crooked trailer

WaterWitch2

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
545
How "square" should a trailer be when measured from center of tongue to center of wheel? If it measures 3/8-7/16 inch different side to side how much would it "dog leg" when towing? Thought it would be quicker to ask all you knowledgable guys than to drag it down the street. It seemed to tow straight when I bought it but only had to tow it about 1 mile.
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: crooked trailer

You would have to look very close to detect any crabbing, WW.

Why is the difference there? Check the spring and axle mounts to see that they are properly installed. Loosening the "U"bolts and a gentle smack with a sledge should correct it.
 

burroak

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
651
Re: crooked trailer

You would have to look very close to detect any crabbing, WW.

Why is the difference there? Check the spring and axle mounts to see that they are properly installed. Loosening the "U"bolts and a gentle smack with a sledge should correct it.

Are you measuring the hypotenuse with the wheels removed, and how are you locating the center of the coupler?

Good suggestions, I would just add, check the straightness if the tongue. You probably can get a rigged adjustment by whacking the axle/spring assembly, but if it is a bent tongue, it will be easier to correct that.
 

WaterWitch2

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
545
Re: crooked trailer

I dropped a plumb bob from center of coupler to ground and plumb bob from center of bearing buddy to ground and then measured.
 

jeeperman

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
1,513
Re: crooked trailer

Now make sure both hubs and bearing buddies are exactly the same.
Somewhere in the trailers life one or more could have been replaced with one that fits but is not exactly the same overall length.

Also, the axle might be square with the tongue and frame but if the axle is offset to one side your gonna get different measurement too.
 

SuzukiChopper

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
782
Re: crooked trailer

I think you'll have to make different measurements.

I would think from the center of the V where the tounge meets, then to the center of where the axel meets the trailer itself. Then center of where the ball fits to the center of where the axel meets the trailer. Going to the center of where the axel meets the trailer eliminates any chance of a side to side discrepency. You can probably even just go to the center of the angle formed by the front edge of the axel and inside edge of the trailer.
 
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