boat trailor too long

[inboardnewbie]

Ok so.i traded a guy a gun for a 1975 searay srv190 with a 302 mercruiser when i went to pick the boat up from the guy he told me he got a newer trailor for the boat and when.i went to hook the trailor up to my truck i didnt even need to use the jack for it i could lift the trailor up with my pinky and move it around anywhere the guy sd he had the boat set back on the trailor to keep the weight off his truck in my opinoin its not safe so what im wondering is if i can cut the trailor down to size? He just moved the winch and stuff about 3 feet down the trailor, granted the trailor is about 3 ft too long also so i thought about cutting everything to size and make the trailor front heavy again and also is there any good trailor tires out there i dont like blow outs!!!! It has 14 inch rims on it

 

[Art Bernard]

Re: boat trailor too long

If your a good welder and keep everything straight, no reason why you can't cut it down some. You deffinatly want more tounge weight.

Art

 

[JB]

Re: boat trailor too long

You want 10% of the trailer weight (loaded) on the hitch, newbie. Too much or too little will guarantee towing trouble.

You can shorten the tongue if you like, but that is pretty drastic and could give you problems with the brakes (required by law if over 3,000lb.). The normal way to get the correct weight on the tongue is to move the axle cradle after you have placed the boat so that the transom is fully supported.

Be a good idea to get a pro to help you set it up. There are too many deadly errors you could make.

 

[sschefer]

Re: boat trailor too long

Boat trailers are usually sold in 2' size increments and are sized by the length of the boat that they will carry. You probably have a 18-20' trailer but it's rigged for a 20' boat. The positioning of the bunks and bow stop is how you adjust for tounge weight. You could move the axle like JB say's, but you shouldn't have to do that if the trailer is correctly sized for the boat. All bets are off if the trailer is oversized.


I use this method. I put the trailer on the tow vehicle and then I slide the bow stop forward and tighten it back down. I use the winch to slide the boat foward. When I'm sliding it forward I do two things. I watch how much the hitch has dropped and I lift the tounge. If I can barely lift the tounge and the hitch has dropped about 2" it's usually good.

I then move the bow stop until it's firmly against the bow of the boat. The next time I go to the lake and the boat is off the trailer, I adust the bunks.

I've heard all sorts of numbers thrown around but I don't know of any that I'd bother with. My method has never failed me and all my trailers tow straight.

 

[444]

Re: boat trailor too long

Is it really worth all the effort to trim the trailer down to size instead of just readjusting the bow stop to balance the trailer the way you want? FWIW my little 15' glastron gt-150 was balanced on its trailer to have almost zero tongue weight when I got it. I can lift the hitch with one finger. And it tows perfectly fine. But then the boat+motor+trailer probably less than 1500lbs.

 

[cyclone540]

Re: boat trailor too long

Don't cut it down , move the front post forward and the boat.
10% of the trailer is the rigth .

 

[inboardnewbie]

Re: boat trailor too long

Ok guys thanks for the help the trailor now i would say is for a 22 to 24 ft boat whoever got the trailor actually welded a new bow stop about 3 feet down the trailor further than the old one and the transom is flush with the back of the trailor. I can actually lift the boat with my pinky no kidding and when i get into the boat it will lift up on me so here are my thoughts, i wouldnt be able to move the bow stop up because the transom is flush with the trailor and if i pulled it up anymore my motor would hit, plus id have to cut the bow stop off and reweld it, what i was going to do was go to my buddys garage, get a forklift and place straps around my boat, pull the trailor out from.under and cut the bow stop off, move it up about 3 feet and cut the back of the trailor off and all the support bars out and move them forward as well, i know itd be a pain but when trailoring the boat down the road it always wants to bounce up and its jus gna be the right bump before it comes off the truck. So i might just cut the bow stop off and move it about a foot itd be a.lot easier but idk if that would be enough weight on the tongue?

 

[roscoe]

Re: boat trailor too long

No, move the axle back a foot or two.

An extra long tongue makes it easier to back the trailer, and allows easier launched at shallow ramps.

 

[inboardnewbie]

Re: boat trailor too long

How hard would it be to.move the axle back? Ive never attempted anyghing like that before. I would also have to move the trailor wheel well and the standing decks also

 

[ezmobee]

Re: boat trailor too long

How hard would it be to.move the axle back? Ive never attempted anyghing like that before. I would also have to move the trailor wheel well and the standing decks also

Depends on the trailer so we can't readily answer. Some are super easy (like mine) and the axle is mounted on a moveable bracket with pre-drilled mounting holes available every couple inches. Some, however, are welded in place so moving would involve cutting and welding.

Mine http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2716.jpg

 

[inboardnewbie]

Re: boat trailor too long

Idk what kind of trailor i have all the badging and stickers are wore off but the trailor is in great shape would it be plausible to ct mine if indeed they are welded on and drill holes in my frame and make it movable like yours or would it be better to cut off and weld on? Plus i'd have to be extremely accurate with moving them right bc u dont want the mounting points even a little bit off. I never thought of moving the axle as soon as i seen the problem.my first instinct was to cut the trailor.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: boat trailor too long

Newbie. Pics would be a big help in solving you problem.

 

[inboardnewbie]

Re: boat trailor too long

Ok as u can see in this pic if i uploaded it right, you can see the boat is alreadg tilted back with nothing forcing it and u cant see it in the pic but the old bow stop is about 3 feet in front of the one thats currently being used

 

[inboardnewbie]

Re: boat trailor too long

These are actually pics of the boat the guy sent me i will take some more this weekend of exactly what im talkin bout but this kinda gives u an idea in this pic the boat looks crooked