tilt trailer question

[wglanville]

I have an old tilt trailer and I cannot make out the brand name, however I have a question. Please look at the pictures, the back of the trailer is several inches lower than the front. It is a bunk trailer and I have the bunks much higher in the back than the front to let the boat sit level on the trailer. Is this common? It doesn't look like it's been kinked anywhere to cause this much of a slant.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

The trailer when hitched the tow vehicle should ride level. Then the bunks can be set level.

 

[GA_Boater]

Is the trailer hooked up to the tow vehicle in the pic?

 

[gm280]

It looks to me that the back is too high. What you really want to do is keep the boat as low on any trailer as you can. And the reason is two fold. It trailers better keeping the C/G low and it floats off the trailer a lot easier at the ramp. So regardless how it rides when hitched up to your vehicle, lower the boat level with the trailer as low as you can get it... And if the trailer is not level when hitched up to the vehicle, change to either a drop hitch or raised hitch to level the trailer then...

 

[wglanville]

No Title

Maybe this illustrates the point even better, yeah I realize this may be one of the goofiest pics on iboats, but it shows my point. The tongue is level right now and you can see how out of level it is at the back. I assume this not normal? No it is not hooked up to my truck right now, but the boat is level with the ground and the tongue.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... The left side frame rail looks bent, just ahead of the spring mount,.... in yer 2nd picture, 1st post,...

 

[gm280]

Maybe this illustrates the point even better, yeah I realize this may be one of the goofiest pics on iboats, but it shows my point. The tongue is level right now and you can see how out of level it is at the back. I assume this not normal? No it is not hooked up to my truck right now, but the boat is level with the ground and the tongue.

Well if the tongue is presently level, you have a bent trailer frame...period! You can pull a string from the front tongue and see how far it is out and where the bend actually starts as well. Now sure how you can fix that short of replacing the bent parts. But that could get costly...

 

[JimS123]

The angle of your pictures really shows us nothing. Lower the camera a foot or 2 off the ground, and then back up so the entire rig is in the field of view.

 

[Frank Acampora]

I'm with Bondo: The left side frame looks bent ahead of the fender. Now, you don't show it but is the tilt lock correctly positioned and is it functional?

 

[64osby]

I was able to straighten a trailer frame with a logging chain, a 4x4 post a 2x4 and a hydraulic jack.

Place the 4x4 on the frame at the bend. Hook the chain on the front and rear of the bent frame, try to pull it as tight as possible. Slip the 2x4 in under the chain, then the jack between the 4x4 and 2x4. (can be very tricky and difficult). Pump up the jack and let it sit for a as long as possible. Re-tighten the chain and repeat as necessary.

It is very hard to keep the jack, 2x4 and chain aligned when jacking it up. A couple extra hands would be helpful. Also can be dangerous if you get your hands in the wrong place.

You could also take it to a frame shop and have it straightened.

Welding in a support after it has been straightened can also help keep it straight.

 

[NYBo]

Ayuh,.... The left side frame rail looks bent, just ahead of the spring mount,.... in yer 2nd picture, 1st post,...

Yeah, right at that big rust spot.

 

[wglanville]

No Title

See if these pictures are better.
The second picture is the tilt release. It works fine and can't be screwed up. So that's not it.

Both sides must be bent the same, it's pretty much uniform on both sides. Is it at all possible it was built this way?

 

[wglanville]

I just trailered the boat a half and hour, sold the boat and pulled the empty trailer back home. It pulled perfectly straight loaded and empty, would it pull that well if the frame was bent?

 

[Mi duckdown]

Adjust your bunks/roller to make it level.

 

[wglanville]

Bunks are adjusted so the boat sits level, they are just really high at the back. It just looks weird, that's why I started this post.

 

[Bondo]

I just trailered the boat a half and hour, sold the boat and pulled the empty trailer back home. It pulled perfectly straight loaded and empty, would it pull that well if the frame was bent?

Ayuh,...... I guess so, 'cause I can see it's bent,....

 

[bonz_d]

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Looking at the second set of pictures it is clear to me that the tongue may be level but the trailer bed is not.
For your own test. Put the level on the tongue and get that part level. Then w/o moving anything put the level on the bed rails. It should still be level.

 

[minuteman62-64]

See if these pictures are better.
The second picture is the tilt release. It works fine and can't be screwed up. So that's not it.

Both sides must be bent the same, it's pretty much uniform on both sides. Is it at all possible it was built this way?

From the first photo, it looks like the problem starts in the vicinity of the tilt mechanism. Second photo (of tilt mechanism) hard to see. Can you increase the brightness so the details show up better?

 

[gm280]

After relooking at the last two pictures, it looks to me that you need to level the boat to the trailer bed and then if the tongue is tilted down in front, fix that issue. Because the whole problems looks to reside in the tongue to the trailer bed section. But not being there and measuring, that is all I can see...

 

[smokeonthewater]

Looks like a duck walks like a duck quacks like a duck IS a bent trailer.