moving the axle: how much?

[MrBill_FLL]

OK, my trailer broke, and I'm going to the welders shortly. *axle hanger/ drop linkI think I'll ask to see if they can cut off the rest of the axle hangers and move the axle back....but how much.I think I saw a post of 10" back.... was that enough, too much or just right?I was thinking of 8" back from stock.(this is for a 1988 26D, but should be same for all 87-94 classics.

 

[John S]

Axle Change

My trailer is an 87. My left forward spring attach point broke. I re-attached my leaf springs exactly 12 inches aft of the old attach points. Seems just about right. If anything, I wish I'd gone farther back, but tongue weight is well situated now. I drive 75 MPH and over for long distances and the trailer follows nicely. John S Boise

 

[Greg]

Trailers

You need at least 10% of the trailers weight on the hitch to prevent the trailer from swaying. The problem with boats is that even with over 10% on the hitch setting in the drive way, going down the road, the air pushing on the bow of the boat lifts the bow, thus the tung weight goes down and the boat starts to sway. Even if you move the axel to the very end of the trailer it won't do any thing but pull better. The thing that has to be watched is how much tong weight can your tow vehicle take, and will the trailer take the new longer bridge. A lot of small boat trailers have a short bridge to help the person pulling the trailer get around corners. Not really a problem, just remember the trailer will off track so take your corners wide. The longer the bridge, the easier it is to back a trailer. The trailer won't be as prone to jack knifing while backing and you will find you have a lot more controll backing too. If the trailer and tow vehicle will take it I'd move it back at least 12". Also remember how and where you store all your junk while trailering will change your toung weight too.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

JohnS - you pull the OB? right?

you moved the front attachemt point back 12", and you still pull the ob off the boat to tow, right?I leave my ob on, so maybe 14" would be right...I also move my 'extra' cooler to the vberth when I tow, (I need all the tounge weight I can get)since I'm only going to do this once... sure would like to be right the first time...thanks!

 

[John S]

Axle Relocation

I leave my motor right where it is for trailering. My new axle setting, at 12 inches aft seems to be OK. I did think one time that I'd wished I'd moved it as far back as possible, but I cannot remember the reason. My tow vehicle, a 3/4 ton diesel Ford, does not care about tongue weight, so I could have moved it further. I notice that I cannot pick up the tongue of the trailer by myself, and when I jump on the aft boarding ladder when the trailer is parked, I can kind of make the boat move up and down. Since you are going for new hangers for your leaf springs, this is definitely the time to move the attach points aft and enjoy a trailer that tracks so true that you forget it is back there. (Or maybe it is because of the heavy truck). Anyway, I'd say at LEAST 12 inches. John S Boise

 

[MrBill_FLL]

12" it is!

Thanks to all!fwiw, I just got a slip for 3 months, so I'll splash the boat friday, then worry about getting the trailer fixed. (I'll plan to move the hanger at least 1 foot).(I have 5.4 ltr, expedition, so tounge weight should not be an issue)now I need to think about worse case... bilge pump.I guess I'll go get a check valve and rule 650 pump, and route it to the sink for now.boats pretty dry except for the chain plate... never worried about it on the trailer... but it will be an hour away... and may not see it every weekend.