Removable tongue question....

[sasada]

I should really know the answer to this so pardon the ignorance.

I have a 2001 Heritage boat trailer under our pleasure boat. It appears to have a removable tongue. It has a large pin (similar to a trailer hitch pin), a quick connect for the wiring, and a coupler (similar to air hoses) for the brakes. Sooooooo, is it really that simple to remove? My main concern is, even with that coupler if I release it and reconnect it will air, even a little bit, get into my brake lines? Ive gotta think the answer is "no" but cant see how that would be the case...???

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Removable tongue question....

I would be hesitant to trust a quick connect on a brake line

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Removable tongue question....

Are you sure it is meant to be removed?
Most are meant to swing to the side, but NOT removed.

Pictures?

 

[moosehead]

Re: Removable tongue question....

I would bet this is a swing-away tongue where you pull the larger removable pin and swing the tongue almost 180 degrees back towards the stern providing a way to shorten the effective trailer length and perhaps fit into a smaller garage space.

If this is correct, you do not need to remove the brake or electrical lines. It always seems like air enters the brake lines once a disconnect occurs requiring them to be rebled.

 

[sasada]

Re: Removable tongue question....

I would bet this is a swing-away tongue where you pull the larger removable pin and swing the tongue almost 180 degrees back towards the stern providing a way to shorten the effective trailer length and perhaps fit into a smaller garage space.

If this is correct, you do not need to remove the brake or electrical lines. It always seems like air enters the brake lines once a disconnect occurs requiring them to be rebled.

I know exactly what a swing away tongue is and what they look like. This is def not not not a swing away tongue. Getting late maybe I can upload a pic tomorrow.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Removable tongue question....

sounds more like an extendable tongue . . . often used with trailerable sailboats and shallow ramps.

I had such a thing with my Catalina 22, except it did not have the quick disconnect. I too was concerned about using a quick disconnect for the brake lines as it would either fail or allow air into the lines. Soooo, I made an extendable mechanism for the brake lines and wiring.

Here is a link to my Web Page about the trailer: Tongue Extension System

If you do not need the extendable tongue, you could just do a more permanent bolt instead of the removeable pin and then go with a solid brake line, etc.

If you want to remove the tongue portion, yet have a permanent brake line, you could possibly use a section of brake line hose (instead of rigid brake line) in the area of the tongue portion of the brake line/system.

 

[4now04]

Re: Removable tongue question....

Four Winns built many trailers with this configuration. I have had two of them. I would say that it is possible to get air in the line, but generally not much.

 

[sasada]

Re: Removable tongue question....

Just found this thread....

http://forums.iboats.com/trailers-towing/surge-breaks-removable-tongue-401175.html

Sound feasible?

 

[sasada]

Re: Removable tongue question....

FYI...yesterday I figured whet the heck and took stuff apart. The trailer does indeed have a removable tongue. 2 pins, a wiring harness, a brake line coupler, and the tongue slides right out. The brake line coupler has what looks like a little cone or firing pin on the end of the male half and when plugged in it appears to depresses as not to allow any air in the line. All and all it seems pretty slick.