BEST FISH HOUSE FRAME

[DCF]

OK, I am looking at getting a wheel house. Just owned a portable for the last several years. I am in SW Minn. and will have to do some traveling, probably up to Red a few times even. I want a house that travels well, is sturdy to pound the highways, and will last. Does any company just put together the frame and outside skin, I would like to finish the inside myself. What travels best, a 6.5' or 8' wide.If you can't mention names here, I would appreciate an e-mail at [email protected]. Thanks for any input. Figured this is the best place to ask the questions.

[fisherking01]

I'd check with fish house supply first off. secondly check the major names (ice castle, five star...) there are many who will sell you the outside and you can finish the inside. Most of the suspension frames are very well balanced and travel well. I would recommend a v front for traveling the distance to URL, LOW... They will have a noticable difference for pulling. Good luck, You got about 8-9 months to get it ready! Brent

[Cheeser]

DCF, I would give Sportsman Fish Houses (the sponsor of this forum) a call. Ed is a super guy, and will build most anything. Also, I looked at his frames, and I believe they are the strongest you will find. They are located in Central MN (Randall).

Hope this helps,

--Mark

I couldn't quite find it in my budget this year, but I will be placing my order with these guys sometime this spring/summer. I'm looking at something like deepportage01 got.

[Phred52]

DCF, You might wanna take a look at Jay Soderblooms HSOforum. They manufacture drop downs with aluminum frames a VERY light weight house. They do 6 1/2' with v fronts. that can be pulled by small cars. He is an FM sponsor and you can find him at www.soderblooms.com . They do prop repair also, so working with aluminum is second nature. Phred52

[hovermn]

Quote:

---

Also, I looked at his frames, and I believe they are the strongest you will find.

---

I have to agree with that statement. I was so impressed by his frames, I copied it for my second fish house. It's incredibily easy to operate and bomb proof! Talk to Ed, he'll set you up with a frame that will outlast any house stuck on it... Of course, unless Ed built it!

Seriously, though, his are tough stuff!

[Northlander]

Try Jay Soderbloom. Real hard to top his prices. www.soderbloom.com

[fishinalot]

I second Fish House Supply! I have one of those frames and would not trade it for anything else. They are also a sponsor of fishingmn. http://fishhousesupply.com/

However I do think that Ed from Sportsmans also builds a good frame. http://www.sportsmanfishhouse.com/

I prefer a stronger steel frame over a lighter aluminum frame. I'm not sold on aluminum trailers, the aluminum can crack, where as the tubed steel frames can flex.

[HarryG]

Soderbloom! I looked at them and they seem by far the best for my needs. Fish House Supply looks good too but you have to consider exactly what you need. Strength or Lightweight. And you cannot beat Soderbloom's value.

[slotlimit]

I am also in the same baot you are. I definatly would by a frame with a trosion axel that runs the width of the house. Just like a boat trail and many other trailers. Accoding to a buddie of mine who is an engineer for Bobcat said those fishouses where the wheels are mounted just on the sideds of the house are not ment to last the test of time of being pounded up and down the highway. I have seen personnaly where the wheels have almost fell off. Think about why they don't mount the wheels to the outside of the frame with a litle axel sticking out to mount the tires on boat trailers.

[End of the Line]

I'm on the same page as slot limit. But Jay Soderblooms are a nice rig too.

[fishinalot]

Slot limit, you are right about some wheels, but those most likely have a 1 1/2" thick stub bar axle. I doubt you will see that on a stub axle that is 2" thick. A friend of mine that is a engineer told me a 2" thick solid bar is 85% stronger then a 1 1/2" solid bar. Also the 3500" spindles are only 1 1/2" thick ( I think). Alot of those wheels that you see bent, are bent because of a 1 1/2" stub axle bar or the 3500lb spindle.

[slotlimit]

I'm not an engineer and don't pretend to be. But why aren't boat trailers made like that or almost any other trail in that case? I'm just stating what my friend the engineer told me about the fishhouse we seen with the wheel falling off. You take your boat all over the country to lakes and back home again. Which is what I would be doing. If the design you are talking about was better that's how trailers would be made. Take even a snowmobile trail. They carry less weight then most manufactured Fish Houses but they don't design their trailers that way.

[HarryG]

Solderbloom is light weight. That way you may not need a solid axle. I have a axle that goes through and works very well, but I don't see the Torsion axles available. I am sure they are somewhere. It seems the most manufactures use the wheels on the side and use steel for added strength. You just have to keep in mind the amount of weight you are going to be putting on that frame. Remember, you cannot have everything. You have to do what is best for you.

Good Luck!

[Cheeser]

Quote:

---

But why aren't boat trailers made like that or almost any other trail in that case?

---

Most trailers (including boat) don't set flat on the ground like a fish house. If you know you will be traveling long distances, you can always add a truss to the axles for added strength.

If torsion is what you are after, you need to look at the Zach Shacks that are made in ND. www-dot-zackshack(Contact Us Please)

--Mark

[slotlimit]

Cheeser,

Thanks for the infomation. Yes most trailers don't sit flat on the ground. But as you can see by the Zach Shack and another manufacturer posted it is possible. So why wouldn't all manufatures use this method? Especially if they want to say their fishhouses are the best.

[DCF]

Thanks for the input. Any other info is welcomed. What about an aluminum trailer? Are they sturdy enough to make the long hauls up north? Thanks again

[End of the Line]

Airlines have been beating jets up and down runways for 40 years on some of the old DC-9. From extreme hot to cold every flight. They're aluminum. Its all in how its constructed and taken car of, just like a car or house.

[pail-fish]

from what i have heard and been told (im in no way an expert, just what i heard) is that aluminum used on say boat trailers and airplanes is a different grade. whether that is based on thickness or density or whatever i dont know. obviously a boat trailer doesnt need to have the same strength properties as an airplane does. but like EOL said, its all in how its built and taken care of. I have been looking into getting a frame myself too, and have wondered about the aluminum frames. are my friends feeding me bull? and are there any other benefits to aluminum than just being lighter?

thanks!

[hawkeye43]

Yes you can 2" stub axles and heavier duty hubs. You also need to go to 8 bolt rims.