case of hurricane. Didnt have a 2 5/16 ball and they give me one and a special pigtail for my wiring harness. WW


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## bones (May 26, 2004)

I've got a McClain and it is a pile of junk. It is supposed to be the salt water model but it has more rust on it than the _Titanic._ I recommend any other trailer available.


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## grinderman (Jun 22, 2004)

Amen, fishdoc1.

I've had a Techsun for about 1 year and love it. I've had 2 minor problems- 1st, they use sealed lights, which are awesome, but I had a bulb fall out of its bracket inside the sealed housing. Called them up on a Wed. and they shipped me a new one at no cost to me and I had it by Friday. 2nd opps was I lost a dust cover on the hub. Called and they shipped me not one, but 2 covers at no cost. 

I think the trailers are great, but their customer service is nothing but first class. I too would highly recommend them to anyone looking at trailers.


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## fishdoc1 (May 22, 2004)

grinderman the only thing i found i didnt like was putting the covers back on after greasing the brgs. how often do you grease the brgs?


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## kenny (May 21, 2004)

I launch my boat 4-5 times a week and my three year old Mc Clain trailer is doing fine. No problems. 
I do rinse it off everytime, I also spray it with Corroision X every couple of months, and I grease the hubs about every two weeks. 
Maybe some of you expect too much........like replacing dust caps on hubs.


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## jtburf (May 26, 2004)

Kenny then tell me why I had to take a brand new McClain trailer back to them. One week after I got it to have the fender's Moved back 1.5" because they mounted it wrong .. and that Old man Joked and Said " I knew several went out bad ... was just wondering if the owners would notice" .. that's straight from the horses face!!!

John


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## bones (May 26, 2004)

The axel on my McClain was crooked out of the factory and had to be replaced. The cheap tires wore out after only a few hundred miles and had to be replaced. The winch and it's attaching hardware do not function well because of the rust. 

Do I recommend a McClain?

Of course not.


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## kenny (May 21, 2004)

I'm just lucky I guess!
John, I'm sorry you got a bad trailer, and bones your crooked axel, and everyone else's problems, but I also know how easy it is to be negative and trash someone or something on a medium like the inet. My next trailer will be aluminuim made by whom ever has the best deal.


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## grinderman (Jun 22, 2004)

Fishdoc,

I'd have to say I shoot some grease about every 3rd trip. I've gone as much as 6 months without greasing and it still only took one pump to push grease back thru the posi-lube. I just take a pair of needle nose pliers and grab the edge of the rubber boot and pull it off. What I guess I'm referring to is the entire cover and rubber boot - I lost one and had another look like it loostened a little. Paul told me to take them off, place them on my 2" ball, put a 2x4 over the top, and take a mallet to them to flair the edges out. Did that about 5 months ago and no more problems. 

Kenny, no offense, but my point was that the guys at Techsun stepped up to fix even the smallest problem without any hassel or charge. It seems from reading this post that some owners of Mcclain trailers are having problems with Mclain service getting some more important things fixed.


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## kenny (May 21, 2004)

"Bad customer service is never good business".


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## BradP (May 24, 2004)

Add mine to list of shotty trailers. I got smart and after 2 years into the 3rd repair on same trailer I took it to Sportsman and had my galv trailer done right with Sportsman's parts....it went from lasting 7-8months before repair to no problems for 3 years...funny! I used


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## gds (May 22, 2004)

I've had my aluminum McClain for about a year and half now, it has the stainless package and I have absolutely no rust on it.I also have the sealed lights and have had no problems with them, I believe that there are differant packages that you can buy with cheaper hardware and I can see where that would be a problem.


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