bouncing

jelli

Seaman
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
57
ok iv pulled my first boat a few times and all seems well 90% of time but some times on a uneven road it seems and sounds [ loud clunck clunck] like the trailer bounces on the ball. i have the right size ball and hitch bolth are 2 inch im new to pulling a trailer is ther some where i can take it to have this checked or what is ur guys opinion is the drop not deep enough the trailer tongue is level when the tow vehicle and trailer are level every thing in strait line. do i not have enough weight on front of trailor.

thanx 4 all opinions and comments
 

12vMan

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
1,532
Re: bouncing

Sounds like not enough drop, and your boat may not be far enough forward on the trailer. I don't know how big the boat is, but when towing a trailer, the weight ratio should be 60% forward of the axles.

It sounds like your tongue weight is probably too light and it's causing the hitch to rattle around without any weight to hold it down.
 

jelli

Seaman
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
57
Re: bouncing

its a 17 foot jon not much weight in front just battery is this dangerous most of weight is in back can i move the winch arm forward to take care of this problem ther is room to move it
 

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,199
Re: bouncing

Is the boat TIGHT against the bow roller? If it isn't, that will cause all kinds of fun bouncing once the boat picks up some momentum.
 

JB

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

First, make sure that your rig has 7-10% of its weight on the tongue. Sounds like it is too light.

The rattling is almost certainly in the receiver, not the ball.
 

lncoop

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
5,147
Re: bouncing

17' jon? Pretty light to begin with. I'm with JB. Probably mostly just hearing the ball mount rattle in the receiver. However, you will get some bounce and play, sometimes even the trailer bouncing on the road.:eek: This is to be expected with a rig that light. Adding some tongue weight may help, but it will still talk to you on rough roads. Just make sure every time you hook up that the coupler is locked securely on the ball. Physically pick up on the tongue and try to jerk it off the ball.
 

raven7

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
86
Re: bouncing

Something else to check: There's an adjustment nut under the coupler. If you have any play when latched down on the ball, you can use the nut to snug things up a bit.
 

mphy98

Lieutenant
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
1,422
Re: bouncing

Something else to check: There's an adjustment nut under the coupler. If you have any play when latched down on the ball, you can use the nut to snug things up a bit.


Bingo! that would be my suggestion. I cannot tell you how many couplers are not properly adjusted. it should be tight enough so you have no slack in it, but not so tight as to cause binding.
 
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