DIY Raft Trailer Mods – Affordable and Functional Upgrades
If you spend enough time around boat ramps or scrolling raft forums, you’ve probably seen the same question pop up over and over—“What’s the best way to add a roller to a raft trailer?” I've experimented with a few setups over the years, and I’ve finally landed on a simple, effective, and affordable DIY option that works well for loading and unloading rafts, especially when you’re doing it solo, dealing with awkward ramps or no ramp at all. In this post, I’ll walk you through my current setup, which includes a custom roller assembly and a modular winch stand that lets me swap between a manual or electric winch with ease. --- DIY Roller Setup Parts List: 10' Electrical conduit (2”): Acts as the roller body. It's affordable, strong enough, and spins clean. Bushings from Clackacraft: These help reduce friction and keep the roller spinning smoothly on the shaft. 5/8" Grounding Rod: This runs through the conduit to act as the axle. 2 Clamps & 2 Hitch Pins: Used to secure the roller and allow easy removal if needed. Angled Roller Brackets: Picked these up at a local marine supply store; they give the right positioning for the roller. This setup keeps your raft from dragging on the trailer and makes loading a breeze, especially on slick or no ramps. Winch Stand Mod I also built a winch stand with a receiver mount, which gives me the flexibility to run: A manual boat winch for lightweight, no-hassle trips Or an electric winch when I need a little more power Mounting the winch to a standard trailer hitch receiver allows me to remove or swap it out depending on the day and the load—super [...]
