Trailer Issue, not enough tongue weight

[Grady_Crazy]

I have a 2000 Tournament 225 with bracket with an OX66 225. I bought a Venture trailer to go under the boat from a Grady Dealer. I told them the boat and asked them to adjust it accordingly. Venture VATB-5925 It does not have enough tongue weight and fish tales down the road.

I have moved the wench as far forward as possible.

The boat hangs off the back of the bunks.

Does anyone know of an adapter to allow me to move it forward some more? If I move the bunks back would it change anything? I don't think so. Move the axles back? A lot of work. Add a 100lb weight to the tongue? I can take it back to them but they are 2.5 hrs away.

Just looking for advice not bashing dealer.

 

[freddy063]

what hitch do you have on your truck? I had a drop down to level out the trailer and found that a straight one that keeps the trailer more up worked better for me, try playing with different hitches levels and see what response you get.It worked on my boat.

 

[Parthery]

Move the winch stand in front of the I-beams. You will probably have some bunk sticking out the back but that will induce more tongue weight which should ease the fishtailing. The motor being an additional 3' back acts as a tail wagging the dog.

Your bunks will likely stick out past the transom once you move the stand forward. Just remember to make sure your tabs are fully retracted before you load the boat on the trailer so they don't hit the bunks.

 

[Grady_Crazy]

That is easy, don't have tabs. This will mean the winch is about 8" farther forward, with the bunks out sticking out past the transom quite a bit but I will give it a try.

 

[seasick]

That is easy, don't have tabs. This will mean the winch is about 8" farther forward, with the bunks out sticking out past the transom quite a bit but I will give it a try.

You may want to look at moving the bunks forward a bit too

 

[DennisG01]

Yeah, it's always tough to setup a trailer without the boat. You do your best, sometimes you get it right, sometimes not! Also, you probably only paid for the trailer, not an "adjustment". It usually takes at least an hour of time, sometimes 2 to properly setup a trailer.

It can tough to tell from a picture, but if you move the winch stand in front of the A-frame (aluminum I-beams), just make sure it's not putting the boat too close to the front where the bow could contact the vehicle in a tight turn. Also, that it won't interfere with the jack stand.

Both ways can work, but if it was me, I'd probably slide the axles back a bit. You probably won't need much.

The bunks are easy - leave that adjustment till the end.

On a side note, when you're all done, move the actual winch down a bit. The bow eye should snugging up against the bottom side of the roller.

EDIT: How much tongue weight do you currently have, with the trailer frame level? Do you have a scale? There are methods to do this with a bathroom scale. Maybe there's a CAT scale in the area?

 

[Doc Stressor]

You may be over thinking your problem. Just drop your hitch as freddy063 suggested. Often only 2" will solve your problem. Since it is almost impossible to get too much weight distribution on your hitch with a multi-axel trailer, try one 4" lower than what you are using now.

 

[Harpoon]

If you move your post forward you can cut your bunks off a little...Or, move them forward (re-drill).

OR, move your axles back 2".

 

[gw204]

Measure your tongue weight before you buy or change anything. I believe the proper range is 5% to 7% of the overall trailered weight, but don't quote me on that.

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-how-to-det ... eight.aspx


Post a pic of the boat sitting on the trailer hooked to the truck.

 

[DennisG01]

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-how-to-det ... eight.aspx

Just don't do it the way they do in that picture! They're measuring at the jack, not the tongue (ball mount).

Yes, the 5%-7% range is typically what trailer manufacturer's recommend for BOAT trailers. For RV's, for some reason, it's higher. From my experience (both personal and also setting up trailers for customer's), that 5-7 is spot on.

 

[gw204]

Good catch!

I had the bathroom scale method in mind, which they properly show using the coupler. However, that cinder block orientation is all wrong.

 

[DennisG01]

Good catch!

I had the bathroom scale method in mind, which they properly show using the coupler. However, that cinder block orientation is all wrong.

Ha! You're right! The block needs to be turned 90*!

You know what's funny? I've measured tongue weights many times with both the scale method and on a certified scale. When I used the cert scale, I've always driven my truck off, leaving just the tongue of the boat on the scale (with wheels just barely off). Then I balance the tongue on a 4x4 to weigh it. I NEVER thought to simply measure the truck (with boat attached), then uncouple the trailer! :roll:

 

[Harpoon]

Unless you are towing with a lighter duty vehicle, I prefer to be on the high side of tongue weight. Probably more like 10% or so. It makes for much better towing at highway speed. Pickups are made to carry weight in the rear. Why not share a little of the load with the rear axle of your truck?

 

[Grady_Crazy]

I tow with a 1500 Suburban so I can handle more weight. I will have to pick up a bathroom scale to measure the weight but the other day my wife stepped on the ladder on the swim platform and the front of the trailer lifted up. My boat is at the lake so I can't use the scale method right now, I can this weekend. I also have a 4" drop tow bar to get the trailer level.

 

[Curmudgeon]

I think your dealer didn't do you any favors, trailer is one size short. The weight rating might be OK, but the rest is suspect. I want my bunks to extend all the way to the transom, for max support; a few inches might or might not make any difference. I want the tongue set up conventionally for that manufacturer, moving the winch stand further forward isn't it. Moving the axles might be OK, but they'd need to move backwards to add tongue weight and you don't have much room there, either. Changing hitch height means the dual axle trailer is not level, not recommended. I'm a math midget, which is why I go to a certified scale to determine tongue, axle, and total weights. I never make changes without knowing where to start, and I never use 'adapters' or '
make-do' solutions. 60 mph with 6000# is not where I want to find out I suck as a drive-way engineer ... :wink:

 

[Grady_Crazy]

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

A couple years ago we bought a Venture from Seales in C-town. Crazy, we essentially have the same boat , well the 228 is a tad heavier . the Venture I bought is longer than yours and because we have steep ramps here in the mountains I have a cow catcher thingy on my trailer to help prevent the pulpit from hitting the wench stand. I then use a turn buckle as well to secure the boat at the bow.

I don't have fish tale issues. My boat is being serviced so the trailer is not here right now. I wondrr if you took it back to the dealer with the boat on it and asked them for pointers or better yet tell them you want a longer trailer?

 

[Grady_Crazy]

Smokeymtn, I bought mine from the same place you bought yours. They said this is the trailer they use for the 22' hull. The boat was in drystack and I had to pick up the trailer first and go get the boat. I can take it back to them and I will, I'm just trying to do what I can to get it towable before I head back down there.

 

[Parthery]

I had a similar situation with an adjustable trailer under a 225 Tournament (that I no longer own.)

Yes - that is the trailer that Venture "recommends" for the boat...the problem is that this hull is sold as both a notch transom (222, 223, 226) and a bracket (225, 228). On the older models (like ours), the motor weight being 3' further back creates the fishtailing issue. When GW redesigned the 225 and 228 and started to compensate for 4 stroke power, they shifted weight forward to compensate for the engine. On the trailer, this also pushed weight forward of the axles which reduces the tendency to fishtail.

In my scenario, the trailer manufacturer realized after the fact that they had put the axles where they should have been if the boat was a 222/223/226. They did not want to redrill the frame and move the axles and instead made the decision to buy the trailer back from me. At that point in time, I made the decision to start buying trailers from a manufacturer that builds them custom to the hull, which I have done ever since.

I still think you should find a truckstop and get it weighed. It's the easiest and most accurate way to do so. Pull onto the scale (which will have multiple panels). Get the axles on one panel and the tongue jack on the adjacent panel. Drop the trailer and pull the tow vehicle off the scale. Have the weighmaster weigh it. Hook up and pull off the scale. When you inside to pay, the weight will show for each of the panels (and give you the total.) It will be easy to see which weight was from the tongue jack (tongue weight). Should be 7-8% of total. Armed with that information, you can then work with Seal's to either get the axles moved or the trailer swapped.

 

[family affair]

If possible, the cheapest, simplest change (if the trailer is already level) would be to move the roller back on the winch stand. Drilling the holes won't be a picnic, but it will be way easier than moving axles.