Load Rite trailer concern

Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22
Hello all, this is my first post and even though I have most problems figured out this one is giving me a curve. On 11-23-2013 I bought a four month old 1648 grizzley tracker and load rite trailer, the guy bought it brand new used it once then his son got into trouble at college so the original owner put it up for sale. Now I got it home and installed a 2000 30hp long shaft Johnson and adjusted the bunks etc to the way i wanted. First time towing I noticed the bow was swaying back and forth in my mirrors so I pulled over and checked everything good to go. Coming home same problem checked it the next day and everything was tight, so jump forward to today I just got my homemade blind bolted on (versa trax is AMAZING) got Avery fast grass all on and took a short trip down the road BOW SWAYS LIKE CRAZY! So I check again bolts are secure so I grab the trolling motor mount and just start pushing and pulling like crazy. Thats when I notice the entire tongue/bow mount is literally bending and flexing??? So I get my bathroom scale and cut a piece of 4" PVC to mimic hitch height of my truck, 160lbs! Sticker on the trailer says 75lbs max...... so im thinking no way so I pull the boat back six inches and weigh again drops to 140ish, pull it back nearly TWO FEET stern is two foot off the back of the bunks and I still have 120lbs of tongue weight. So I completely remove my boat blind and it drops to 112lbs, SO what do you guys suggest I do now? Was gonna call the dealer the original owner bought the boat from (I have dealt with this dealer for years with parts etc) and see what they say because I cant pull my boat back almost four feet to try and get 75lbs tongue
 

Jerry_NJ

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
250
Doesn't "compute" for me, maybe some pictures would help. I don't know the 1648 Grizzley, but sounds like a big rig for such a high trailer tongue weight.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22
Cant loadrite welds their trailers so all the suspension, fender, cross members are all welded before they dip the trailer
 

MH Hawker

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
5,516
Then about all you can do is bolt a big ammo can on the tong and add tire weights.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,657
The way to adjust tongue weight, is to slide the axle, forward in your case.

Some things I would check before doing anything else:

Is the trailer of adequate size and capacity for the load?
Is the axle bolted on to the frame in the correct position? That is, same distance from the hitch to the axle mount, on both sides of the trailer.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22
zu2l1l.jpg

34y7hc7.jpg
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22
this is a 2013 Load Rite 1,485gvwr trailer that has a 1,200lb payload. I just added up my boat, motor, trailer, boat blind, two guns, two gun bags, twenty goose decoys and misc and at MAX which isn't very often i have 1,143lbs. So I'm almost at the payload of the trailer BUT this is only when i hunt with my brother and that's maybe a few times a hunting season. (i hunt alone or with my son who's 8) The problem is i wanted a welded trailer so i paid an extra $100 dollars for the welded Load Rite, this means i CANNOT move the axle because the brackets are welded in place....... I called my dealer and this model trailer is used for 1000 to 1500lb payload trailers, all Load Rite does is change the tongue length. Problem is my tongue is so long for the 16ft boat length I'm getting a LOT of flex and the dealer said even though I am over the 75lb tongue max i shouldn't worry......... SO i went on Load Rite and found they make a Jon/skiff trailer in the 1000 to 1500lb payload capacities that have a full main a-frame and very short tongues, same suspension etc just a more robust main frame, so i told the dealer to get me prices and ill have to wait a few weeks for it to come in but I will trade mine in and upgrade to the trailer i should have bought in the first place
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22
this is the jon/skiff trailer, notice the full main a-frame and very short tongue. Also the trailer axle is welded i think the dealer said 12" forward compared to the standard light duty trailer i have now which will help with the tongue weight i hope.

2vbng4m.gif
 

bonz_d

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Messages
5,274
I would say that dealer that sold you the 1st trailer sure didn't do you any favors. That trailer looks way too light for your boat and I don't care what the capacity stickers say. That trailer looks as if it should be under a light utility boat that goes 1K max.

I'll also have to file this in memory about looking for welded axle points. Really limits ones ablity to adjust and position the boat on the trailer.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22
Caverun thus is why I want to trade in my trailer and upgrade to the LoadRite jon/skiff model. It will look just like yours, the main frame goes from stern to biw like it should and with a very short tongue so the trailer takes the weight not the tongue. I believe I know why the dealer has my model in stock only..... they come apart and the dealer bolts the tongues on depending on if you need it for a 12 14 or 16ft boat. Im suppose to get a phone call tomorrow if not will be going to a different dealer and trading this trailer in a soon as possible so I wont loose any more money on it
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22
And caverun whats the GVW of your trailer? Mine is 1500GVW right now and the new one I can get 1500 or 1700 or 2k? Since 1500 has me almost at max payload during duck season I was thinking about jumping to the 1700gvw so I have a couple hundred pounds of wiggle room, I don't think this will hurt the empty weight ride when I have only the boat and motor on do yous?
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22
I got the new trailer ordered Saturday and it should be here next Tuesday or Wednesday. The pic of the skif/jon was entirely too wide for my boat, so after speaking to a different load rite dealer and having him explain what I can get I settled on a 1600xxxjs model. Basically 1600gvw that comes to almost 1400lb payload, 5.30x12 C-load tires, 2" square axle, main frame is 12' long with a heavy gauge 3x3" 5' long tongue, fully welded cross members and frame/tongue connection, factory three position axle centerline for tongue weight adjustment, and its the proper width for my boat (no more boat being wider than the fender and axle) Ill post pics when I get her all swapped over next week
 
Top