Shim trailer

[bruceb58]

Re: Shim trailer

Still, impact and potential bolt thinning at a single point like that makes me cringe.

Just remember that the load on each side of the bolt is actually half of the total load.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Shim trailer

The bolt may not be the weak link in the chain.
All the force is concentrated on the edge of the hole in the Tongue and the Bracket.
An 1/8 inch of play in each, will add up to a few inches out at the coupler end.
The hole in front of the wire doesn't make it look like the Tongue wall is all that heavy.
It is worth the effort to see what that hole looks like just to be sure.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Shim trailer

I don't think shimming is going work. That tongue will not sit correctly (flat) on the trailer frame. I believe you got way to much tongue weight. Do you know your tongue weight?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Shim trailer

I don't think shimming is going work. That tongue will not sit correctly (flat) on the trailer frame. I believe you got way to much tongue weight. Do you know your tongue weight?

On another thread he said he had 900 lbs which is not too much. The weight isn't causing the problem anyway, it's the design of the trailer.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: Shim trailer

If you do do the shim make it wide enough that you can put 4 holes in it to match the bolt pattern of the u-bolts and use new hardware.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Shim trailer

Still, impact and potential bolt thinning at a single point like that makes me cringe.

Looking at the photo in the original post;
The Bolt to U-Bolt distance looks to be about 1/5 the distance of the Bolt to Ball distance.
The bolt is the fulcrum point of a big lever.
It is a larger heavy boat. Lets assume 400lbs on the ball. Times 5, puts 2000lbs at the Bolt in shear.
Add some bouncing to the mix and short moments of 5-10,000lbs loads may be created.
The bolt may still be round but the holes in the bracket and tongue may not be anymore.

The OP stated the bolt does not look centered on the tongue, I would guess that it wasn't manufactured that way! I want to see what is behind that Bolt!

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Shim trailer

On another thread he said he had 900 lbs which is not too much. The weight isn't causing the problem anyway, it's the design of the trailer.

I didn't have that info!
Double all my estimates on the bolt load.
4500# on the Bolt, and 10-20,000# when bouncing down the road.
Lets hope the 6000# Shear estimate is way off!

I agree that the trailer's design is core of the problem.
The tongue does not extend far enough into the trailer.
Welding may have been a better choice.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Shim trailer

Lets hope the 6000# Shear estimate is way off!

That's 6,000# on each side of the bolt so I kinda think it's adequate. Since over 8,000# of his load is centered over the axles/tires I believe he is is more than OK! He probably has a grade 5 bolt there which makes the shear strength even higher.

Welding may have been a better choice.

Since this is a galvazied trailer, the galvanization process was probably done with the pieces of the trailer. Welding it would have prevented them from doing that process.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Shim trailer

there is NOTHING at all wrong with the trailer design... that's also probably a 5/8" or 3/4" bolt... WAY more than adequate... still it WOULD be worth investigating to make certain nothing is worn... could be just as simple as a previous owner put a longer tongue on the trailer and got the hole off center... IF it is off center, the quick easy fix would be to slide the tongue back a foot and drill a new hole

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Shim trailer

Previous owner? Its under a 2013 boat on what looks like a factory trailer.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Shim trailer

Factory trailer? no such thing... ... Being new tho I'd pretty much forget the possibility of wear on the bolt or hole


Either way there's nothing wrong with the trailer design..... Honestly there's most likely nothing wrong AT ALL except an over particular owner trying to make everything "perfect"

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Shim trailer

Factory trailer? no such thing... ... Being new tho I'd pretty much forget the possibility of wear on the bolt or hole


Either way there's nothing wrong with the trailer design..... Honestly there's most likely nothing wrong AT ALL except an over particular owner trying to make everything "perfect"

Depends on how you define factory. I mean the one the factory shoves underneath it before they ship it out. Yes - Shorelander made the trailer that Bayliner stuck under my 195 and Boatmate made the trailer that Malibu stuck under my VTX, but they rode out off the factory floor on those trailers

 

[agallant80]

Re: Shim trailer

The trailer was bought new at the time I bought the boat so it's only a little over a year old. As for the design of the trailer, don't know. Venture says it's good for 9400lbs of actual load. I just think Venture slaps the trailers together without much thought places on fit and finish. If I had to do it over again I would have spent a bit more on the trailer.

Excuse the iPhone reply.

 

[Fed]

Re: Shim trailer

I couldn't live with that either Gallant.

I bet when it left the factory everything was parallel so what's causing the misalignment now, surely you can tell by looking at it and a couple of quick measurements?

It's either got to be the bolt, the hole or something's bent.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Shim trailer

I couldn't live with that either Gallant.

I bet when it left the factory everything was parallel so what's causing the misalignment now, surely you can tell by looking at it and a couple of quick measurements?

It's either got to be the bolt, the hole or something's bent.

It was like that when it left the factory. If the trailer is level the hitch is pretty much at my tail gate. I did not care last year until I noticed that a really unlevel trailer will destroy your tires (low air pressure does it too). I don't want to trash another set of tires again so I would like to correct the issue. I think what happened is where they drilled the hole where the three beams come togeather it was drilled slightly low which would create an upward angle of the toung. Even it it was only 1/8 off center it would create quite the angle.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Shim trailer

Is it at the top or botom of the tailgate :laugh:

If the holes are all there on the tongue, I think I would want to move that rear member back some. That would make for less leverage on the front bolt. It would also help when/if the front hole did enlarge as the actual change at the front of the tongue would be less.

I would want to look at that front hole as others have mentioned. Also the washering, I would think the washers would be thick and also have some knurling on one side to press in some on the tongue and hold position better.

 

[Fed]

Re: Shim trailer

Out of interest I'd put some bathroom scales under the towball with a jack on them, start winding & see how much weight has to come off to get the towball higher. It might only be a couple of hundred Lbs.

Although you said the height difference was 7.5" I can't see it in the picture you put up?
In fact the main part of the trailer appears to be sloping down even though you measured them both at 18.5"?

Everything might fall into place with a little less towball weight.

Level ground, jack, scales & tape measure would only take a few minutes.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Shim trailer

FED. your exactly right. The higher the ball, reduces tongue weight. It is based on the fulcrum. Plus moving the boat back 1 inch makes a BIG difference. I still think that set up has TOO much tongue weight.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Shim trailer

I still think that set up has TOO much tongue weight.

Out of curiosity, what do you think his 9000# load should have for tongue weight? I personally think 10% is just fine. It also has nothing to do with his issue here.

Raising the ball height on a trailer as long as the OP's won't change the tongue weight significantly. Let's say the length of the trailer is 25' from the center of the axles to the ball and you raised the ball height 4". That's about 0.75?. Would reduce his tongue weight less then 12 lbs.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Shim trailer

10% is way too much for double axle trailer. From pics I can See that front tires/ axle has more weight. I would if possible and it is, to move the boat rearward 1 to 2 inches. that will change tongue weight ALOT. And increase ball height.( Do ball height first).
I have been doing this Crap for many years for the BIG Three. Trailering from MI. TO CA. thru the mountains w/ pickups.