2021 Ranger RT198P tandem axle trailer questions...

[Johnnyred]

I have a 2021 Ranger RT198P with tandem axle trailer on order. As stated by Ranger on their "next generation" page (https://www.rangerboats.com/next-generation.html), the RT-series trailers are changing manufacture site to Ozark, MO. As confimed by my dealer and I am sure widely already known here, these trailers will now be manufactured in the Tracker plant and will be a modified version of the Trailstar trailers used on Tracker boats while retaining a 3-year warranty. While some of the changes coming my way have been confimed by my dealer like a tube frame instead of the old C-channel and a new tongue for the Trailstar to better suit the RT198p's hull, other specs important to me have been hard to pin down.

I am hoping someone here on the forum has taken delivery of a Lebanon, MO built 2021 RT198P with a tandem trailer and can: post pictures of the trailer? confirm that the trailer has 4 bunks instead of 2 like the Pro Team 195 version does? confirm what kind of wheels came on the trailer? share the weight of the trailer (not the GVWR) so I can come up with my package weight? the tongue weight (obviously with the hull/outboard/TM/etc loaded on trailer)? share what kind of wheel bearing are on the trailer (sealed or Super Hub or other)? What style wiring harness is on the tongue (7-pin round or 5-pin flat)?

Thanks in advance Ranger nation!

[jtrac]

I can't help much as I don't have it yet but my 198P with a tandem trailer was scheduled to be built this week. No way of knowing if it was or wasn't but I doubt if you will find anyone has one yet. I have been checking on boattraders.com every so often to see if any have showed up at dealers. So far I've only seen one posted for sale and that was at a dealer in Tennessee. It was on a single axle trailer. Pro's Choice Marine has a couple of Tracker boats on a tandem plus some of there deep V Rangers also on tandems posted on their website. I can't tell you if they are 4 bunk or 2 bunk but I would bet the 198 trailers will be similar. I had some reservations as I've had a couple of Ranger boats in the past and the trailers were stellar. My last boat was a 2018 Nitro Z19 on a trailer made in Ozark. I didn't have any issues with it but it was only used to make runs to our local lakes. No cross county stuff. I'm sure the trailer will be fine for my purposes.

The 2021 198's grew by 6 inches from 19' 4" to 19' 10" so there may have been a need to design a trailer to fit slowing down the process. Who knows.

[Johnnyred]

Thanks Jtrac. Yeah I don't know if there's any out there in the wild yet. I have seen the video on YouTube of the tracker with tandem trailer at Pro Choice Marine that you mentioned. I'm sure the trailer will suit my needs as well and will probably last as long as I own the boat. God forbid I own a boat for more than 3 years! Let's see what else pops up here on this thread very interested.

[jtrac]

I'm anxious to see where the extra 6 inches went. I'm hoping in the front deck storage as I tend to take stuff I've haven't used in years. You never know when that one time will come up that you need it. Better to be prepared or is it hoarding. Fine line between the two.

[Johnnyred]

See what I know I thought the hull had already increased to 19'10" in a previous year. Anyway, i dont want to derail my own thread. Tandem trailer details is still the topic. Owners? soon to be owners? What do you know?

[Johnnyred]

JTrac, found that dealer in TN with the 2021 RT198p. Check the listing on their site out as the pix are larger and higher res than the ones on Boattrader: https://www.norrislakeboatcenter.com...7766-10811104i . This single axle trailer definitely has just 2 bunks. Can't imagine Ranger intends to put 4 bunks on the tandem axle trailer while only putting 2 on the single axle. The older trailer definitely had 4 bunks. That's not good if so.

Also, look at the side view pix... the gunnel near the bow has a curve to it where the 2020 pix on Ranger's site look like the gunnel is straight from bow to stern? Not as pronounced a curve as the Tracker Pro Team 195 but not straight? At least it looks that was to me.

The aluminum wheels on the trailer at this dealer look fine to me. The step in front of the wheel however is much smaller than the one on the previous years trailers. The support bracket framing for the spare on this 2021 is definitely less robust than the previous years trailers.

[jc2bg]

These would be questions to forward to someone like Pete Peterson at Pro’s Choice Marine in Missouri, or [of course] any other knowledgeable Ranger dealer. My own Ranger dealer, Knox Marine in central Ohio, sold multiple RT198s last year with tandem trailers. I don’t know whether they’ve received any yet this year, but probably would know how those trailers are configured. Pro’s Choice sells a lot of aluminum Rangers and goes high-end on many of their rigs. If they don’t have any with tandem trailer on hand yet, I’m sure they have them on order, and very possibly know exactly what you [the OP] want to know.

[Johnnyred]

Thx jc2bg. Do you happen to have Pete's direct email address or phone #? I of course am working with my dealer here in NC on these same questions. I did notice Pro's Choice online and that they seemed to traffic in a lot or RT-series boats so Pete may know whats up as you suggest.

[jtrac]

I am buying my 198 from Pro's Choice and Pete is my salesman. This is the 3rd boat I have bought from him and facilitated another for a friend. Don't want to embarrass him but you could not ask for a better person to spend your hard earned money with. I talked to him last week and I'm sure he said the dealership would be closed for the next 2 weeks for the holidays. I think their first day back will be the 5th.

They have not received any 198's that I am aware of, as least as of last Friday. There seems to be a number of the 188 series out there but the 198's are still pretty scarce. According to their website Pro's Choice does have a number of the P boats on order but the only 2 listed as being delivered so far are a 188P and a 188C. I have no idea why the 198's are slow to emerge but I was hopeful they would get to practice on a few before they got to mine. I ordered October 16 and like I said before, build was scheduled for last week so I was not expecting it until January anyway. I wanted to wait until then to see if Ranger has any of their usual incentives available for January thru March purchases. Last year for the aluminum boats it was a free cover and a $200 gift card. Maybe nothing for next year but doesn't hurt to wait and see.

John, I will look at that 198P. I'm very interested in the details of the boat and it is a bit frustrating to not see one in person but I went ahead with my order because they will be similar in most regards to the previous models. I'm not sure it would fit since the boats are now 6 inches longer but if you go to Budsmotorsports.com and click on tandem trailers the last one listed is the previous model trailer for the 198. It has 4 bunks.

[jc2bg]

Thx jc2bg. Do you happen to have Pete's direct email address or phone #? I of course am working with my dealer here in NC on these same questions. I did notice Pro's Choice online and that they seemed to traffic in a lot or RT-series boats so Pete may know whats up as you suggest.

All I have for Pete is his username here: Pro’s Choice Pete. He should be easy to reach if you do a web search for Pro’s Choice Marine, however. Or PM him here.

[Johnnyred]

Found another dealer with a 2021 on the floor. See it here: https://moreboats.com/boats/ranger/rt-198p/410454 . Notice the new panel under the drivers console in the foot rest area. Not sure if that is an access door? Not a lot here in these few pictures concerning the trailer.

[jtrac]

Not much on the trailer. I'm still anxious to see one on a tandem. If you do find one please post it. I'm wanting a front boarding ladder for the trailer and I'm holding out hope there will be one on the tandem. The deep V Ranger aluminums have one on the VX models.

I know pictures can be deceiving but I hope there is enough room under the console for a Hot Foot. I haven't driven a boat without one since the 80's and not sure I would know how to do it with the hand throttle. Not sure what that access panel under the console would be but I hope there is a way to get a wire from the nose back to the battery compartment. I have a Garmin Live Scope/93SV combo I just bought at their sale price and I want to put it on the bow. It needs a 10 gauge wire hooked directly to the battery to run the Live Scope control box.

[Johnnyred]

I ordered a hot foot and pro trim for the dealer to put on. Never considered that there may not be enough room but I suspect there is.

I sent a PM to Pete maybe he will chime in. Might also reach out to these two dealers.

[Johnnyred]

Another location of the dealer I am using for my order just got a 2021 on their floor: https://www.anglerschoicemarine.com/...#gallerySlider . Again, single axle. I believe the new panel under the drivers console is a new breaker panel as I do not see one on the right side wall anymore. There are MANY new exit holes on the transom especially immediately behind the pad. I am guess they routed the livewell pump out here instead of the side of the boat where I think it used to be. If so, I am good with that. I have alerted my rep about this new boat and will see what else I can learn and will post.

[Johnnyred]

Although I haven't nailed down the exact details yet, I am hoping to go up next week and put my hands on the 2021 rt198p in stock at my dealers location. I'm going to be taking pictures, making measurements for myself. Let me know if there's anything you guys want me to check up on for you and post?

[jtrac]

I'm not sure how much room on the floor is needed for a Hot Foot so you might check that out. It appears tight from the pictures but probably just a camera thing. Also, I'm curious about the 6 inch increase in length over the 20 models, where it went. If they have a 20 or older maybe you could compare the front and rear deck lengths. Nothing important so if you can't no big deal. Curious, when is your boat expected and what color did you get? I got white.

[Johnnyred]

I order white too. Mine is supposed to reach the dealer 2nd week of February but expect that is optimistic. I will look into those items you mentioned and report back on those items I can get answers on.

[Johnnyred]

I traveled yesterday and saw in person a 2021 RT198P on a single axle trailer. Man there are a lot of changes between 2020 and the new boat and trailer. Jtrac, I still have no idea where they put the new extra 6" of length and nobody I asked at the dealer did either. The trailer has 2 bunks and looks to have Road Armor coating. If it is a different coating like Galvashield I am not qualified to tell the difference but it looked tough and well applied. The swing jack is some cheap no name Chinese item without a wheel that swivels 360 independent of the tube. The trailer I saw did not have surge brakes which I thought was standard on all RT198P trailers per Ranger's website. I assume there is a brake option for the single axle versions. The bearings are the Super Hubs with grease zerk and dust caps instead of the sealed bearings Ranger used to use. On the hull, all the compartments lids are now insulated. The cooler is now grey plastic like the livewell instead of the gel-coated fiberglass of last years model. They have re-routed pretty much all the drains to the lower transom. There now is a plastic panel on the bow fiberglass graph mounting area instead of all fiberglass which probably is a positive when it comes to drilling, future changes, replacement parts, etc. Wow my head was spinning after an hour with the boat. Not sure what I missed but imagine I did not pick up on everything.

Would love to hear from others?

[jtrac]

I kind of figured the trailer would be Nitro/Tracker like since they are made in the same place. The trailer on my Nitro did have sealed bearings but I can't remember the name. The standard single axle trailer for the 198 does not have brakes. They are a $445 upgrade. The tandem with dual axle brakes is $1425 so realistically it is $980 to go with the tandem over a single with brakes. A no brainer for me. I am somewhat disappointed that the hubs will need more frequent attention. I'm still hopeful the tandem will have some upgrades but I doubt it. Other than the trailer was your impression good, bad or indifferent? Did the boat leave you with a feeling of quality like my Rangers of the past did? I do like the removable panels for the electronics instead of solid fiberglass. At least if you decide to make a change a new panel can probably be ordered.

Most folks on this forum are glass boat owners so you and I may be the only aluminum types around.

[Johnnyred]

... haha yea lot of glass guys and that is OK. I like glass too. Tin is also OK for my application. I like the lighter weight and slightly skinnier beam compared to say a Z185. The RT198P is plenty of boat for me.

I did leave feeling like the boat quality matched its price. Paint and graphics on hull looked good. Coating on trailer looked good. The seats look good and quality. The carpet looked good. Liked the insulated and lockable storage. Good rod storage capacity. Plastic instead of fiberglass cooler is a small step back but will not materially change my enjoyment of the boat. Pad hull should ride better and go faster than my mod-vee hulls for sure. Hydraulic tilt steering, 150hp rating, good list of option... nothing to complain about there. Really good warranty compared to the competition hoping that has not changed having my dealer confirm.