I need to replace the bow rubber roller on my boat trailer. I thought it would be an easy task to remove the bolt, but I discovered it doesn't have a threaded bolt it has those kind of metal caps that one taps on to the end of a steel rod. I have attempted to remove one of the caps but without success. On each end there is a short rubber roller and then on the inside there is one longer roller. The outside rubber roller prevents me from getting a good grip on the outside of the cap to work it off. I tried drilling a hole in the center of it so that I could attempt to drive the rod forward and in the process pop off the cap, but every time I attempted to drill the cap my drill bit slides off. I have attempted to use my punch to make a starter point, but that cap is apparently made out of extremely hard material. Perhaps if I had a large pair of needle nose pliers I could grip the outside lip enough to work it off. Does anyone have any other ideas?
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Those are the same caps as on my trailer rollers. I found the best was is the use a hack saw and score the cap on the side (where the lip is) and then grab it with vise grips and rip the sucker off. You can find new caps at any hardware store and they are inexpensive (about $0.50/each). I fought with mine for a while trying to knock it off with a screw driver/hammer. They definitely do their job and hold on.
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Thanks Scott, and I may have to do that. If I do I would end up also having to replace one of the side rollers (see attached pictures). I was wondering if I cut out the middle roller (the one that I need to replace anyway) if I might be able to grip the steel rod there, with a pair of vice grips, and then tap the side of the vice grips, and in the process pop off one of the caps?
[inline "Roller side view.jpg"]
[inline "Roller front view.jpg"]
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I see your issue. I'd just man-handle that thing with a large, flat screwdriver and some needle nose vise grips or just needle nose pliers. Keep prying at it until you get it off. These are the same thing that keeps my lawnmower wheels on and if I take them off I end up having to replace the rod caps. As I said, they are cheap, so sacrificing one cap won't hurt.
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have you tried using two large screwdrivers, prying from opposite sides of the cap?
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I'll give that a try.
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Kent,
Get right down rough with it. Look for the places on the outside of the cap where the indentations are. That's where the "grippers" are. Pry the flange with a big screwdriver next to one of those. Pry and pry some more and eventually it'll begin to move. Pry on the opposite side & it'll also begin to move. Then just swap sides until you get it off. Failing that, I can teach you some Marine Corps words that might help.
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Tom, I will give it a try. The biggest problem I have is that the caps are recessed from the overhang from the outside rollers. As a result it is difficult to get anything under the caps to pry on them. I have removed these type of caps before but I had better access to be able to pry on them.
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I have a Dremel power tool and some grinding wheels that I'd be happy to let you use to grind through those suckers. All ya gotta do is get one side loose and the shaft will slide out.
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[quote GEEZER] Failing that, I can teach you some Marine Corps words that might help.[/quote]
This I can attest to.[bobhappy]
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Well, it is fixed. Following Tom's advice I had my neighbor use his Dremel tool to grind it off. It has been replaced with a nut and a bolt. Should be much easier to replace next time I need to do it.
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Reading this thread I was thinking, "well once you do get them off, replace them with a bolt, nut and lock washer combination" But I see you did just that.
Every bolt on my trailer has a washer under each "turning surface" (bolt head and nut) then a free running nut, then a fiber lock nut. Have never lost any of my nuts (mechanical fasteners with an internal inclined plane, that is) [sly] And anytime I remove something that is bolted on to the trailer, I replace the hardware with new stainless steel fasteners.
You won't have any more trouble with those rollers now.[laugh]
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