Scissors lift question

[Benzbuggie]

So I bought a pontoon, it has a scissors trailer. I’ve never used one before. The boat owner told me the two bars that stick up in the front go right BEHIND the first crossbar under the pontoon to prevent it from sliding backwards off the trailer. There is also a safety chain that would prevent it from going backwards. My question is, what prevents it from sliding forward into my truck? It seems like every video I see the two bars that stick up on the trailer are in front of the boat, not behind the first crossbar underneath. If I put those bars in front of the boat, my trailer wouldn’t be long enough for the boat. Is this just how my trailer is? Seems like it could be better.

 

[Benzbuggie]

So I bought a pontoon, it has a scissors trailer. I’ve never used one before. The boat owner told me the two bars that stick up in the front go right BEHIND the first crossbar under the pontoon to prevent it from sliding backwards off the trailer. There is also a safety chain that would prevent it from going backwards. My question is, what prevents it from sliding forward into my truck? It seems like every video I see the two bars that stick up on the trailer are in front of the boat, not behind the first crossbar underneath. If I put those bars in front of the boat, my trailer wouldn’t be long enough for the boat. Is this just how my trailer is? Seems like it could be better.

I have towed it a handful of times over horrible Wisconsin roads and it seems fine, but not sure if I’m just getting lucky or if it is correct

 

[GA_Boater]

Howdy, Ben.

How about a picture or two.

 

[ahicks]

I believe a lot of how you position the boat on the trailer is about tongue weight. If you want those stops in front of the boat, put them there and see if there's enough tongue weight. If not, have a look at how your axle/spring assemblies fasten to the trailer frame. Some are adjustable, some are not. If yours are adjustable just move them back far enough to give you the tongue weight you are after.

We have a "neighborhood" trailer 6 or 7 of us use twice a year. It's been around forever, and we all know where our boat needs to be located on it to make the 2 mile journey from the boat landing to the house/storage area in good shape. My boat, with it's heavy 4 stroke motor, has those stops located behind the 2nd cross member to balance right for instance.

If I were trailering the boat regularly, I would be a little more picky about having it located "just right" with proper tongue weight.

Last thought, I've never had a pontoon move on the trailer once loaded. That's me though.... -Al

 

[Scott Danforth]

the only negative issue with a scissor trailer is they get tippy in corners, so slow down.

 

[H20Rat]

those bars go in front of the pontoon, not behind. If you have them behind, the deck is supporting weight of half the pontoon, and you risk damage.

Although there are safety chains, pontoons laying on a scissor trailer will NOT move easily no matter what you do.

 

[ahicks]

those bars go in front of the pontoon, not behind. If you have them behind, the deck is supporting weight of half the pontoon, and you risk damage.

Although there are safety chains, pontoons laying on a scissor trailer will NOT move easily no matter what you do.

The trailer is supporting the weight of the boat via all of the cross members (not the deck). That's a lot of support. Missing the first and/or second cross members isn't much of a deal - especially as the front of the boat weighs very little.