Help shedding some weight off my rig.

[sutor623]

Okay guys as some of you know I took my rig up to the scales a few weeks ago. I am towing with a new Honda CRV. Tow cap is 1500lbs. and regardless what anyone may say, it tows this weight with ease and stops it also (although I wish Honda still offered this vehicle in a standard shift)

Rig weighed just under 1500lbs. with 16ft. Starcraft, galvanized trailer, 65hp Merc 650, 4hp Kicker (35lbs.) and bow mount trolling motor. This is my dry weight WITH this gear aboard. So I have to leave the tank bone dry, coolers on the truck, as well as batteries.

I picked up an aluminum trailer that I believe to weigh 2-300 lbs. less than the current trailer. Here are some questions about switching over.

Boat bottom is 61". Top rails are a bit wider. Boat fully loaded without trailer comes in around 1000 (this is with gas and batteries) Width of outside of tires on trailer is 66". Width of outer rails on trailer is 51"

New trailer is narrower. Width to outside of tires is 60" Width of outer rails is 43". The axle is a bit small, so I was thinking about switching the axles. New trailer has no rollers or bunks and supports. I plan on stealing them off my old trailer.

Question is this. Is this trailer going to be too narrow for the boat? The boat is a lightweight boat for its size. trailer is long enough. Too bad I dont have a title with GAWR. I know I would save a ton of weight, but will this trailer end up being tippy, even if I switch to a slightly wider axle? Thanks guys sorry for the long wind......

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Keeping the weight out of the boat and putting it in the car (a CRV is not a truck) isn't exactly going to help. You're still likely adding too much weight. That CRV has a passenger/payload capacity of 850 lbs - which means you add up all the people and other junk in the car and also add the tounge weight.

Good luck

 

[ricohman]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Putting the weight in your car isn't going to help the bottom line. You are probably going to want to take passengers and gear along.
Is the CRV still built on the Civic platform?

 

[superbenk]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

I would say you're still far too close (if not over) the CRV safe towing capacity regardless of which trailer you use. As others have said, moving the batteries & gas to the tow vehicle doesn't change how much weight you're lugging around (and stopping).

 

[sutor623]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Keeping the weight out of the boat and putting it in the car (a CRV is not a truck) isn't exactly going to help. You're still likely adding too much weight. That CRV has a passenger/payload capacity of 850 lbs - which means you add up all the people and other junk in the car and also add the tounge weight.

Good luck

Well, actually I dont plan on hitting the payload capacity. It is typically just my wife and I. For now I just have others just meet me at the spot because I dont want to overload the vehicle. I am looking at 1500lbs. as a legality. I am not concerned with safety, as I am a safe a cautious tower, and I take my time because I know my limitations. IF something were to happen, I just want to stand a fighting chance. I am only trying to stay in the manufacturers suggested tow capacity/payload.

Putting the weight in your car isn't going to help the bottom line. You are probably going to want to take passengers and gear along.
Is the CRV still built on the Civic platform?

It is a civic platform. BUT, the suspension is much beefier, the engine is much bigger, and the differentials are geared lower. The civic has a tow rating of 600lbs. This is the AWD model and I have NOT ONCE slid into awd on a wet, steep boat ramp. Trust me the newer CRVs are much different than the old ones, and are perfectly safe to tow with on occasion.

I would say you're still far too close (if not over) the CRV safe towing capacity regardless of which trailer you use. As others have said, moving the batteries & gas to the tow vehicle doesn't change how much weight you're lugging around (and stopping).

And once again, the vehicle goes and stop just fine. I am not going over what the manufacturer has rated the vehicle for, period.

Guys come on now. I did not ask you if you guys would tow with this vehicle, nor if it is safe to do so. It works great for what I need. I simply asked this question. "Is this aluminum trailer too narrow to put this boat on?" I am not selling my boat. I am not getting a different tow vehicle. I am also not going to overload this vehicle. It works fine for what I need it for, and gets 17MPG towing. I merely am finding a way to stay within in my legal limit just in case something stupid happens. And this trailer weighs almost 300lbs. less, so yes it would make a huge difference.

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Considering that tow ratings are not a legal issue I'd keep the trailer you have. You've already stated the rig handles fine and you're comfortable with it. Why change for a few measly hundred pounds. The only "legal" issues related to vehicles and towing are axle weights and tire weights. If you're not exceeding those you are fine. Yes, some creative lawyer might sue you about it but if you are within the tow rating the same creative lawyer will just sue you about something else.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

ratings are not a legal issue

Is this a fact?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Guys come on now. I did not ask you if you guys would tow with this vehicle, nor if it is safe to do so. It works great for what I need. I simply asked this question. "Is this aluminum trailer too narrow to put this boat on?"

Put it on the trailer and find out. Its a dumb question, the trailer is right there - find 3 guys pick the boat up and put it on the other trailer and decide if it actually fits or not.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

I'm having a hard time believing the weight difference is that large between trailers that small. The second trailer also looks to be galvanized, but that may just be a combination of the pictures and my middle-aged eyeballs.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Put it on the trailer and find out. Its a dumb question, the trailer is right there - find 3 guys pick the boat up and put it on the other trailer and decide if it actually fits or not.

I live on a lake, so I can dump the boat. The problem is there are no bunks or rollers on the aluminum trailer, so Id either have to buy them or switch em over. So you see, its not as dumb as it would seem.

I'm having a hard time believing the weight difference is that large between trailers that small. The second trailer also looks to be galvanized, but that may just be a combination of the pictures and my middle-aged eyeballs.

I did too! But the axle is different on the galvanized trailer, and the trailer is also un equipped at this time. believe it or not, it is in fact aluminum. The galvanized trailer is 600lbs. and can hold up to 2500 lbs. So yeah there is a pretty significant difference there. I just dont want the trailer to become tippy.

 

[Dreg]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Looking at the crossmember, any issues with weight, would just be transferred over to pulling-out-of-the-ramp issues, since you'd need to be in another 10 inches of water to load it up.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Looking at the crossmember, any issues with weight, would just be transferred over to pulling-out-of-the-ramp issues, since you'd need to be in another 10 inches of water to load it up.

Ummm, where exactly do you get that idea from? When 1000lbs. gets added to that trailer it will sit a lot lower.

Here is the main question, yet again. If I use a trailer that is 7" narrower, but it still allows the bunks to be in the same spots, and use an axle of the same width as my current trailer will I notice a difference in handleablilty? I do not want the boat to flip around corners. I dont expect it to happen, but the frame of the aluminum trailer is 6" skinnier than the bottom of the boat.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Is the CRV still built on the Civic platform?

Oh actually, in 2007 or 2008 the CRV got put onto an accord platform, so it is no longer on a civic platform. My dad had a 98 (I think) Crv. That thing was a TOY compared to the 2011. I have read about people overloading their CRV's all over the internet and trying to argue that it is okay. I just think they are a bunch of idiots, and do not plan on joining them. : )

Via Carguru's .com Test drives of both the new '09 and identical '08 CR-V reveal tight steering and crisp maneuverability around town. Built on the Accord platform, the CR-V handles like a compact car, with minimal body lean. However, its car-like unibody platform and Macpherson strut front and multilink rear suspension can translate into a somewhat floaty feel on the highway. Test drives also point out that its turning radius is not as tight as that of Toyota's RAV4.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

A narrow wheel track will not be as stable as the wider track. When I swapped an axle on my old boat trailer last summer I bought one 6 inches wider and it made a big difference in how that trailer handled.
If you have 1500lbs pushing the CRV it would be a good idea that the trailer has brakes.
We have had two CRV's and ended up buying an Odyssey as the wife wanted to pull a 3000lb travel trailer. But by the time she loaded it up and the drag of the wind I told her it was just to heavy. So no trailer until she gets a small SUV.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

Cool man, this is what I was looking to hear. So if you had an answer you would say that the axle width made more of a difference than the frame width? And yes I agree, I want to install trailer brakes. That is another reason that I want to reduce the trailer weight, because it will give me more room for the weight of the braking system. Would you suggest electric brakes or surge brakes for this application?

 

[JB]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

"regardless of what anyone may say. . ." Is exactly the wrong thing to say.

I think you are too heavy for the Honda CRV. If you are willing to take advice get something stronger.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

"regardless of what anyone may say. . ." Is exactly the wrong thing to say.

I think you are too heavy for the Honda CRV. If you are willing to take advice get something stronger.

JB, with all do respect, thanks for you opinion on the matter. But I am not opening myself up for criticisms and suggestions about my tow vehicle. I simply want to extend my margin by lightening up my load a bit. I am comfortable with my tow rig and have put lots of time and $ into my boat/motor. For right now this is what I have to work with, and Honda says that if I stay within my limits it isn't even necessary to add a trans cooler (which I will add anyway). People get flamed all over the internet for trying to tow 2-3000 pounds with their crv's (because that is the tow rating with the same vehicle in Europe) I am not trying to do this by any way shape or form. I will abide by all towing laws and will not overload my vehicle. What is the big deal if I hit the limit of 1500lbs. anyway? The tow bias just drives me absolutely nuts. I have 2 vehicles, both of which are main sources of transportation, so I had to make a compromise. This is it. I tow this boat maybe 10 times a year. If I were retired and towed 3-4 times a month I would have chosen a different tow vehicle, but that is just not the case.

Again the question is will this trailer work with my boat?

 

[bgc]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

…its funny the way threads go another direction…I tow my Starcraft with my Accord and no one agrees with that.

With your smaller trailer, Try it and find out.
Make sure you keep your boat supported properly on the bunks.
Keep it low on the trailer but off the keel.
Balance the tongue to 10% of the total weight
Take it for a drive (carefully).

...and when I'm trying to save weight in the boat, I leave the wife at home

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

while the aluminum trailer weighs 2-300# less than your current trailer, it doesnt have the 100#+ stuff on it to support the boat.

best your going to save going from the galvanized trailer to aluminum is about 100#. the aluminum trailer tubes are twice as thick to get the similar strength. this in turn only saves you 25-30% on the materials for the frame itself. if you take the hitch, wiring, axles, bunks, etc. off each trailer, your looking at only 100# delta between the two. Plus the new trailer is 6" narrower than the one you know works.

My suggestion, grab three bathroom scales, put your trailer on them, measure the weight. then take and put the next trailer on them with a pile of stuff the same weight as the bunks/rollers/etc. then verify the weights.

for 100#, I would want the wider trailer.

 

[sutor623]

Re: Help shedding some weight off my rig.

…its funny the way threads go another direction…I tow my Starcraft with my Accord and no one agrees with that.
...and when I'm trying to save weight in the boat, I leave the wife at home

To the 1st comment, I know right. These guys are just looking out for us though. I don't take offense to it, as it is not meant to **** us off. Just funny how I really just want to know if a 6" narrower trailer is asking for disaster. The only problem with the trailer switch is that the other trailer needs tires, and axle, and hardware. I have to switch everything over just to try it, and it sure will be a lot of work.

And haha about leaving the wife at home. People get flamed about towing with their cars, and I understand that. But why tell them not to tow what THE MANUFACTURER says is safe to tow? Just doesn't make sense to me. Show me one person with a blown trans or differential on their 07-11 CRV from towing within spec and I will politely stuff a sock in my mouth.:redface: