i put my boat on a mooring in winthrop and bring the trailor home to s.nh for the season but with out the boat the trailer the wheels hop violently off the ground with every bump so bad i lost a buddy bearing last trip down 93 i kept it at 60 or below and my ball is about level with the trailer. any ideas?
trailer hop
- Thread starter wingnut/boston
- Start date
I have a 400 pound trailer (Hobie AI) that hops if I tow it with one car but not on another car. The only difference is the hieght of the hitch - but this doesnt make a lot of sense to me. On the car that it hops on, I can add some weight on the tounge and that helps a little. I just replaced the tires and the old ones had a real strange wear pattern - like no tread in one area but rotate the tire 180 and there is good tread.. Maybe I also have a little alignment problem with the axle on the frame but havent checked (even though I have owned this trailer for about 10 years now.. one day..)
Also, if its a single axle trailer you have to pay more attention to the weight distribution and balance. Single axle - single pivot point. If you either dont get the boat forward on the trailer or put too much load weight to the rear, you can also have an unstable trailer. I know on the 26S, 150 pounds tongue weight is too low but mine tows well when the weght starts to get close to 200 pounds.
woops.. I just read your original post - no boat on the trailer..
Also, if its a single axle trailer you have to pay more attention to the weight distribution and balance. Single axle - single pivot point. If you either dont get the boat forward on the trailer or put too much load weight to the rear, you can also have an unstable trailer. I know on the 26S, 150 pounds tongue weight is too low but mine tows well when the weght starts to get close to 200 pounds.
woops.. I just read your original post - no boat on the trailer..
This is fairly normal.
your springs are designed for ~2-3000#, but you don't have any weight without the boat. (same thing as 10,000# springs on a 3000# boat)
as others said, slow down, and lower the air pressure. that will act like a spring.
Boston roads are probably not the smoothest either.
your springs are designed for ~2-3000#, but you don't have any weight without the boat. (same thing as 10,000# springs on a 3000# boat)
as others said, slow down, and lower the air pressure. that will act like a spring.
Boston roads are probably not the smoothest either.
All my trailers bounce when empty. I keep the tires at the correct pressure all the time.
I can't even keep lights on my utility trailer! (I'll take a picture of that mess and post it... Suffice... TuckTape on 2 bulbs and electrical tape holding the lens on the other light. The one with the TuckTape used to have electrical tape but it broke off anyway.)
I think the main structural part of my Mac 26D trailers is the actual boat its self!
I can't even keep lights on my utility trailer! (I'll take a picture of that mess and post it... Suffice... TuckTape on 2 bulbs and electrical tape holding the lens on the other light. The one with the TuckTape used to have electrical tape but it broke off anyway.)
I think the main structural part of my Mac 26D trailers is the actual boat its self!
Years ago I was told that the ball should be about 1-1/2 to 2 inches above the trailer bed at the axel. Not sure how to measure that on a boat trailer. So far using that information I have not had any of my trailers hop. On Texas roads that is a minor miracle.
Mine bounces when empty too. Not sure what the ball height would do, at least a few inches. I can't imagine it loads the springs a lot differently. I switched to LED lights but even those don't last when bounced to death. I would imagine that a dual axle would ride better empty but I am guessing
Common sense tells you why, if you driving long distance strap on two 55gal drums filled with water, easy to fill drain will add 1100 pounds.