Moving a trailer axle

[DLM]

My tongue weight is too high, somewhere north of 220 when it should be about 160.

So I believe I need to slide the trailer axle forward a bit.

Question one is does anyone have a guess on how far to move it? I know each boat and each trailer would be different but if anyone has experience with this it would help me out.

Question two is just how big a job is it for someone with what I would call average mechanical talents?

Question three is how critical is the axle alignment, can this be done with a tape measure say from a central point on the tongue back to the same place on each side of the trailer, or better left to the experts?

Axles are just something I have never messed with at all so any advice would be helpful.

 

[SilverBullets]

That sounds like alot of work. Would moving the winch stand forward or back on the tongue and readjusting the bunks or rollers to achieve proper tongue weight be another option?

 

[SuperD]

220 ain't nothing, are you assuming it it too high because you are now ass light? Have you weighed your boat and trailer by itself? Tongue weight anywhere between 10% to 15% of total weight would be well within parameters. And I also think adjusting the bow stop location would be the easier of the two approaches.

 

[SmokeOnTheWater]

You didn't mention anything about your boat. What suggests your tongue weight should be 60 lbs lighter or is it a personal preference? I definitely agree with the others about repositioning the bow stop aft. I thought I had just the opposite problem a few years back simply because the tougue weight was less than 100lbs (axle too far forward) on my 17 footer? A close friend of mine has a 22' fiberglass and his tongue weight is close to 300lbs (three of us can't budge it). I was also experiencing critical, uneven tire wear where the inside bead was being scrubbed away. I moved the bow stop as far forward as possible to the point where the transom is even with the rear of the bunks. It's amazing what that two inch adjustment made. I also took my trailer (boat loaded) to an allignment shop where the technician tweaked the axle by bending it and I've had excellent tire wear since.

It may also be a matter of how you loaded your boat with accessories? How quickly does your boat plane out vs. how much trim you have to input? Once again, it becomes almost unreal all the shtuff we think we need and never ever use.

When it's all said and done, compare the difference in tongue weight (before vs. after). Moving the axle should be a last resort and done by the pros. Good Luck!

 

[lowe1648mt]

trailer axel

I don't see if you said it was a single axel or tandem. Some times if it is a tandem axel all you have to do is raise the touge height by raising the trailer ball. If your tow vehicel has air shocks it's easy. If not, it takes a different coupler. You would still like the trailer to sit near level, not too much bow up. If you have to move the axel, put the boat in the water. Then use jack stands to raise the back of the trailer up a couple of inches. Then use the tongue jack to raise the front. If you loosen the spring hanger u-bolts, the axel will roll easily. measuer from the tongue back to the axel to make them even.

 

[Full_Monte]

You can find the spot to place your axle by moving it and checking the tongue weight with a bathroom scale. This assumes that your axle/spring assembly is on a movable carriage that is u-bolted onto the frame. You might also be able to check planned placement using a couple of hydraulic jacks, placing them on each side of the frame and weighing the tongue. Something might get in the way of this. You shouldn't have to move it more than a few inches.

A couple references:

http://newcarbuyingguide.com/index.php/news/main/3657/event=view

http://www.thehulltruth.com/trucks-trailers/210716-trailer-tongue-weight.html

 

[DLM]

Great information from everyone as I expected there would be, or I would not have posted here.

Here are some specs.

16' Alumaweld Talon with 40hp Merc and 6hp kicker
Rogue bunk single axle trailer
2002 Toyota Tacoma 4wd

I have weighed it unhooked from the pickup and if I recall correctly it is right at 1650.


I cannot move the boat back without moving the bunks. I have only 1 inch of bunk showing at the back when the boat is cinched up tight against the bow stop. I have replaced bunks before so this would not be a big problem, just frankly had not thought of it. 101duh101

I am not having any trouble towing, it pulls just fine. The major problem is that it really squats down the back of the pickup and thus my headlights are quite rude to oncoming vehicles. I want to add a spare tire to the front of the trailer as well which will add to the problem.

I realize the hitch and pickup can handle the weight as it is now. I am faced with the decision of beefing up the pickup suspension in some way, or lightening up the tongue weight. I thought the tongue weight solution would be the cheapest option.

I really don't have much stored in the front of the boat, just my anchor basket, anchor and rope.

 

[SuperD]

I have only 1 inch of bunk showing at the back when the boat is cinched up tight against the bow stop.

There's an inch. Proper boat placement on the trailer is no bunk showing and flush with the transom.

 

[SilverBullets]

It might be that your rear leaf's are wore out. There's alot of beefed up aftermaket ones available for the Tacoma. Check out the Alcan, Deaver, and Icon set-ups. Also, a AAL (extra leaf) or air bags are another option. http://www.wheelersoffroad.com/toyota.htm
I have a 2" lift install on my 07 Tacoma. I still have the factory rake (the rear sits about an inch higher than the front) and with the stock leafs and AAL the truck pretty much levels out with the boat hooked up.

 

[autorick]

I agree with SILVERBULLETS, beef up the Toyota and not mess with the boat axle. Move the winch back the 1 inch so the boat is flush with the trailer, and add helper springs, air bags or something to stiffen the back up; go to the junkyard and rob two sets of springs, cut the ends of them down and add a few inside your leaf pack. Tocama is light duty suspension and will need beefed up.