Why am I getting tongue bonce?

MyPoint · Oct 20, 2011

I am pulling a Searay 200 Sport, 21" about 3500lbs. I have a bonce at the tongue, feels a lot like if you were to stand on the tongue and force it up and down.

I have been told several different things... what I have done is: Lower the ball, raise the ball, move the rollers so the boat sits forward... etc. Can anyone give me an easy answer, bow up, bow down... etc.

Thank you in advance

bruceb58 · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

What is your tounge weight and the total weight(weighed on a scale)? You want your trailer level so whatever ball height you need to achieve that is the height you want.

Raystownboater · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

You also want about 10% of the gross trailer weight, on the tongue

MyPoint · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

I was told to have the bow up... that seems to make it worse... level I will try Thx.

I am not sure on the actual tongue weight? Never have weighed the boat and trailer... going by spec's + fuel + gear... est.

robert graham · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

Tongue weight about 10% of load and rear shocks on your tow vehicle may be warn out. I like my air shocks on my tow vehicle to level the load.

ToemanDoug · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

Most bathroom scales can accomodate up to 300 pounds. If you chock the wheels, and place the bath scale under the coupler where the ball fits, and cut a 2x4 or similar to fit between the coupler and scale, such that the trailer is level when resting on the 2x4, lower the jack so the 2x4 is carrying the load, and you can read your tongue weight. based on your estimate, you should have over 300#'s.

FWIW, 300# on the tongue should make the tongue difficult (but not impossible) to lift up by hand...or maybe I am just a wimp...LOL

Raystownboater · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

Im not sure about FL but in PA you can take the boat to a weigh station to get the weight of the trailer then follow toemanDoug's advice to weigh the tongue. Make adjustments as needed.

smokeonthewater · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

on that boat you should have 350-500 lbs of tongue weight.... just go grab ahold of the tongue and lift up.... if it comes off the ground without a LOT of grunting from a stout man then you've found the problem

you can ALSO weigh LOTS more with a bathroom scale.... you can set up a a 4x4 as a bridge with a scale at one end and a fulcrum at the other..... 1 foot to the fulcrum and 3 feet to the scale means 100 lbs on the scale is actually 400lbs.

bruceb58 · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

smokeonthewater said:
1 foot to the fulcrum and 3 feet to the scale means 100 lbs on the scale is actually 300 lbs.

Sure it wouldn't mean 400#?

300# at the fulcrum and #100 lbs at the scale. Point load of the coupler is 400#. In reality, by definition, the coupler is the fulcrum point here.

roscoe · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

ToemanDoug said:
FWIW, 300# on the tongue should make the tongue difficult (but not impossible) to lift up by hand...or maybe I am just a wimp...LOL

I sure can not lift 300#. Don't know more than a couple people that can.

If you can, please come lift my 115 hp outboard onto the new boat.

H20Rat · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

everyone has gone down the path of tongue weight, which might be your problem, but i'm not 100% clear what your issue is...

Are you saying the boat bounces as you go down the road? Make sure the bow is snug against the stop/roller in front. I've owned some boats that would bounce all over the place if there was even a hint of space between the front roller and the boat. The boat at that point is more or less supported by 2 points and is free to bounce up and down all it wants.

smokeonthewater · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

bruceb58 said:
Sure it wouldn't mean 400#?

300# at the fulcrum and #100 lbs at the scale. Point load of the coupler is 400#. In reality, by definition, the coupler is the fulcrum point here.

crap crap crap crap...... dagnabbit ur right..... I'll go back and fix it....... lol

roscoe said:
I sure can not lift 300#. Don't know more than a couple people that can.

If you can, please come lift my 115 hp outboard onto the new boat.

I can..... but bring ur rig here and we'll use a hoist just cause I'm lazy

joewithaboat · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

Im not disaggreeing with some of you just to be a pain and im sure it says somewhere written stone that 10% should be on tongue. BUT....
My current boat/trailer... i am running as i recieved it, as far as tongue weight. All i have ever done is add weight to the boat so far, more gear etc. My trailer does have proper "Trailer tires" inflated to the proper amount. My tow vehicle has near new tires inflated to proper amount, and good shocks. Truck and trailer are level at hitch. Boat dry should weigh 2600lb, trailer maybe 500lbs, plus fuel and gear 350lbs total = 3,450lbs Unless im a hell of alot stronger than i think,

There is no way it has more than 150lbs of tongue weight. This thing tows like a dream! At all speeds! no bounce, no sway, nothing. Sometimes i worry i will forget its there.

I would be more than happy to try adding tongue weight if it were not, not trying to a trouble maker just trying to learn for the future.

smokeonthewater · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

10-15% is the recommended tongue weight.

You have less and have been lucky so far.... You may never have any trouble but you are tongue light.... If you still have any concerns please start a new thread and we'll hash it out.... lets keep this one to trouble shooting the O/P's problem

bruceb58 · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

The problem may occur when you get into an emergency situation and the trailer starts swinging back and forth. The higher tounge weight will make things more stable and easier to recover.

CaptainKickback · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

smokeonthewater said:
on that boat you should have 350-500 lbs of tongue weight.... just go grab ahold of the tongue and lift up.... if it comes off the ground without a LOT of grunting from a stout man then you've found the problem

you can ALSO weigh LOTS more with a bathroom scale.... you can set up a a 4x4 as a bridge with a scale at one end and a fulcrum at the other..... 1 foot to the fulcrum and 3 feet to the scale means 100 lbs on the scale is actually 400lbs.

Great idea! Takes me back to my high school math. I'll be using that one.

joewithaboat · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

smokeonthewater said:
10-15% is the recommended tongue weight.

You have less and have been lucky so far.... You may never have any trouble but you are tongue light.... If you still have any concerns please start a new thread and we'll hash it out.... lets keep this one to trouble shooting the O/P's problem

Well while you were posting, i was reading on a trailer website that says 6% for a single axle boat trailer.

Could it be that you are thinking about much heavyier stuff? I see you have a huge boat. Not to be rude but i thought i was helping the o/p

My boat is much more like his than yours.

CaptainKickback · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

First, I'll disclaim that i don't have a lot of experience towing a trailer. But I am a logical thinker.

When the towing vehicle hits a bump, the shocks compress against the load, then expand pushing the tongue (and the boat) upward. A light tongue weight will allow a greater upward movement than a heavier tongue weight. Barring the boat is not on the rollers correctly, do check the tongue weight.

joewithaboat · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

bruceb58 said:
The problem may occur when you get into an emergency situation and the trailer starts swinging back and forth. The higher tounge weight will make things more stable and easier to recover.

I will agree that the proper tongue weight will be good in an emergency stop. I have had such a stop. Made me wish i had more breaks, but the trailer was fine... dead smooth no sway at all.
I think proper tires and inflation may be more of his problems, but no one has asked. I wonder if the trailer has car tires on it. Ive seen it before!
just my .02, ive been wrong before!

joewithaboat · Oct 20, 2011

Re: Why am I getting tongue bonce?

smokeonthewater said:
10-15% is the recommended tongue weight.

You have less and have been lucky so far.... You may never have any trouble but you are tongue light.... If you still have any concerns please start a new thread and we'll hash it out.... lets keep this one to trouble shooting the O/P's problem

Could it be that you are using 15% on your rig because you are also using the 85% rule as to not overload you trailer?

Why am I getting tongue bonce?

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