Newer 24ft boat in shorlander trailer must do mod!

[TS4811]

Great tip, you got to love this forum! Jetboaters.net has really help heal the pain of weak dealer support and a few Yamaha issues. Thanks again all.
I will have to look at that. I didn’t see any wiring going to the surge brake, but maybe there is. In fact I will start by plugging my trailer in and see if it is already wired in. I Am in a new spot this year and have not been plugging trailer in for trip across parking lot. I have a Chevy Traverse with Tow package and 5 pin adaptor so it may already be wired.

 

[MidnightRider]

Great tip, you got to love this forum! Jetboaters.net has really help heal the pain of weak dealer support and a few Yamaha issues. Thanks again all.
I will have to look at that. I didn’t see any wiring going to the surge brake, but maybe there is. In fact I will start by plugging my trailer in and see if it is already wired in. I Am in a new spot this year and have not been plugging trailer in for trip across parking lot. I have a Chevy Traverse with Tow package and 5 pin adaptor so it may already be wired.

Yep I’d bet it is, if you have a 5 pin connector on both ends that is what the fifth pin is for as compared to a four pin connector.

 

[Julian]

Even if you only have 4 on the vehicle and 5 on the trailer, you can fake it out by turning on the vehicle lights and plugging the lights pin into the reverse lockout pin 5.

Turn the connect 90 degrees (as the hitch will provide grounding) and plug the car brown pin into the trailer purple pin (with the car lights on)

 

[Neutron]

This is what i use on my truck
https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Hopkins/47515.html?feed=npn&gclid=CjwKCAjwg_fZBRAoEiwAppvp-XMTvHZDnh4UTKb8TnbXy5y1S-G9TVTpzDZZZdlEu-_OCGkN0Y8L0BoCyScQAvD_BwE#exp-productdetails=.all-description

 

[TS4811]

Going back to the issue of positioning the boat on the trailer and considering the information here I am thinking I will start by positioning the boat on the trailer for best support and then adjust axles for tongue weight. Sounds like it was hit and miss how it was set to begin with.

 

[Jameson Clark]

Finally got to adjust my tongue weight last night. Huge thanks to @Betik for the use of the scale and also to @gmtech16450yz for the info on moving the axles. I started at a touch over 560lbs of tongue weight and ended up moving my axles 6" forward and ended at 390lbs. I was shooting for 350lbs but that is still much better and I didn't really want to move the axles much more than that.

To anyone who has a 21' boat that already hangs a good bit off the rear bunks and doesn't want to push the bow stop back making that even worse, this was a very easy solution. Do not be intimidated by the sound of it. The way the trailer is designed, it doesn't get much easier. If anyone wants anymore details, let me know and I will help in any way I can. Can't wait to pull the boat this weekend to see if I can feel a difference with that 170lbs gone.

 

[Deven Hallen]

Pulled my new 242 to the lake for the first time and it’s got to be one of the worst pulling trailers ever.

I’m already 6-7” past the end of the bunks. Sliding the axles is next on the agenda for sure

 

[Daron]

Seems that from the discussion so far, and noticing the boat size in the profiles, the difference is the 21' vs 24'. 21' trailer bunks stop short of the back and 24' trailer bunks stop just past the back from the factory.

First of all....ANOTHER GREAT READ!!!!!! I would have never thought to consider this, especially since I can't compare it to towing another previous boat. I am going to weigh it first chance I get. With that said @MidnightRider, mine is a 24' and the bunks stop before the end of the boat (2019 model). Here are some pics from mine. After I weigh it I will determine if and how much movement I want to try. However you can see in the pics that when it comes to the method of just loosening the U-Bolts and sliding the axle assembly forward, my rear u-bolts are right up against the crossmember. So, I would have to completely remove them, then slide the assembly forward and then reattach them. During that shift, the opportunity exists for the rear of the assembly to shift. I know what a chore it is, and how important it is, to have the running gear perfectly square. I built/welded my own 18' x 8' wide deck over trailer a couple of years ago with dual axles (3500 pound rating each), electric brakes, the works.

If I determine that I, like many of you, need to shift my tongue weight, I will probably opt to do the bow winch forward shift first. I think I have plenty of bunk space to go. I would only be looking at doing 4-5" anyways if I do it.

(on a side note of the comment about cheap materials used, I will say that based on my research Carlisle Tires are a good tire company, I used them on my trailer I built and they are great so far, my YJB Shoreland'r came with them, so that's one good component they used)

So glad I stumbled upon this thread. Thanks...AGAIN!!!!!

 

[Daron]

Here is a few pics of the trailer I built.

 

[Daron]

I know this dead horse has been kicked enough still but I have been reading some links and other websites since reading this thread yesterday. So apparently someone here says Shoreland'r says 5-7%. Then the post from the BoatUS says 7-10%. Then I google tongue weight and main sites like etrailer.com and even GMC both say 10-15%. That is a huge variation of specs. One is literally double, actually slightly double, that of the other. That's a huge difference in weight, especially when we can all agree that to light can be dangerous with trailer sway and to heavy causes for poor handling and maneuverability and even excess pressure on tires that have load limitations. A load is a load regardless of what it is. The tow vehicle AND the trailer both don't know if it's a boat or a load of gravel it's hauling so I don't see how a boat should differ for tongue weight needs over other typical trailering setups. Right? All in all I'm scratching my head still on what to go with once I weigh the boat here soon. On the 6k pound example previously used in this thread we're talking about 300lb versus 900lb tongue weight acceptable limit depending on the source. Any further input to help steer my straight (no pun intended).

 

[Neutron]

I have called and spoke with a tech at Shorlandr and they said 5 to 7% on their trailers with duel axles.
It is also posted on their site.
So if you have a Shorlandr trailer the answer is simple. If you have another trailer i would check with that manufacturer

 

[Neutron]

ShoreLand'r.com - Boat-To-Trailer Step #3

 

[swatski]

A load is a load regardless of what it is. The tow vehicle AND the trailer both don't know if it's a boat or a load of gravel it's hauling so I don't see how a boat should differ for tongue weight needs over other typical trailering setups. Right?

Wrong. The aerodynamics involved in a camper vs a boat trailering are quite different.
Considering drag force (air resistance) is proportional to the square of velocity, the forces equation will vary a lot with the type of load.

Also - typically a boat trailer tongue is much longer (more leverage, further from the fulcrum) - to help launch at the ramp.

--

 

[Betik]

..... much longer (more leverage, further from the fulcrum) ...
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WRONG back at you. The further someone is from my rectum the less leverage he has. Unless your rear is bended between 45 to 125 degrees, that should be an universal truth.

 

[Betik]

Any further input to help steer my straight (no pun intended).

Does "New Brockton, AL" stand for New Brockton Alabama or New Brockton Australia, mate ?

Even if this is happening 150 miles from you, whatever you do, do not click the link below. Trust me, I wont steer your wrong.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/need-to-upgrade-to-class-iv-hitch-but-my-2010-f150-has-factory-tow.20926/

 

[swatski]

WRONG back at you. The further someone is from my rectum the less leverage he has. Unless your rear is bended between 45 to 125 degrees, that should be an universal truth.

"Fulcrum", as in pivot, not rectum...
Unless it is the same word in Greek?
But it comes from a Latin word... I believe.

EDIT: @Betik put down your ouzo for the night, or we will call Clair.

--

 

[Betik]

Glad to hear you are not calling mom.

 

[Jimxo]

I'm still looking for a tow vehicle, considering a new Jeep Grand Cherokee v6 (6200 LBS) or Hem v8 (7200 LBS) ?

 

[Dough]

I tow with a GC with a 4.7 v8. I would not go smaller!

 

[Mainah]

I know this dead horse has been kicked enough still but I have been reading some links and other websites since reading this thread yesterday. So apparently someone here says Shoreland'r says 5-7%. Then the post from the BoatUS says 7-10%. Then I google tongue weight and main sites like etrailer.com and even GMC both say 10-15%. That is a huge variation of specs. One is literally double, actually slightly double, that of the other. That's a huge difference in weight, especially when we can all agree that to light can be dangerous with trailer sway and to heavy causes for poor handling and maneuverability and even excess pressure on tires that have load limitations. A load is a load regardless of what it is. The tow vehicle AND the trailer both don't know if it's a boat or a load of gravel it's hauling so I don't see how a boat should differ for tongue weight needs over other typical trailering setups. Right? All in all I'm scratching my head still on what to go with once I weigh the boat here soon. On the 6k pound example previously used in this thread we're talking about 300lb versus 900lb tongue weight acceptable limit depending on the source. Any further input to help steer my straight (no pun intended).

It all depemds on boat type, engine type, position of the axles and length of the lever in relationship to the fulcrum. As a rule of thumb the flowing applies but there are exceptions. 5-7 percent for tandem or triple axel boat trailers with inboards when the axles are positoned properly. 10-15 percent for single axle or outboards for boats depending on a few factors. 10-15 percent for tag along camper or box trailers. It really comes down where the load is distributed relative to the axle and the relationship of the length of the lever to the fulcrum.

For the tandem axle shorelanders and our boats 10 percent will put too much weight on the front trailer axle causing more sway and the rear tires to bounce more. The proof has been folks doing the post move to 7 percent and seeing/feeling the huge difference.