How did your house hold up?

[spearingboy]

With a lot of people pulling their houses off the lakes now I was just curious how everyone's house held up? Did anyone have any problems with an Ice Castle. The reason I'm asking is because I'm considering getting one for next year and just wanted to know those of you who have them how they worked this winter.

[hawkeye43]

I was at the welding shop in New Prague on Friday last week and he had 2 Ice Castles that the driver side wheels where bent. Didnt look what happen. but thought it was strange that 2 of them where there with the same thing.

[ASMOLEY]

I'm just making a total guess but if the wheels are bent it's probably due to cliping something by cutting a turn to sharp. Had a bad experience with that and the boat last summer.

[nytelyter]

not to slam i.c. in any way but i have heard this more than once and one was a good buddy. you sould always go with the biggest axel assy they offer. my friend ended up getting the axel upgrade after he bent his i.c. axel. .... paul

[Farley]

A buddy of mine has an ice castle and hasnt had any problems with it. But it's probably because it's only seen the lake for one weekend this year.

He's never had any mechanical problems. The only thing that I dont like about them is the way his heater is set up, if the battery runs out of juice, the heater will not blow any air. also the heater is tucked back under the bench, kind of hard to get at. Other than that, they are decent houses for what you pay for them.

[ozzie]

the biggest thing to know when you buy or invest in a fish house with wheels is that you WILL endure some problems. One of the best advice that I have been told is always have all the spare parts you will need to repair the problems. They are but they are not made to with stand the weight of pulling these houses all over the world and then across uneven surfaces (ice). Things to have extras and we have had to put them to use are leaf springs, wire cables and clamps, spare tire and we started bringing a floor jack to raise and lower the unit also. We have started using the buddy heaters to heat the house also put a fan in blowing the air around then you don't need to listen the furnace fan kicking on/off. These fish houses are great but you have to be some what informed on how to fix problems when you are on the ice cause there is not always help or people willing to help. Good Luck

[fast40m]

All I will say on the subject is buy a house whos frame is made out of 2x2 or2x3 tube. Your house is only as good as the foundation ( trailer )

[Crestliner-fever]

first of all these factory built house's have only a small spud for axle, take a look at fish house store for example they have full axle under their unit's they offer 10 year warranty.

[hawkeye43]

I get a kick out of people that talk about how light their house is and how its built. You need something thats not going to twist and bend. When it bends, welds break, metel cracks next to the welds.Like you said it has to have a good foundation under the house. Put a little weight into the steel and save your self allot of headacks.

[fishinalot]

Frames are only as strong as there spindles. For example a 2000lb fish house can pound down 4000 lbs when hiting pot holes on the ice. I would not go with anything other then a heavier 5000-6000lb spindle on a tubed frame.

I get a kick out of that Fish House Stores 10 year warranty

(Read the fine print!!!) A buddy of mine had bought one of his 10 year warranty 3500 lb frames last year, the side rail has twisted ( because it is angle iron) and he has been leaving messages with no returning phone calls. Thats a 10 year warranty??

[nytelyter]

i agree on the frame thing. i have a custom built trailer to haul my perm with and not a drop down. the floor and below is just as heavy or more, than the walls and up. double treated 2x6s with 2 1/2 half inch water pipe for runners and 2x4s across the width with two micro-lammed doublesat the 4ft joints on the floor and the tubes are welded connected front and back with 1/4" x 3"x3" angle that work as ice busters when pulling on the ice with out trailer. well designed and built. if i may say so myself. above that is 5/8 marine grade plywood then 3?4 foam insulation. then 1/2" cdx above that. heavy stuff but its now 7 yrs old and still tight as nails and it has seen a couple of over 1 hour long drives total weight is 3000lbs on the trailer. uff da. ..... paul

[findergameandfish]

just curious if any one would know how to patch the side tins as they ended up getting a coupke small holes punched through from the cranks? thinking of making a plate to cover them and prevent it from happening again any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.