Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

[johnny striper]

I am relatively new to boating/trailering and am hoping someone more knowlegable than myself will have some input for me.

While eye-balling my new boat (alum deep v) motor and trailer, with detatchable tongue, and while attatched to the tow vehicle everything appeared to be sitting level, I noticed a few things about the trailer that just didn't look quite right so I started with a bubble type level and measuring tape...Working front to back of trailer while attached to the tow vehicle this is what I came up with:

1. The first thing I noticed was that the trailers coupler is not mounted level, it angles upward slightly in the front because the rear
mounting hole is drilled 3/8" lower than the front mounting hole. The coupler is attached to the detatchable portion of the tongue
which angles slightly downward in the front.

3. The main trailer tongue which is attached to the trailer frame is perfectly level sits at 14" off the ground.

4. The trailer frame itself angles upward towrds the rear and sits at 17" off the ground at the rear of the trailer.

5. The boat sits beautifully on the trailer +or- 2 degrees lower at the stern that at the bow.

Botom line is everthing looks relatively straight across the top but the front of the trailer with the boat sitting level is 3" lower than what it sits at the rear of the trailer. Is this a design flaw or am I just reading to much into it concidering the boat sits darn near perfect on the trailer?

Is this one big issue, several small issues, or no issue at all??

Thanks for any & all replies....Mike

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

I don't know that it matters if the trailer tongue goes up sightly. The trailer ball makes up for it. Now, if the side to side wasn't straight, it'd probably not track right.

I would suggest you look at other trailers like it and see how they're designed.

 

[johnny striper]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

I don't know that it matters if the trailer tongue goes up sightly. The trailer ball makes up for it. Now, if the side to side wasn't straight, it'd probably not track right.

I would suggest you look at other trailers like it and see how they're designed.

I've read that the tongue should be level to the road with the front and rear of the trailer sitting at approx the same distance off the ground. When tongue is level the front of trailer sits 3" lower than the rear of the trailer. If I raised the tongue height to make the trailer sit level the tongue would then be canted up about 15 degrees... ??

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

Every trailer will sit differently on different tow vehicles, due to the tow vehicle hitch height. That's why the ball mounts come in various offset heights, to compensate for various tow vehicle heights, allowing the trailer to sit level.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

Is this one big issue, several small issues, or no issue at all??

Thanks for any & all replies....Mike

I vote for no issue at all . . .

A picture or 2 would be helpful . . . just to see what you are seeing. . . .

. . . having a perfectly level trailer is nice, but not mandatory.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

I vote for no issue at all . . .

A picture or 2 would be helpful . . . just to see what you are seeing. . . .

. . . having a perfectly level trailer is nice, but not mandatory.

Ayuh,.... Ditto, I agree, but pictures will help...

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

1. The first thing I noticed was that the trailers coupler is not mounted level, it angles upward slightly in the front because the rear
mounting hole is drilled 3/8" lower than the front mounting hole. The coupler is attached to the detatchable portion of the tongue
which angles slightly downward in the front.

Not an issue... Couplers and trailers are far from universal or precision made parts. As others mentioned, a picture would help, but I doubt it is a problem. Its far more cosmetic than anything else, and if it does bug you enough, its fairly easy to fix. The angle itself does not impact safety in any way, as long as the bolts are tight.

 

[rbh]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

In a "Perfect" world your trailer should be horizontal to the road, that way when you apply the brakes (even if the trailer has brakes)
the weight of the towed load does not take weight off the steering tires or the weight off of the drivers (dip or jump?)


But sometime it is almost impossible to do it, do to the way the hitches are installed.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

Would like pics, also are we talking a single axle or tandem axle?

3/8" difference could be no big deal if spread across 4' but if were talking 18"-20" it could be.

Was the trailer on level ground when you did your measurements, I would be concerned if your tongue was level and yet the rear of the trailer had a 3" difference in height, this would tell me the trailer is bent, which itself could be no biggie but I would certainly be checking the thickness of the trailer mains, knowing if this trailer is a salt water trailer would be helpful or just the age of the trailer.

You really need to make sure you have a good level piece of concrete to do this, any variations will be magnified over 20'-30'.

 

[johnny striper]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

Thanks everyone for the input...all very reasonable.

I went through my old receivers today and in order for the "trailer" to be level a 4" rise was needed but the boat was canted down at the stern at about 15 degrees and the bow was pointed upward at about the same angle...sure didn't look right to me and would image possibly unsafe to tow. When I went back to the straight receiver both the trailer tongue and boat are level but the trailer itself sits 3" lower at the tongue than it does at the rear of the trailer. The distance from trailer frame to ground is 14" at the tongue and 17" at the rear of the trailer. Could this just be the way the trailer is designed?? I thought the tongue, the trailer and the boat were all to be somewhat level to the road as well as in relationship to each other. I called the dealer but have not heard back yet. Any further thoughts are appreciated.

 

[johnny striper]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

Would like pics, also are we talking a single axle or tandem axle?

3/8" difference could be no big deal if spread across 4' but if were talking 18"-20" it could be.

Was the trailer on level ground when you did your measurements, I would be concerned if your tongue was level and yet the rear of the trailer had a 3" difference in height, this would tell me the trailer is bent, which itself could be no biggie but I would certainly be checking the thickness of the trailer mains, knowing if this trailer is a salt water trailer would be helpful or just the age of the trailer.

You really need to make sure you have a good level piece of concrete to do this, any variations will be magnified over 20'-30'.

Brand new rig straight from the factory, 17' deep v aluminum boat, tongue length is 54", measurements were taken inside garage with concrete floor. Unfortunately the dealer is not local to me but the rig is under warranty.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

Bunk trailer or rollers?

I really want pics now...


I wonder if its possible to lower the front of your bunks/ rollers to lower your bow, or raise the rears, either should work but pictures would be worth a thousand words.

Personally I prefer my trailer and boat to be square, it sounds like your setup may be high in the bow or low at the stern.

 

[johnny striper]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

LippCJ7...Thanks for hangin with me on this issue, I really appreciate your input. I don't have a digital camera for photo transfer, sorry.

Re-measured again from the floor> boat and tongue are level with floor. Tongue is @ 13" the trailer frame then gradually inclines to 14" @ first crossmember, 15" @ single drop axle and 17" @ rear of frame. Measurements are equal on both sides of trailer. I'm beginning to think that this is> 1. Not the correct trailer for this boat. 2. This is how the trailer is designed. 3. The mfg really, really screwed up when building this trailer. It pulls ok but does have a little bounce at low speeds, smooth @ highway speeds, no fish-tailing. This is not a BP rig but since they are close to me I'm going to check out their deep v set-ups today just to compare. Any thoughts?

 

[batman99]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

Best to load your boat and trailer as if going on a normal "drive about". Do ensure 3/4 - full tank of gas in the boat, normal stuff in your boat, and normal stuff (like full gas cans) in the rear of your tow vehichle as well. Connect together and do the visual "stance" check. Check from side to side visual, check from end/end visual and check the Tow Vehicle's stance as well. Boat trailer tongue should be level to slightly down. Tow Vehicle rear should be level to slightly down (depending on the trailer tonque weight). If comnnected "stances" of both "average loaded" items look good, then it's good. After visual check, take both connected items to weight scale system and get both weighed. Trailer Tonque weight of loaded trailer should be around 8%-10% of "loaded trailer's weight".

When weighing the loaded boat/trailer, do remember braking laws as well. If towing boat/trailer with small V8 or V6 Tow Vehicle, I'd recommended brakes on the trailer as well. If wondering, my boat/trailer is 2,800 lbs and my boat trailer has electric brakes. And, my local towing laws state loaded trailers under 3,000 lbs don't need brakes. With brakes, my boat/trailer no longer pushes my V6 tow vehile around. Regardless of your local towing laws, perhaps trailer brakes is much safer for your combo as well?

Hope this helps as well....

 

[Bondo]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

I'm beginning to think that this is> 1. Not the correct trailer for this boat. 2. This is how the trailer is designed. 3. The mfg really, really screwed up when building this trailer.

Ayuh,... I think yer makin' a Mountain outa Nothin'....

#1,... Boat wagons are very Adjustable, 'n there's almost no such thing as the wrong wagon, just a poorly adjusted wagon...

I honestly think the #2 is the correct answer....

The angle, or lack there of, of the trailer frame don't mean Squat....

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

LippCJ7...Thanks for hangin with me on this issue, I really appreciate your input. I don't have a digital camera for photo transfer, sorry.

Re-measured again from the floor> boat and tongue are level with floor. Tongue is @ 13" the trailer frame then gradually inclines to 14" @ first crossmember, 15" @ single drop axle and 17" @ rear of frame. Measurements are equal on both sides of trailer. I'm beginning to think that this is> 1. Not the correct trailer for this boat. 2. This is how the trailer is designed. 3. The mfg really, really screwed up when building this trailer. It pulls ok but does have a little bounce at low speeds, smooth @ highway speeds, no fish-tailing. This is not a BP rig but since they are close to me I'm going to check out their deep v set-ups today just to compare. Any thoughts?

ok the bounce is common with single axle trailers so your going to have to get used to it, so long as the trailer does not have any side to side movement while towing your in pretty good shape and so long as your tongue weight is within the margins you should be fine. To be honest I don't see any issue with having the stern a little higher then the bow because when you launch the boat your stern is going to be lower then the bow meanwhile the water will be square so thats no issue.

My biggest concern was the possibility that the trailer was bent but that doesn't sound like your situation at all, but until you can get some pics I wouldn't be worried about it, trailers that have fatal flaws in them generally present those flaws while towing, and/or launch and load, but it sounds like you don't have any signs that I would consider sketchy in the least so go with it, but keep an eye on it.

All told I think my biggest concern is the hitch, it should be square with the tongue, the bolts are of little concern since I would just have it welded, this will fix some of your height issues at the rear as well.

 

[rbh]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

13 inches at hitch going to 17 inches at the taillights (rear of trailer frame).


Raise the balls height 2 inches and every thing should be even.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

1. Use the ball platform that levels the trailer.
2. Adjust the bunks/rollers to level the boat on the trailer. It sounds like they set up the trailer incorrectly.

 

[johnny striper]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

My biggest concern was the possibility that the trailer was bent but that doesn't sound like your situation at all, but until you can get some pics I wouldn't be worried about it, trailers that have fatal flaws in them generally present those flaws while towing, and/or launch and load, but it sounds like you don't have any signs that I would consider sketchy in the least so go with it, but keep an eye on it.

All told I think my biggest concern is the hitch, it should be square with the tongue, the bolts are of little concern since I would just have it welded, this will fix some of your height issues at the rear as well.

Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions, I really appreciate all the great information.

Went to BP today just to check out their deep v setups and was surprised to find that they almost mirrored mine> Tongue was level @ 14" from showroom floor - trailer frame angled slightly upward going back towards the rear of the trailer and was 17" off the floor at lights...

I will be taking my rig back to the dealer on Monday to have the coupler issue addressed and discuss the trailers design. Will post later with the outcome. Thanks again.......Tight Lines......Mike

 

[Diesel Demon]

Re: Help please - trailer design flaw or possible defect??

My coupling has that slight angle to it. Trailered this way for years. It tracks fine and the tires wear even.