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D-L roller bunks provide a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to upgrade bunk-style trailers to rollers.
Features:
Specs:
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today on our trailer, we're going to take a look at the Dutton-Lainson boat trailer, Deluxe Roller bunk, part number D-L-2-1-7-4-1, and our five foot section, part number D-L-2-1-7-4-0 for our four foot bunk. Here we are with our boat trailer in the water, and we've got the standard boards. To launch our boat, especially when you're doing it by yourself, can be difficult because you've got to push the boat off. I'm in the water and it's not very easy. But with our rollers installed, the boat simply slides off. You almost don't even need to push it in. Also, just as easy as we launch our boat into the water, it's that easy to load the boat back onto the trailer.
Here's what the complete install's going to look like with our roller bunks in place on our trailer. This'll come with two sets of five foot rollers for a total of twelve sets of rollers. Dutton-Lainson also makes a four foot set of bunk rollers. The four foot long ones are one foot shorter than the five-footers here, and they have one less set of the bunk rollers. Now let's go ahead and show you how to install it. To begin our install, we're going to remove the old manufacturer's boards and brackets.
Since we're removing the bunk boards and brackets, we're just going to take the U-bolts off the frame. Quick tech tip. Before you remove your boards, take a tape measure and get the height of your board. That way, when you install your new brackets and rollers, you can set it back to the same height. Now that we have the boards loose we'll go ahead and take them off the trailer and set them aside, as they will not be reinstalled. For our new rollers, we're going to install a new bracket.
This is the Dutton-Lainson universal mounting bracket, part number D-L-2-1-7-4-2. To secure it to the trailer, we're just going to reuse the old manufacturer's U-bolt. Now once that's set in place I'm going to go ahead and tighten it down. Note for additional security, we can add a second set of U-bolts here on the other side. Now here at the center of support, we're going to have two five-foot rollers come in together.
We'll need two brackets, both getting attached to the same spot. To do that, we'll bring in a U-bolt from each side. This will secure our bracket. Now I've got my first one in place, the back side here of the center support. We've got our second U-bolt and support bracket. Now after all our hardware is in place, we'll make sure she's in position, and then tighten down the U-bolts. Keep in mind when tightening down your U-bolts, make sure you tighten them down evenly. Now once we have the center support done, we'll go ahead and install our last bracket here at the very end and repeat the same process we did for the very first bracket. Now with all our brackets secured, we'll go ahead and put our bunk rollers in place. Starting here at the rear set of bunk rollers, we'll set it onto the brackets first. Now supplied with the install kit, you'll need to add a bolt or bolt and washer for this application that'll go down through your bunk roller, then through the bracket. Underneath, I'm going to add a flat washer and nut. It's recommended to use nylon lock nuts. This will help prevent the hardware from loosening. Let's go ahead and install it finger tight this time. Now we've got our front attachment point in place we'll go ahead and do the same process here for the rear attachment point. Next, we're going to install our front bunk and rollers. It'll sit here on our forward and second bracket. But because of how close we are oriented to the rear bunk, we're going to remove the rear set of rollers and we'll need to drill at our attachment point so that we can secure it to the bracket. Let's start with removing the rollers. Using a couple three quarter inch sockets, we can simply just go ahead and remove the bolt that holds the rollers in place pause. I'm just going to slide the rollers back onto my bolt, thread that nut back on. You've got to hold them together while I set them aside. Now we'll go ahead and put our front bunk in place, set it in position on the bracket, and mark the hole. Now we'll take our bunk back off, we turn it over and drill out the hole. Now to drill out the hole, I'm going to use this small pallet bit and then open it up to my final size using the step-bit process. We're now ready to go ahead and put the bunk back in place, drop in our hardware, and secure it. Now with all our hardware in place, we'll go ahead and tighten down all our fasteners. Now with one side done, we'll go ahead and repeat the same process on the other side. There you have it for the review and install of the Dutton-Lainson boat trailer deluxe roller bunk, part number D-L-2-1-7-4-1.
Average Customer Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars (113 Customer Reviews)
D-L roller bunks provide a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to upgrade bunk-style trailers to rollers.It allows putting a 20 foot pontoon boat in and out of shallow waters without any effort.
Just remember to tie down your boat before you trailer it because it could roll off extremely easily.
First, the customer service from etrailer.com was outstanding, and the rollers were delivered on time.
The rollers are to support a 14-foot flat-bottom jon boat, with no weight of a gas motor on the transom. I saw no need to submerge the trailer to unload or load this light weight boat. Backing the wheels no more than hub-deep in the water is all that is needed for both unloading and loading.
I removed the two original 5-foot carpeted wooden bunks and their brackets. The bottom of the boat hull has 5 ribs, sticking down about 3/4”, with about 6 inches of flat space between each rib. Each tripple roller set is just under 5 inches wide, so they fit nicely between the hull ribs and thus guide the hull straight onto the trailer.
Knowing that when launching the boat it would quickly roll off the trailer, I attached a cleat to the winch stand to temporarily secure the bow rope when I unhook the winch strap. To load the boat, I attach the winch strap and then move the boat out to the end of the trailer by either walking on the plywood or wading out. Then allign the rib spacing with the rear rollers and winch the boat on.
The wood doesn’t get wet; when loaded, the boat shields more than all of it from rain. And I don’t submerge any of the wood at the launch ramp. (Note that carpeted wooden bunks DO get wet when a typical bunk trailer is submerged.)
The rollers sure make it easy. I put the boat in the water to make for an easy install. Took about 30min. to install the rollers on the new red wood 2x4's and about an hour to install on the trailer. Didn't even have to start the motor to put the boat on the the trailer unlike the regular carpet bunks. So far that is my only use of the rollers but if it was that easy then it can only be a breeze when I actually use the boat. Putting the two sets of 4's together makes for 2 sets of spare rollers if you ever need them.
Awesome! Worked great for my jon boat. I have them in use for a 16' jon boat mainly to launch on the lake where I live that is very shallow. Even with the heavy boat I can now just give it a shove off and I,m Gone Fish'n:) Take your time placing and adjusting all rollers and be sure to lash down the stern of the boat while trailering. When launching on steep ramps be sure to check that your winch is locked or bow safety chain is secure. I heard of a guy that lost his boat on a ramp and cracked his lower end and hull. Watch out all you Ducks this fall.
Fast and efficient service!! Thanks! Am rebuilding trailer for my 1946 Larson dual cockpit runabout. The rollers should work great!
The roller bunks are well built and it will make my boat easier to load and unload.
I will be able to go fishing and not need help loading up the boat when done.
It's always tough to rate a good product idea as poor. However, it takes more than a great idea to make a great product. The major failure in the design implementation of this galv. steel roller bunk product is the use of the folded steel rails in a repeated wetting environment that is also likely going to be salt water - and highly corrosive. I have had my galv. roller bunks only a couple of months and the rust on them is already rampant - under the folded edge of the rails (galv. cracked during folding, mount holes and ends - everywhere there is no galv.
I see that they now offer powder coated epoxy plain steel versions of the same roller bunks, but my experience with powder coated epoxy in salt water says - it's equally problematic - if not more so than my galv. bunk rails.
If the designer was moderately competent he would have used extruded fiberglass rails instead of steel. Price would be a little more, but functionality and longevity would create much better customer satisfaction. Looking at the early rust progress of my roller bunks (even with fresh water wash down) - I doubt that they will last two years.
If you are only going to use them in fresh water and then store your boat indoors - maybe you'll get a longer life span. Again, great idea, but poorly material engineered and implemented.
Boat Trailer Deluxe Roller Bunk - 4' long (came as a pair-5 rollers each bar)...I almost ordered 2, not realizing...this is sold as a set!)
100% improvement from just the bunks on the trailer for unloading and loading my boat.
I easily mounted the bars on top of my bunks and then readjusted the center rollers higher.
Shipping was fast and well packaged.
Pricing was good and very well made.
I would recommend these rollers as trailer improvement to everyone that struggles at the landing with getting their boat on & off! So much faster and easy with these rollers!
This is my second set, and they are the best.
My jet ski launches with one little push!
Installed the day I received it. Replaced 3' rollers with these 4's. Easily installed without taking the boat off the trailer. A big improvement over the old ones.Good price and fast delivery!
I received roller earlier than expected. Have not installed them yet but the of the rollers is excellent.
All the materials I received from E-Trailer were well made and easy to install.
It was also easy to navigate the website to find exactly what I needed,
and the prices were the best I could find anywhere.
I highly recommend etrailer.
Before and after pictures of my trailer are enclosed
Easy to install when bolting down to old bunk boards. It took me 15 minutes. A very stout product.
It did cause the boat to sit higher on the trailer and now it doesn't winch up properly to the front rubber keel wheel. I may have to remove old bunk boards and reinstall with different braces.
I'm curious how well these will hold up to salt water with regular fresh water rinses afterwards. This could change the review from good to poor.
Aaron M.
11/16/2015
An update on this product. No issues with rust after a season of repeated salt water launching with a subsequent fresh water rinses. I did however notice that one of the wheels blew out and needed replacing. Im not sure why it blew out so quickly. Replacement wheels are sold for just over $5.
Arrived quickly as shown on site and the product is as described. The box channel construction appears sturdy. Durometer of wheel seems right for my application, not too stiff, enough flex to provide just a little grip on my varnished wooden boat.
Time will tell on performance, install was a snap with a variety of spaced slotted holes for your application. Overall appears to be the proper choice for my application.
Mike R.
6/13/2018
Product has worked well, would remain with my positive review and knowing what I know now would buy again. I have recommended the product to others in the past year.
I am a professional fishing guide and have had carpeted bunks with teflon slides for years.....getting the boat off was always a problem especially at ramps with low water levels.....put these on and what a difference !!!....should have done this a long time ago.......plus they are very easy to install and very well made !!
Steve W.
7/4/2015
excellent !!!!....still a GREAT asset !!!!
Bolted directly to flat carpeted boards on trailer. Now boat is easily off loaded into water without totally having trailer under water. I have a 18 foot sea ray 185 sport and used 2 sets of rollers on trailer.
Steve L.
6/28/2016
They still work great. I pull my boat out of water everytime I use it.The rollers make this possible even at low tied. The rollers are holding up well.
As per the norm, etrailer has hit the nail on the head. The roller bunks are exactly as advertized. Top quaility equipment at a fair price, what more could you ask for. Loading and unloading my 18 skiff is a breeze now. Highly recommend this product and company.
Frank A.
6/27/2018
Having used this product for a year, I still feel the same way I did when I wrote the first review. These roller bunks are great, a quick squirt of spray lube every three or four months keeps everything rolling! A great product.
WOW... Just wow... I could not believe just how good the quality was considering how cheap the price was... These boat rollers are made very well and the tracks are made with real steel... I haven’t installed them yet but will soon and add to this review... I really can’t see them not doing what they are supposed to do... very impressed and giving a straight no questions asked 5 star rating... Thank you...
Mark
6/15/2019
The rollers work perfect.. Quality is second to none... Very highly recommend them if you have a heavy boat and it’s hard to load or unload... Makes life simple..
This has solved a huge problem I was having with launching my boat. My cabin has a shallow launch and the beds on the trailer were not working. It is a great product!!!
K Wilke
6/25/2021
They have solved my shallow launch problem. But, a couple of the caps that hold the roller pins have fallen off. I will be replacing them with stainless bolts and lock nuts.
The roller bunks mounted on my trailer's factory weld-mounted bunk brackets without modification. Loading a 4,000 pound plus boat onto the factory trailer with carpeted bunk rails had always required power loading. Now I only need my strap and winch. I only wish that I had switched to these roller bunks years ago.
Just installed rollers on my bunk trailer When I pull the boat out in the fall then I should know if they work OK Quality wise just by looking at them,look like they are made very well TIME WILL TELL!!
Tomc
6/10/2017
Was able to haul the boat very easily in the fall and it was a piece a cake putting it back in the water in the beginning of the spring Highly recommend.
Tomc
6/10/2017
Taking the boat out last fall was a breeze, the rollers worked as said. Putting the boat in the water this spring was a snap. One push and she rolled off.. Highly recommend this product.
I mounted 2 - 4' sections of rollers on each rail of my Lund trailer (8' rails). THe installation was easy - I used lag bolts to mount to mount the rollers to the carpeted bunk rails. My Lund aluminum 16.5' fishing boat rolls off the trailer effortlessly. I needed to have this as my launch is very shallow and my trailer doesn't tilt.
I consider this to be a wise addition to my trailer as I couldn't push the boat off the trailer with the old carpeted bunk rails (trailer needed to be fully submerged to get the boat off the trailer)
I received the two sets of 4' bunks a little earlier than expected and put them on right away replacing my 8' slick bunks. I used some existing brackets and bought two standard brackets. The alignment wasn't perfect after installing the roller bunks because of the different brackets. After using the new roller bunks once to launch my river Sled in the local river. I had to adjust them a little better. They work awesome now and very happy with the purchase. Like many other reviews say. I wish I would of made the purchase years ago. Way better than the bunks with slicks on them. I have been battling close to record low river flow levels and can't float the boat when launching. Now I give it a push and it rolls right off the trailer in 6-8 inches of water. My home town state owned launch is not in the main river channel ( imagine that ). Once off the trailer we either walk it out to the deep water or use the oars and push ourselves out into the deeper water which is on the other side of the river. These bunks have allowed me to continue to fish the river. I would not of been able to launch without them. The river currently doesn't have enough water in the river to start my outboard and power off the trailer like I have been doing for years. The bunks will pay for themselves by saving wear and tear from sand and gravel while launching on my Jet pump. Just in parts 3 years ago I spent 600 dollars to replace the main components of the pump in just replacing the impellar and bowl. The beauty of it is I can fish anytime now and couldn't be happier about that. What a difference! I helped some other fishermen launch their river Sled the second day and it took all 3 of us to launch it. One in the truck inching forward as the other two pushed the boat off the trailer. Me... I launched all by myself. Very cool! I noticed that some boats have carpeted plywood down the center between the roller bunks. That's the next project for me to do. That way I can launch and reload the boat on to the trailer all by myself without getting wet. Cold season steelhead fishing is just around the corner. Staying dry is important .
We only used them once, but they were invaluable. We have an Eco-Harvester that we have to pull out of our lake each autumn. The launch site is very shallow and the harvester weights about 3,600 pounds. In past years we had to try greasing the wood beams it sits on, but it was always a very difficult job. These rollers worked very well and the winch was able to pull the machine out of the water with minimum human effort. I am going to buy two more sections to go on extension beams further into the water and hopefully start lifting the machine earlier.
Easy to install. Work great loading and unloading. Support is good on the bottom of the boat. I used 2 sets-4 ft. roller bunks (4 bunks). The boat is a 16 ft. Smokercraft Pro Angler XL w/ 60 hp Mercury, wt. approx. 1700#. Its a lot easier than with the carpeted bunks, especially when the water levels drop this time of year. The boat will unload itself when you unhook the strap.
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Kevin
10/29/2022
Worked fine and sold the trailer