Proper toung weight

[Rayce]

Hi Everyone, my name is Ray and I am new here. I have a quick question about my boat and trailer set up, I have a small 15 foot Lund aluminium boat with a old heavy johnson outboard 100 (1971), I had to put a differant trailer under it last week and it fits ok but I have no toung weight to speak of, I can lift it off my hitch easly with one hand, anyway the trailer I have i can move the axels back or forward as much as i want. could someone tell how much weight i should have on my hitch? any any hints on how to do this correctly please. i dont have any idea yet how much the boat and trailer weigh but its not alot.

Thanks Ray.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Proper toung weight

Hi Everyone, my name is Ray and I am new here. I have a quick question about my boat and trailer set up, I have a small 15 foot Lund aluminium boat with a old heavy johnson outboard 100 (1971), I had to put a differant trailer under it last week and it fits ok but I have no toung weight to speak of, I can lift it off my hitch easly with one hand, anyway the trailer I have i can move the axels back or forward as much as i want. could someone tell how much weight i should have on my hitch? any any hints on how to do this correctly please. i dont have any idea yet how much the boat and trailer weigh but its not alot.

Thanks Ray.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard Ray,... I always shoot for 10% to 15% of the total wagon weight on the hitch...

 

[sschefer]

Re: Proper toung weight

Hi Everyone, my name is Ray and I am new here. I have a quick question about my boat and trailer set up, I have a small 15 foot Lund aluminium boat with a old heavy johnson outboard 100 (1971), I had to put a differant trailer under it last week and it fits ok but I have no toung weight to speak of, I can lift it off my hitch easly with one hand, anyway the trailer I have i can move the axels back or forward as much as i want. could someone tell how much weight i should have on my hitch? any any hints on how to do this correctly please. i dont have any idea yet how much the boat and trailer weigh but its not alot.

Thanks Ray.

I can make it easy on you. 175-225 lbs. Just use a bathroom scale. Move the weight forward by moving the winch post forward. Only resort to moveing the axle if all else fails.

 

[lrak]

Re: Proper toung weight

i dont have any idea yet how much the boat and trailer weigh but its not alot.

I can make it easy on you. 175-225 lbs. Just use a bathroom scale. Move the weight forward by moving the winch post forward. Only resort to moveing the axle if all else fails.

IMO -
1) In my experience boat trailers with more than 10% tongue weight actually handle worse than lighter tongues. The front frame on boat trailers usually very flexy compared to other trailer types. Don't overdo the tongue weight. 5-10% on a boat trailer.

2) The winch post should be located so the boat sits properly on the rear supports. Then adjust all the rollers between the winch and rear supports to match the contour of the hull.

3) If the axles mounts are bolted on instead of welded on, moving them is just as easy as moving the winch post.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Proper toung weight

Loadrite recommends a 5-7% tongue weight

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Proper toung weight

3) If the axles mounts are bolted on instead of welded on, moving them is just as easy as moving the winch post.

On a new trailer without a boat on it, sure... On a 40 year old trailer whose axle nuts look like rounded little acorns from the rust, yeah, not a chance. My personal experience is that it is best to avoid moving the axle if you have a choice at all. And if you do need to move it, have replacement parts ready for when you snap them.

 

[Rayce]

Re: Proper toung weight

IMO -
1) In my experience boat trailers with more than 10% tongue weight actually handle worse than lighter tongues. The front frame on boat trailers usually very flexy compared to other trailer types. Don't overdo the tongue weight. 5-10% on a boat trailer.

2) The winch post should be located so the boat sits properly on the rear supports. Then adjust all the rollers between the winch and rear supports to match the contour of the hull.

3) If the axles mounts are bolted on instead of welded on, moving them is just as easy as moving the winch post.

Thanks all, this is the way i need to set my weight, I have the boat sitting on the back rollers of the trailer which I am not able to move forward, my axel has four square U bolts and will slide with the leaf springs and all pretty easly, I just want to try to do this right on the first time.

Thanks Ray

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Proper toung weight

Move the axel back. You need some weight on the towing vehicle. I have found that not enough weight can cause fish tailing at speed. All of m trailers have at least 15% on the tongue including my car hauler.