Vibration While towing boat

bamosier

Recruit
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
1
I have a tandem axle boat trailer that when i am towing my at speeds of about 60 to 65 mphs i get a sever vibration in my truck. I thought it might be my truck so I had a friend pull my boat with his truck and had the same result. Anyone ever had that type of issue. I have checked all the bearing and everything seems to check out good.
 

1fishbone

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 9, 2010
Messages
476
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Check the spring bushings...they connect to the U shackle on the frame.
A missing rubber or bushing can cause it to slop around.

Straps can cause some vibration too.
 

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,199
Re: Vibration While towing boat

have the trailer tires been balanced? you will hear all kinds of conflicting stories about if you actually need to balance them, but no one will argue that it doesn't hurt to do it. I'd check the obvious as the post above mentioned, nothing bent/broke/loose, and if that checks out, get the tires balanced.
 

Cadwelder

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 30, 2010
Messages
1,780
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Also check for broken belts in the tires, they'll have high and low spots in the thread. You can feel them by running your hand over the thread.
 

1fishbone

Chief Petty Officer
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Nov 9, 2010
Messages
476
Re: Vibration While towing boat

have the trailer tires been balanced? you will hear all kinds of conflicting stories about if you actually need to balance them, but no one will argue that it doesn't hurt to do it. I'd check the obvious as the post above mentioned, nothing bent/broke/loose, and if that checks out, get the tires balanced.

Good point..they could be so flat spotted!
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
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8,988
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Check the balance on the trailer tires, also check to make sure all bolts and such are tightened and present as well as shackles, I had a guy come into the RV shop I worked at and he was going crazy, found out upon visual inspection everything looked fine, but upon pulling the boat off the trailer and releasing the pressure on the spring shackles he has a crack in one of the shackles, was not visible with the boat on the trailer, but was visible when the springs were unloaded..
 

jayhanig

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
836
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Also check for broken belts in the tires, they'll have high and low spots in the thread. You can feel them by running your hand over the thread.


Between you and smokingcrater, you've probably gotten the most likely candidates. On my utility trailer, it pulled with excessive vibration until I got the wheels balanced.
 

Shrike

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
112
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Jack one side of trailer up at a time and spin wheels.
You should be able to see a broken belt or a bent wheel.
 

Shrike

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
112
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Beware of running your hand where you cant see.
There could be steel belts protruding .
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Most vibrations from trailers are caused by them sitting for long periods of time in one place thuss flat spoting the tires and the results are a permanent flat spot in the tire. Take the trailler only to a tire shop with a portable tire spinner and see what happens. If that is not available then take the trailer with boat off it on the road after you have removed one tire at a time to see just which tire is causing the problem. I have done this to other trailers and that is how I have found whichtire was the bad one. Good luck.



Remember if you stand there long enough looking at it someone will come alone and (show) fix it for you :p
 

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
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Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,199
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Most vibrations from trailers are caused by them sitting for long periods of time in one place thuss flat spoting the tires and the results are a permanent flat spot in the tire.

i haven't had that happen for at least 10 years that i can remember. on ancient tires it would happen, something about the tire construction. now i've tires that will sit for 9 months+ and although they will have a very temporary flat spot, its gone within a couple hundreds yards at most.
 

MTboatguy

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Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
Re: Vibration While towing boat

I have not had a problem with flat spotting on a trailer tire for a long, long time now, but I do remember the old bias ply tires on my car flat spotting and thumping terribly until the tire warmed up, but as I said, since the advent of newer technologies in tire construction I have not seen flat spotting problems for a long time now.
 

chrome dome

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
303
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Straps can cause some vibration too.

l would also suggest checking tie down straps, if my strap wasn't done up really tight, l'd feel a vibration,
would re-tighten and vibration would be gone,
might just be that,
 

mike343

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 4, 2009
Messages
284
Re: Vibration While towing boat

Balance the tires!!

Why does anyone think they should balance their car tires for 70 mph travel and not do the same thin for a boat trailer?
 

produceguy

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
1,243
Re: Vibration While towing boat

I had same problem. Took my truck down to a tire shop and they said I had two dif size tires on truck,1 odd one,:confused:replaced it runs smooth.I thought it was the trailer but I was wrong.e
 

iconracing

Cadet
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
28
Re: Vibration While towing boat

I had the same problem the tires where not balanced
 
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