Bouncing Boat Trailer

[Teri C.]

Bob G and Mac, I lost your number when my cell phone went to the bottom of the lake. I needed ya this weekend.



I took the Triton to the cabin this weekend for the first time using my friends Ford Sportrac truck. While I was driving, I noticed the trailer was bouncing ALOT! Any minor dip in the road would cause the boat and the trailer to start bouncing up and down, more than I have ever noticed when towing a boat. Big dips or bumps would sometimes cause at least one of the trailer tires to come off the ground slightly. I thought maybe I was driving too fast so I slowed down to 65-70 and it was still happening. I know you are going to get some bounce from the trailer but this was way more than I am used to.



What should I do to fix this? I talked to the boat dealer by my cabin and he thought the tires pressure might have done it. The tires say 50psi and I had them about 40psi so I aired them to 50 and it still happened on the way home. The hitch height was about as level as you can get, maybe slightly high but there is no inbetween. If I flipped the ball over, it would be too low.



Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[Ken Neeley]

Check the tongue weight on the trailer....boat may be sitting too far forward....is the winch stand adjustable?

 

[Ken Neeley]

ANd why didn't you call me?!?

 

[william Clark]

Might also check the springs at the pivot areas. That is just a guess but that is where I would start looking is to make sure the springs are working correctly.

I loved what you said about slowing down to 65-70. Good luck. Clark

 

[Teri C.]

Ken, I didnt have your number either.

 

[Randy Walls]

TEri, if that boats a rocking, don't come a knockin!:lol:

 

[Staci Matheis]

The lower tire pressures would have cushioned the ride - not caused it to bounce more.

Do you have radial or bias ply tires? Bias will bounce much more readily than radials.



Also, if one of the tires were out of round - that would cause it to bounce severely after hitting a bump.



The only other thing I can think of is if the traialer were not the original trailer that came with the boat or if someone had replaced the springs with some that had too high a rate..... This could be the case if yours was one of those that had the single springs that were failing.



me!

 

[TrepMan]

First thing was the trailer level or at the same level as with the Benz? hight differences will cause it also.

 

[Larry Harp]

Teri, perhaps you're just used to pulling a trailer with a broken spring maybe you should try breaking the springs on the new trailer.



Harpo

 

[Bruce Freeman]

It was just jumping up and down because it was happy to be behind a FORD........lol

Sounds like to much spring to me if everything else is right, level to slight incline on tounge, check, tire pressure, check, slowing down from mach 1, check, You can add shocks to the trailer if all else checks out.

BF

 

[Steve Rizza]

Teri,

was it a soft wavy bounce,or a jarring fast bounce.



Tires can make a big difference.My first set were too stiff.The trailer would try to walk sideways if there were little stutter bumps on the road.A jarring rough ride.

The tires I have now are too soft,and it's like I am towing a marshmallow.Whenever I hit a dip in the road,the trailer just keeps on slowly bouncing.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Teri -



I don't know why this just hit me..... It came completely out of the blue! It's not very likely, but..... Check to see that all your lug nuts are tight. If you've got a loose wheel and the holes are getting widened, it might cause the same bouncing that an out-of-round tire would cause.....



me!

 

[TrepMan]

ROTFLMAO at Bruce!!! Yup that Triton doesn't like being pulled behind a german "truck"!!! LOL



Ok Let the Korean Minivan zingers fly!! !LOL