converting roller to bunk

[tractorboy]

Re: converting roller to bunk

Hope to launch this weekend to try out. moving outward looks to have lowered it a LITTLE but again.....she should roll off better.

I was just thinking as going to sleep where I read on how to weight the togue again with a bath scale or something. It seems heavy but I will have to see and compute all that. NOTICE how LONG that tougue is. get a lot of flex it it too. thats why last year I flipped the hitch UP to a 2" UP and that helped when towing.

Can wait supposed to be a good hot weekend here in NY!! Thanks all. If it works you save me from tearing up a perfect good trailer...but the test will be in the water!!

 

[snowman48047]

Re: converting roller to bunk

With that much flex it looks like you have WAY too much tongue weight. Get it adjusted.

 

[tractorboy]

Re: converting roller to bunk

With that much flex it looks like you have WAY too much tongue weight. Get it adjusted.

Thats what Im looking at now. How come boat trailers have a different rating for Tongue weights?
Ive seen a good right up on setting your boat up on a shorlander trailer and many places say 5-7% for boats of total weight.

A Big thing is....where should tongue be when measuring...at towing level/level trailer or HITCH TO GROUND..as wont that be alot more weight? as all is want to go forward??

NON boat trailers say 10-15% why light for boats?

Which rule do I follow? I say a total weight of roughly 4430lbs.
5-7% is 220-350lbs while the 10-15% rule puts me at 398 to 664lbs @!
Thats a big difference. I bet im closer to the 10-15% myself knowing my truck and how it handles loads of 200 vs 400-600 lbs.

The notice also say about 1inch of axle movement = 10-15lbs of tongue weight. So I will use as a guide.

Todd

 

[64osby]

Re: converting roller to bunk

10% seems to be the starting number. Never seen the 5-7%. I know that when I first got mine it would start to fish tail cresting the top of a hill. Got more weight on the tongue and it all went away.

I measure mine at the jack. I can place a home scale under it and measure. You might need two with a board in between or something like that, add them together.

 

[tractorboy]

Re: converting roller to bunk

I think I found my answer: I think it was even a post here.


craze1cars, I too was concerned as all the non-boat trailers I ever towed recommended 10-15% tounge weight.

The difference is, boat trailers have a single beam, or "pole tounge", that runs from the trailer main frame to the actual ball connection. Hence the 5-10% tounge weight you see mentioned on the forum. Trailers designed for other purposes have and "A frame" that ends justs inches from the ball mount and can withstand a much higher tounge weight.

 

[tractorboy]

Re: converting roller to bunk

Thanks 64. I looked up the and know of the bathroom scale method. my wife has a fancy digital one so not sure if I want to try with that one I have some 4' 4x4's.

May see how much a cheapy scale is out there before I brake hers and get myself in a load of crap! I was thinking 10% ish too and I have a feeling Im like 15% so we will see.....then move the axles if need be. This trailer I must say is very adjustable. Also when I hook up need to ensure the trailer is level, I may slant a little towards tow vehicle even with hitch turned up and helps would help to level her out I think.

Thank you all...............and to all a good night.

 

[64osby]

Re: converting roller to bunk

TB - Did you launch and load over the weekend? or did the tongue break and the boat flew in the ditch?

 

[jimmbo]

Re: converting roller to bunk

Your trailer is an EZ Loader. They are made in Spokane Washington. Contact them and they should have the parts you would need to convert it to bunks