What should the tongue weight be on a boat trailer?

[SS Flasher]

Re: What should the tongue weight be on a boat trailer?

on a sidenote until you have towed with a crewcab diesel dually you will not understand... that little bassboat could sway until it ripped the trailer in half and would just be an annoying wiggle to the truck...

Just last summer I saw a beautiful ford truck like the one described off the road and severely damaged. True, the boat took the worst, it had flipped a couple of times and pieces of it were everywhere. Witnesses said the trailer apparently started to sway violently, came off the trailer, and threw the truck out of control.
Why would we be concerned with a little more tongue weight on a perfect tow vehicle like this?

 

[jeeperman]

Re: What should the tongue weight be on a boat trailer?

Many a small tail have wagged a big dog, LOL

 

[Texasmark]

Re: What should the toung weight be on a boat trailer?

Re: What should the toung weight be on a boat trailer?

problem is that your trailer really doesn't care what is towing it. if you have no tongue weight, a swaying trailer won't take you off the road, but it certainly can damage alot &/or toss whatever is on the trailer completely off. Trailers start swaying because of road conditions/speed/tongue weight. Has nothing to do with what is pulling it. That only affects what happens AFTER the swaying starts.

(and don't underestimate a 3000 lb load. i've personally seen bass boats flip trucks that heavy. Once it builds up momentum all bets are off...)


One thing to keep in mind about measuring tongue weight... don't set the tongue directly on the scale. You want the trailer at the same attitude that you tow it at. use a block/jackstand on the scale and then zero it out mathmatically. If a boat sits high on a trailer, tongue weight will be SUBSTANTIALLY heavier on the ground vs normal height.

Sir I totally agree with you on both points and they are very well advised.

Mark

 

[jfadool]

Re: What should the tongue weight be on a boat trailer?

I have been around some big trailers. 12000lbs is a lot of trailer and when I load them I try to load them front heavy. I am not worried about tongue weight with a dulley. But if I can get 20-25% tongue weight I am a very happy person.

My thought is: To light on the tongue and I will have problems, more tongue weight will not hurt, the truck can take it no problems. Load your trailer properly, tow with the correctly rated vehicle and you will be in good shape.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: What should the tongue weight be on a boat trailer?

oh well I give up.... my point was that getting away with it doesn't make it right...... cheers

ps the last trip I made was 2 weekends ago to philly and back to pick up a 9000 lb cruiser .. we set it up with about 1500 lb tongue weight ..... made it 750 miles home with 2/3 of that in a blizzard

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: What should the tongue weight be on a boat trailer?

..... made it 750 miles home with 2/3 of that in a blizzard

So how did you get the other 1/3 home? JK

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: What should the tongue weight be on a boat trailer?

So how did you get the other 1/3 home? JK

much more calmly with the cruise set on 80....lol