[Shaun]

How much tonge weight should i have on my trailer? My boat is a 18ft and it's sitting on a trailer thats ment for like a 21-23ft boat. I have the boat slid forward a foot or so from the end but i think i need to go forward more. It's a tandom, was thinking if some of you could post side shots of your boats on a tandom axle trailer that i could get a idea of about where mine should be. My guess is that the motor should be close to being centered over the back axle?

 

[Ken F]

Shawn,
I'm kinda shooting from the hip here, but I would say at least 2-300 lbs.
Slide your boat forward until it gets difficult to lift the tounge.

Ken

 

[Widetrack]

I just had a trailer built and it ended up with about 260 toung weight. It depends on the axle type tortion or leaf spring? Leaf spring type the axle sits like on a jet boat about no.3 cyl. on the block to center of block. Tortion type the center of the wheel hub is a little past center of the block! Good luck!

 

[Real McCoy]

The general rule of thumb is the tongue weight should be 5 - 10 % of the weight of the boat/trailer combo. For example, if your boat with trailer wieghs 3000 pounds you should have between 150 and 300 pounds of tongue weight. Some people get away with less, but a very light tongue weight can cause handling problems.


The prefered way to adjust the tongue weight is to move the axle under the trailer. The trailer should be fitted to properly support the boat - if you move the boat to adjust the tongue weight then it is no longer supported correctly. Of course some trailers (especially custom) have the spriing mounts welded to the frame so your options are limited.

If you decide to move the boat on the trailer to adjust the tongue weight, make sure the hull is properly supported so you don't cause any damage.

My $.02

Doug

 

[Brad @ SCJB]

my liberty can be lifted with one hand at the tounge I dont have any room for adjustment either. Any ideas?

 

[Shaun]

I moved the boat to the end of the trailer so i could install the motor, now i'm going to slide it back up. Right now with it at the end of the trailer i can lift the tongue with my pinky. When the boat is where it was at (my dad slid it forward years ago) it takes a guy or two to lift it so maybe it's pretty close already. What makes me nervious is when i can feel the trailer bouncing up and down on the ball. Some times i think it may be the play between the trucks receiver and the hitch but i'm not sure. It's nothing crazy i just hate that feeling when driving on shitty roads and i'm in orange county, take about some people who cant figure out how to pave flat/smooth roads/streets...

How do you guys check tongue weight? Is there a scale i can buy, i doubt me standing on my house scale while lifting the tongue of the boat is going to work

 

[Brad @ SCJB]

What makes me nervious is when i can feel the trailer bouncing up and down on the ball. Some times i think it may be the play between the trucks receiver and the hitch but i'm not sure.

you arent the only one...ive pulled over a few times to make sure it was still on there.......i get real nervous!

 

[Constant840]

When I used to build boat trailers 10% of the total weight is what we went by.
If you can't slide the boat up on the trailer (even adding more tounge lenght if needed), then the axels/springs should be moved further back on the trailer.
Also if the trailer isn't towing level the slop in the receiver/ball/trailer coupler will become alot more noticable.

 

[Essex502]

Tongue weight should be at least 10% of the trailer's total weight with boat, fuel, gear, etc. Anything less and you are setting yourself up for handling problems down the road especially if any kind of quick lane change is needed or a cross wind. Don't sacrifice you safety.

Here's what you do..

Go to a truck scale and put the trailer on the scale.
Carefully disconnect the trailer from your vehicle and place the tongue on a jackstand making sure the stand in on the scale.
Step back and get the weight.
Go home and put the trailer on a jack stand again - this time with a large HD scale (bigger than a bathroom scale) under the jackstand.
Now adjust your load either by moving the axle(s) (preferred) or the load on the trailer until 10% of the weight you got at the truck scale is displayed on the scale under the jackstand.

Happy trailering.

 

[saab]

I didnt read any of the prior posts.... but mount a spare tire up fron.... good for another few lbs... I have a picklefork and was thinking of doing a gas tank rack.... or for that matter go buy some 1x2 steel and weld some plates to the bottom of the tounge... if your only goal is to get tounge weight.... just throw some on it! If the front is channel put some bars of steel in there..... sounds like your only looking for 50-100 lbs.... should be easy and cheap.

 

[Gravyboat]

I get the same bouncing at the coupler, but it's old and needs to be replaced. My tongue weight is right on.

Not using at least a little lube is good way to wear the ball and the coupler out prematurely too.

 

[HammerDown]

...Not using at least a little lube is good way to wear the ball and the coupler out prematurely too.

And the perfect place for high-pressure grease!