Trailer tongue weight

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Oct 25, 2009
18
Hunter 240 East Brunswick
Hey folks,

I just purchased a 99 hunter 240 with a single axle trailer how can I find out what the recommended tongue weight should be for boat and trailer. It seems to be to heavy for my vehicle. I have a 98 GMC Jimmy. The vehicle is rated for a max tongue weight of 350 lbs.

Thanks D
 
Apr 1, 2004
178
Diller-Schwill DS-16 Belle River
Put a scale under the tongue, doubt it is over 350#. If it is over, use two scales with a bridge between them.
 
Aug 11, 2006
1,446
Hunter H260 Traverse City
The tongue weight for boats should be 8-10 percent of the weight of the total load (some sources say higher wt is desired but I've found 10 percent is a good compromise unless experience indicates more weight is needed)

Too much weight on the hitch essentially lifts the vehicle’s front end, which in turn causes the front tires to lose grip on the road surface and makes steering difficult. In a situation where the tongue weight is too light the trailer will sway side-to-side at all but the slowest speeds.

You should weigh the entire rig to insure that the vehicle is up to the job. You can get the tongue wt at the same time you weigh the total package.

There is more about towing and weighing your vehicle at this link: http://h260.com/travel/travel.html

Tongue wt can be determined using a bathroom scale but that won't really help to know that unless you know the total wt of the boat and trailer together. This link provides instruction on this method.

http://www.handymanclub.com/projects/project.aspx?id=30066

There is similar method described on the Boat US website at: http://www.boatus.com/trailerclub/upkeep/backyard.asp
 

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Benny

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Sep 27, 2008
1,149
Hunter 320 Tampa, FL
Don't forget that tongue weight can be adjusted by raise or drop on the hitch ball adapter or by moving the axle of the trailer forward or back. This would only be recommended for minor adjustments as the trailer should be level, with a balanced load and the recommended 10 to 15% of tongue weight not to exceed the tow vehicle rating. It seems to me without going into too many calculations that a 98 Jimmy in good condition should be able to handle an h240 on flatlands and at moderate speeds.
 
May 21, 2009
360
Hunter 30 Smithfield, VA
Take a look at what is loaded in your boat forward of the axle. You may have extra stuff in their causing grieft. You can redistribute heavy things aft into the cockpit lockers etc. when trailering to get things more in balance. I had a Catalina 22 and did that for each towing event. As mentioned earlier, you can put a bathroom scale under the tongue to see how much weight you have there, and span two scales if necessary and total the two readings.
 
Oct 25, 2009
18
Hunter 240 East Brunswick
Thanks for all your imput will have to do some weighing and calculating. Anyone have a hunter 240 seems my trailer runners are to close together. I think they should maby be wider apart to help keep the boat from tipping during turns.

D
 
Jun 5, 2004
209
- - Eugene, OR
Dock, you should have something for tying the aft end to the trailer. If you look at trailerable powerboats you'll notice many have eyes on the transome to tie down with. My h23 came with a nylon strap that goes from the trailer frame up over the cockpit and back to the trailer. I don't pull the boat without it. I live on a hill and keep the boat in my carport which isset transversely to the hill (almost perpendicular to the fall-line), The car port is level, the driveway anything but level. Consequently, the boat/trailer tips a lot when moved in or out. Having the boat tied down securely on the trailer front and back helps a lot. Don't depend on your bunks to keep the boat on the trailer. If the trailer was built for the boat, they're probably fine, but they're not enough.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
 
Oct 3, 2006
1,029
Hunter 29.5 Toms River
Bunks will never, ever, hold a boat down. And a bump in the road can try to make the boat go up.

I will also say that 350 lb of tounge weight on a GMC jimmy is a lot. That sounds like the maximum tounge weight for the HITCH, not the SUV. You have to go by whichever is lower. Or, get a set of "helper springs" that U-bolt onto your rear leafs. The hardware (rear axle / etc) is good for the weight, but if the rear end is dragging then you need more rear spring, or a weight-distributing hitch.
 
Oct 25, 2009
18
Hunter 240 East Brunswick
Thanks for the imput I do have the boat strapped down. The bunks I have seem like they should have been wider apart where the glass is a bit stronger.
Thear is a flat spot on one side from one of the bunks it needs to be adjusted. I have a lot of weight on the swing keel as well, not sure if the keel should take most of the weight being it's a swink keel. Afraid I may do some damage.

This trailer definetly needs some adjusting. My 98 jimmy has a towing package trans cooler oil cooler. It is saging a bit. It says on the bumper max toung weight is 350. The extra leif spring sounds like a good idea. I dont think I'm over 300 on the tongue weight, but I have to check it out.


Dock
 
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Jun 8, 2004
278
Hunter 26 Illinois
Airlift for load leveling

I have a set of airlift suspension levelizers in the rear coils of my Pathfinder. My H26 tongue weight is 450#. With the airlift I run 5 lbs of air normally and you can't tell they are there. When I am towing the boat I increase to the max of 35 lbs. and it lifts the rear end to the height with no load. 25 lbs for the motorcycle trailer. The advantage I see over an equalizer hitch is: 1. There is only one type of equalizer that works with hydraulic brakes and it is big bucks. 2. I would have to install parts on all of my trailers to work with the hitch and 3. Then what do you do when you rent a trailer. This way, I just inflate the lifts and hook up any trailer I please. I keep a $10 12v compressor in the truck and it inflates the lifts in about a minute. Mine cost $80 for inside the coils. Yours is more but well worth it. Here's one place that has them. Go to there website for others.

http://www.autoanything.com/suspension-systems/61A2966A0A0A2342931.aspx
 
Aug 11, 2006
1,446
Hunter H260 Traverse City
Re: Airlift for load leveling

Caution: Load levelers have their place for light loads and I have used them on vehicles without a trailer package. However, here are some things worth considering:

1. Load levelers won't increase the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight capacity of your vehicle. This deals with axle and braking limits (neither will equalizer hitches).

2. Also, load levelers won't shift the weight forward to the front wheels like an equalizer hitch does.

3. Fiinally, equalizer hitches also have an anti-sway feature that ties the trailer and vehicle together. This is a feature missing in load levelers.

That said, as long as you stay within the load limits of the vehicle, and trailer you should be OK. Check your vehicle manual.

More on towing at this link: http://h260.com/travel/travel.html
 
Oct 25, 2009
18
Hunter 240 East Brunswick
Hi George,

Thanks for your help in the photo it looks like your hunter 260 has double bunks on each side. Am I correct hard to see in the photo. Thats what I have been thinking for mine. I think it will distribute the weight more evenly less chance of cracking the hull if you hit a good bump. Whats your opinion. I have a single axle trailer has quite a bit of flex in it lengthwise is that normal ?

D
 
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