Trailer Tongue weight

[Neutron]

Those bags will fix your sag but a properly balanced load and tongue weight is the correct way you ensure you are trailering safely. You wont need bags if its fixed. Trust me its night and day once you get it set correctly. Just ask anyone here who fixed their tongue weight.
Why yamaha and most other dealers never set these correctly prior to delivery is beyond me.
My boat was close to 700lbs on the tongue from the factory and it trailered like shit. And the surge brakes engagement was too sensitive.
I moved the boat a few times and got it perfect and then replaced my rear bunks with longer ones to get them to the transom edge.

Regardless of what you do to compensate for sag your not actually fixing the problem. Your putting a lot of unnecessary weight on the ass end of your truck. Not to mention you will wear out your rear tires faster on long tows. And your trailer tires will probably wear unevenly.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Get your tongue weight correct first then go from there

 

[RobbieO]

For your viewing pleasure

 

[Neutron]

For your viewing pleasure

So moving the bow stop and extending or repositioning your rear bunks is your only way to adjust your tongue weight

 

[RobbieO]

So moving the bow stop and extending or repositioning your rear bunks is your only way to adjust your tongue weight

Yes…my hull is off the bunks about 2” and my tongue weight is around 450 with a full tank. This year I’m going to load more in the back and see if the tongue weight comes down. Note: When the boat was delivered the bunks were sticking out about 6”. They must do that to fit them on the delivery trucks. Also, setting up the trailer, measuring the tongue weight is part of the dealer prep that we pay for. That’s why are boats are so tongue heavy, the dealers don’t do it. MFer’s.

 

[Neutron]

When i drove my boat 1 hour home from the dealer, i knew it was way too heavy, i didn't even go home first i went right to my ramp with a 19mm wrench and moved it back far(too far at first) i just loosened the winch a bit and backed down the ramp and let it slide back. Drove out and moved the stop back.
I new just on that 2 mile ride to the house how much better it was. Night and day difference

 

[MikeT29]

When i drove my boat 1 hour home from the dealer, i knew it was way too heavy, i didn't even go home first i went right to my ramp with a 19mm wrench and moved it back far(too far at first) i just loosened the winch a bit and backed down the ramp and let it slide back. Drove out and moved the stop back.
I new just on that 2 mile ride to the house how much better it was. Night and day difference

Do you recall approx how many inches or so you moved it back? I've contacted a couple of local trailer service places near me and none have any interest in checking this out. Two told me to get air shocks in tow vehicle, but that does not seem to be the best answer safety-wise.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@MikeT29 You need a scale. Each trailer may be set up differently from the factory. I bought this one and check my weight all the time, especially when I am loading for trips. You would be surprised at how much weight you can add as you start loading things all around the boat in front of the axels and front storage.

Amazon.com: Sherline LM 2000 - Trailer Tongue Weight Scale 2000lb : Automotive

A solid alternative is also a weigh safe hitch. I am thinking about switching over to one eventually. They are spendy but nice.

Amazon.com : weigh safe

 

[Neutron]

Do you recall approx how many inches or so you moved it back? I've contacted a couple of local trailer service places near me and none have any interest in checking this out. Two told me to get air shocks in tow vehicle, but that does not seem to be the best answer safety-wise.

As @HangOutdoors stated every boat is different. A lot comes into play, gear, fuel load, etc...
I would use a scale and set it up as close to 7% as you can get. No less than 5% from what shorelandr says. But 5 to me is too light.

 

[RobbieO]

As @HangOutdoors stated every boat is different. A lot comes into play, gear, fuel load, etc...
I would use a scale and set it up as close to 7% as you can get. No less than 5% from what shorelandr says. But 5 to me is too light.

I took everything out of my boat yesterday, except the full tank of gas. The dry weight on my boat and trailer is 4700. With a full tank of gas and 2 batteries approx. 5150. My tongue weight is 400, which is basically 7.8%. It only goes up from there as I load more stuff on the boat. My hull is 2" off the bunks and my axles are not adjustable, so this is as good as it gets for me. Adding air bags, helper springs, or any other suspension modifications will only help with leveling the vehicle and has no bearing on GVW or tongue weight. When I first got my boat the tongue weight was over 600 lbs. when fully loaded with gear. Ridiculous

 

[Neutron]

I took everything out of my boat yesterday, except the full tank of gas. The dry weight on my boat and trailer is 4700. With a full tank of gas and 2 batteries approx. 5150. My tongue weight is 400, which is basically 7.8%. It only goes up from there as I load more stuff on the boat. My hull is 2" off the bunks and my axles are not adjustable, so this is as good as it gets for me. Adding air bags, helper springs, or any other suspension modifications will only help with leveling the vehicle and has no bearing on GVW or tongue weight. When I first got my boat the tongue weight was over 600 lbs. when fully loaded with gear. Ridiculous

Figure a class 3 hitch which can tow up to 7500lbs has a max tongue weight of 500lbs.
Your boat falls into that class range so from the factory they are over the recommended tongue weight for a class 3. Thats concerning to me and why they are sagging a lot of vehicles.
Not every tow vehicle towing a yamaha boat has a class 4 hitch.
Getting the trailer level with a riser or lowering receiver is also important

 

[HangOutdoors]

I took everything out of my boat yesterday, except the full tank of gas. The dry weight on my boat and trailer is 4700. With a full tank of gas and 2 batteries approx. 5150. My tongue weight is 400, which is basically 7.8%. It only goes up from there as I load more stuff on the boat. My hull is 2" off the bunks and my axles are not adjustable, so this is as good as it gets for me. Adding air bags, helper springs, or any other suspension modifications will only help with leveling the vehicle and has no bearing on GVW or tongue weight. When I first got my boat the tongue weight was over 600 lbs. when fully loaded with gear. Ridiculous

Slide your bunks back and your winch. That way you aren't hanging too far over. That is the best you can do. Honestly it may have come from the factory with the bunks to far forward, who knows how they are slapping this shit together at the trailer factory. Drop the boat in the water and move em back.

 

[Neutron]

Two inch over is not that bad, if you are satisfied with the tongue weight, then leave it

 

[HangOutdoors]

On my set up I am about an inch or a bit more over the back of the bunks. My winch post is as far as it will go since I wanted my Jack stand in front of the winch post. Of course the further forward the jack is the less weight is on the jack. Even if I slide my axle forward a bit I still plan on moving my bunks back a couple inches when I get around to. My winch post can't go forward any more. Most likely before our trip to Florida, since I will loading luggage and all sorts of gear in the boat. As much as I can put over the axles' the better, to even load and not increase tongue weight. Probably 300 lbs or so of kid stuff, and boat stuff.

 

[drewkaree]

@MikeT29 You need a scale. Each trailer may be set up differently from the factory. I bought this one and check my weight all the time, especially when I am loading for trips. You would be surprised at how much weight you can add as you start loading things all around the boat in front of the axels and front storage.

Amazon.com: Sherline LM 2000 - Trailer Tongue Weight Scale 2000lb : Automotive

A solid alternative is also a weigh safe hitch. I am thinking about switching over to one eventually. They are spendy but nice.

Amazon.com : weigh safe

I got one of their non-scale adjustable hitches, and bought a separate tongue scale. My thinking was that I (or the neighbors) might have a vehicle without the hitch, and that would allow me to check, no matter what hitch was being used. Ended up being about the same price, at the time.

@MikeT29 there is no magic number you can move it, you will HAVE to do the work with the proper tools (truck scale, bathroom scale + math, tongue scale). We could tell you "move it this far", and it might tow WORSE! It's potentially different for each person, and depends on multiple variables, even with the same trailer/boat combo.

 

[RobbieO]

Slide your bunks back and your winch. That way you aren't hanging too far over. That is the best you can do. Honestly it may have come from the factory with the bunks to far forward, who knows how they are slapping this shit together at the trailer factory. Drop the boat in the water and move em back.

I’m going to move the winch forward so the hull is even on the bunks. There is still room even though the jack is in front. I have a class IV hotch now so I should be good.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@RobbieO That isn't fixing your problem, and your tongue weight is going to go up. I wouldn't be so concerned about the hitch. For towing you should have the proper tongue weight regardless of how much your vehicle can tow. It is easier on the vehicle, easier on your trailer and boat, better on the tires, it distributes the weight over the axle's better and since it will ride better, etc.

If it was me, I would slide your bunks back 4 inches or so and set the proper tongue. You are very handy, moving the bunks back should be a snap. Drill some new holes unbolt and slide em.

 

[RobbieO]

@RobbieO That isn't fixing your problem, and your tongue weight is going to go up. I wouldn't be so concerned about the hitch. For towing you should have the proper tongue weight regardless of how much your vehicle can tow. It is easier on the vehicle, easier on your trailer and boat, better on the tires, it distributes the weight over the axle's better and since it will ride better, etc.

If it was me, I would slide your bunks back 4 inches or so and set the proper tongue. You are very handy, moving the bunks back should be a snap. Drill some new holes unbolt and slide em.

I’m going on a trip around Fathers Day, and the boat will ne in the water gor 4 days. I’ll move the bunks then. BTW, your ARK jack is forward of your winch post, towards the tongue, yes?

 

[HangOutdoors]

Yes, my jack is between the winch and tongue. I like it there better. Plus what is also nice, is that the winch post base buts right up to it so that annoying problem of the Winch post sometimes moving was eliminated.

 

[RobbieO]

Yes, my jack is between the winch and tongue. I like it there better. Plus what is also nice, is that the winch post base buts right up to it so that annoying problem of the Winch post sometimes moving was eliminated.

That’s where I have mine as well. I feel that’s the best place.