I tow my 23.5 with a 2002 Chevy 1500. I think this is enough truck. The problem I have is when I hit even a slight roll in the road (light dip) the back of the truck and the front of the boat bounce up and down several times. It reminds me of a car with worn out shocks. I tried slowing, this had no effect. The road between my house and the boat ramp is extremely uncomfortable and I drive it at 35 mph. (Note the 235 has a single axle) Additional info Tongue weight is 316 lbs. I checked it with a bathroom scale. I believe this rig is about 3000 to 3500 lbs. That puts me very near the 10% recommended tongue weight. The shocks seem strong enough. The truck has only 40,000 miles and here in Texas it is very flat. They hold the truck fine with out a load. When I put the trailer on it drops two inches. (Yes I measured it.) Is that two inches more than acceptable? It looks like my receiver is still too high. With the boat off the truck and just on its wheel I get the trailer level at about 9 inches of tongue height. Loaded on the truck it is at about 11 inches. Could this be part of my problem? Suggestions? Russell
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Tongue Weight
I think your tongue weight is still too high, in spite of it being within the 10% recommendation. Think of what your truck would do if you had a 316 lb guy jumping up and down on the hitch. That's essentially what's happening when you hit a bump. I keep my tongue weight for my O'Day 25 (roughly 5000 lbs total weight) under 100 lbs. Though there are still a few bumpy times, it rides pretty smooth. What bump problems I DO have, I attribute to poor shocks, the van does the same thing with no boat attached. On tongue height, my receiver was about 2" too high. I just took the ball off the receiver, turned the receiver upside down, and reattached the ball. It fit just right.
I think your tongue weight is still too high, in spite of it being within the 10% recommendation. Think of what your truck would do if you had a 316 lb guy jumping up and down on the hitch. That's essentially what's happening when you hit a bump. I keep my tongue weight for my O'Day 25 (roughly 5000 lbs total weight) under 100 lbs. Though there are still a few bumpy times, it rides pretty smooth. What bump problems I DO have, I attribute to poor shocks, the van does the same thing with no boat attached. On tongue height, my receiver was about 2" too high. I just took the ball off the receiver, turned the receiver upside down, and reattached the ball. It fit just right.
240 and Silverado
I have essentially the same boat truck set up as you do. I do fine with mine. Try hitting the brakes when the bouncing starts this will usually get things back to normal. I usually start to get a little fishtailing at right around 70 mph if I don't have enough tongue weight. I also get a little squat in my truck when the boat is attached. I'm also considering an air bag situation as I also do a lot of homeowner hauling......lumber, mulch, gravel etc. Ken
I have essentially the same boat truck set up as you do. I do fine with mine. Try hitting the brakes when the bouncing starts this will usually get things back to normal. I usually start to get a little fishtailing at right around 70 mph if I don't have enough tongue weight. I also get a little squat in my truck when the boat is attached. I'm also considering an air bag situation as I also do a lot of homeowner hauling......lumber, mulch, gravel etc. Ken
Accelerate
When anticipating dips and bumps like railroad tracks, armadillos, etc. Accelerate through them. This creates constant force on the trailer hitch and a smoother ride through the turbulence. I learned this when I drove ambulance and got too many complaints from the back. Bryan
When anticipating dips and bumps like railroad tracks, armadillos, etc. Accelerate through them. This creates constant force on the trailer hitch and a smoother ride through the turbulence. I learned this when I drove ambulance and got too many complaints from the back. Bryan
Tongue Weight
If you get bounces as you described, your tongue wieght IS too high. MOmentam is from the braking action is bouncing your hitch. OTOH, if your trailer fish tails down the road you need more weight on the tougue. And believe or not, your shocks may be worn or just too light for the weight. Did you buy the truck new?
If you get bounces as you described, your tongue wieght IS too high. MOmentam is from the braking action is bouncing your hitch. OTOH, if your trailer fish tails down the road you need more weight on the tougue. And believe or not, your shocks may be worn or just too light for the weight. Did you buy the truck new?
totally against the grain
I recently purchased my macgregor 26s this past may. The boat trailered wonderful from the person I bought it from and to the first time to sail it. But when I loaded the boat on the trailer the first time it was just a inch or two back from the original position. My ford f150 bounced exactly as you described. I now make sure that the boat is fully up against the forward stop of the trailer and I make sure i load anything and everything up in the front of the boat. This has placed more weight on the tongue and the boat now trailers fine. My trailer is also a single axle. Excuse the laymen's terms 'cause I am still very new to all of this.
I recently purchased my macgregor 26s this past may. The boat trailered wonderful from the person I bought it from and to the first time to sail it. But when I loaded the boat on the trailer the first time it was just a inch or two back from the original position. My ford f150 bounced exactly as you described. I now make sure that the boat is fully up against the forward stop of the trailer and I make sure i load anything and everything up in the front of the boat. This has placed more weight on the tongue and the boat now trailers fine. My trailer is also a single axle. Excuse the laymen's terms 'cause I am still very new to all of this.
Tongue weight is too heavy.
I agree with Herb that your tongue weight is too heavy. A weight of 100 to 140# would probably completely stop the bouncing. The drop of 2 inches is OK but the change in tongue weight would also decrease the drop. If the trailer hitch and ball height is wrong, where the truck hitch is higher, you can drag the outboard or rudder over bumps on the launch ramp. To correct this simply go to your NAPA store and purchase a "stinger", with a greater drop and mount your ball on it. They are all the same standard size as far as fitting your truck receiver. It is also a good idea to remove your outboard when towing your boat. Good luck, Ray.
I agree with Herb that your tongue weight is too heavy. A weight of 100 to 140# would probably completely stop the bouncing. The drop of 2 inches is OK but the change in tongue weight would also decrease the drop. If the trailer hitch and ball height is wrong, where the truck hitch is higher, you can drag the outboard or rudder over bumps on the launch ramp. To correct this simply go to your NAPA store and purchase a "stinger", with a greater drop and mount your ball on it. They are all the same standard size as far as fitting your truck receiver. It is also a good idea to remove your outboard when towing your boat. Good luck, Ray.
Dexteraxle.com
Try going to dexteraxle.com, then click on trailer resources. The upper right two catagories. They cover everything on trailers!
Try going to dexteraxle.com, then click on trailer resources. The upper right two catagories. They cover everything on trailers!
Reduced Tongue Weight
One small warning about reducing tongue weight, be careful with what you put in the boat after doing so. Once, my wife and I did a trip down the Texas ICW. When we came back, we had to have the van worked on (water pump went out), so I decided to do some work on the boat while we waited. I still had two 5 gallon tanks of gas I stored in the back of the cockpit. I climbed in, and kept thinking how much my "sea legs" were still in effect, it felt almost like I was still moving up and down on waves. After about 10 minutes of working on it, my wife drove up in the van, and said that the boat was see-sawwing as I worked on it. Turns out that between the weight of the gas, my weight, and fact that the tongue wasn't attached to the hitch, the boat was actuall pivoting on the back axle!! It was a good thing I hd the wheels chocked good.
One small warning about reducing tongue weight, be careful with what you put in the boat after doing so. Once, my wife and I did a trip down the Texas ICW. When we came back, we had to have the van worked on (water pump went out), so I decided to do some work on the boat while we waited. I still had two 5 gallon tanks of gas I stored in the back of the cockpit. I climbed in, and kept thinking how much my "sea legs" were still in effect, it felt almost like I was still moving up and down on waves. After about 10 minutes of working on it, my wife drove up in the van, and said that the boat was see-sawwing as I worked on it. Turns out that between the weight of the gas, my weight, and fact that the tongue wasn't attached to the hitch, the boat was actuall pivoting on the back axle!! It was a good thing I hd the wheels chocked good.
Reactive forces
Actually, the first thing I would do is look at weight distribution within the boat... and center it - keep the weight out of the ends as much as practical. On a single axle trailer you will find it more sensitive than a dual axle setup. Like a seesaw sitting over the pivot point of the axle. Then, I would look at the position of the boat on the trailer. There is a difference in how the boat is supported on the trailer... that is, how many points touch relative to the axle. If you have bunk boards instead of side rollers AND they are centered well over the axle the position of the loaded boat should have a fairly wide range of positioning. If not, then you will need to be more careful in putting the boat in the "right" place. All this of course is affecting the tongue weight. I disagree with some of the earlier comments, however. IF your weight distribution is such that you are back end loaded you will be lightening the tongue load as the energy wave of your rig goes down the road. Bad way to say it, but, you have the flex point centered at the hitch... if the back of the boat is too heavy your flex point may even have negative weight from time to time. This will feel very bouncy, very unstable and somewhat fishtaily. The springs and shocks of the truck are not being allowed to do their share of the work. IF the weight is way forward, the springs and shocks of the truck are doing more of the work... this leads to the bouncing that sometimes occurs. The flex point is reacting to the forward motion and downward force of the weight relatively above it. In any case, it is the position of the weight relative to the pivot points in your total rig. Stability depends on not letting the weight get too far from any of those points. Note that I have been wrong about my perceptions of the physics of the real world many times in my life but I think this is pointing the correct direction. Best; Chris
Actually, the first thing I would do is look at weight distribution within the boat... and center it - keep the weight out of the ends as much as practical. On a single axle trailer you will find it more sensitive than a dual axle setup. Like a seesaw sitting over the pivot point of the axle. Then, I would look at the position of the boat on the trailer. There is a difference in how the boat is supported on the trailer... that is, how many points touch relative to the axle. If you have bunk boards instead of side rollers AND they are centered well over the axle the position of the loaded boat should have a fairly wide range of positioning. If not, then you will need to be more careful in putting the boat in the "right" place. All this of course is affecting the tongue weight. I disagree with some of the earlier comments, however. IF your weight distribution is such that you are back end loaded you will be lightening the tongue load as the energy wave of your rig goes down the road. Bad way to say it, but, you have the flex point centered at the hitch... if the back of the boat is too heavy your flex point may even have negative weight from time to time. This will feel very bouncy, very unstable and somewhat fishtaily. The springs and shocks of the truck are not being allowed to do their share of the work. IF the weight is way forward, the springs and shocks of the truck are doing more of the work... this leads to the bouncing that sometimes occurs. The flex point is reacting to the forward motion and downward force of the weight relatively above it. In any case, it is the position of the weight relative to the pivot points in your total rig. Stability depends on not letting the weight get too far from any of those points. Note that I have been wrong about my perceptions of the physics of the real world many times in my life but I think this is pointing the correct direction. Best; Chris
Trailering
Ok, I have over 2 million miles of trailering, so 1st. You can't have too much tounge weight. You can have more than your truck can handle but not too much. 2nd, the trailer should be level on your truck, if not, get the right reciever. Since your truck drops 2 inches when the boat is on the important question is,is your truck level? Pickups tend to be rear high untill loaded and newer trucks tend to have progressive springs. That lets them ride like a car untill loaded but still handle a load. But if with the boat loaded the rear is lower than the front, I'd add air shocks. Your problem sound mostly like a shock problem anyways. Stock shocks on 1/2 tons are pretty wimpy. And here's the one thing most people forget, How are your TIRES. Most 1/2 tons come with car tires. By the time you get a couple of hundred pounds (including the trucks fuel)on board, the tires aren't strong enough. Make sure you have light truck tires. Look for an LT by the size. weak tires will make you bounce and sway and could blow out.
Ok, I have over 2 million miles of trailering, so 1st. You can't have too much tounge weight. You can have more than your truck can handle but not too much. 2nd, the trailer should be level on your truck, if not, get the right reciever. Since your truck drops 2 inches when the boat is on the important question is,is your truck level? Pickups tend to be rear high untill loaded and newer trucks tend to have progressive springs. That lets them ride like a car untill loaded but still handle a load. But if with the boat loaded the rear is lower than the front, I'd add air shocks. Your problem sound mostly like a shock problem anyways. Stock shocks on 1/2 tons are pretty wimpy. And here's the one thing most people forget, How are your TIRES. Most 1/2 tons come with car tires. By the time you get a couple of hundred pounds (including the trucks fuel)on board, the tires aren't strong enough. Make sure you have light truck tires. Look for an LT by the size. weak tires will make you bounce and sway and could blow out.
teeter-totter
A single axle trailer acts like a child's teeter-totter. IMHO I believe the tongue weight may bee too light. I agree with Gary on this point. Trucks are designed to carry weight, that is what the are (or at least used to be) for. If you are light on the tongue, the single axle will cause the boat to "balance" back and forth. I think this is your bouncing. My recommendation would be to have the boat/trailer weighed, adjust to about 12% on the tongue, level the trailer with the proper receiver. Good luck. Bryon BTW isn't conflicting advice a joy?
A single axle trailer acts like a child's teeter-totter. IMHO I believe the tongue weight may bee too light. I agree with Gary on this point. Trucks are designed to carry weight, that is what the are (or at least used to be) for. If you are light on the tongue, the single axle will cause the boat to "balance" back and forth. I think this is your bouncing. My recommendation would be to have the boat/trailer weighed, adjust to about 12% on the tongue, level the trailer with the proper receiver. Good luck. Bryon BTW isn't conflicting advice a joy?
Forgot to add
A set of GOOD light truck shocks couldn't hurt. I am no a big fan of air shocks. Shocks primary purpose is to keep the tire in contact with the road, they are not load carrying devices. If the rear of the truck is too low, helper springs are a better choice. With air shocks you are carrying load on the two small bolts that attach the shock. Bryon
A set of GOOD light truck shocks couldn't hurt. I am no a big fan of air shocks. Shocks primary purpose is to keep the tire in contact with the road, they are not load carrying devices. If the rear of the truck is too low, helper springs are a better choice. With air shocks you are carrying load on the two small bolts that attach the shock. Bryon
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