Hitch Height

[BraceYourself]

On a truck with air ride where you will not squat the truck. The trailer is triple axel. Would you want the trailer slightly up to add tounge weight. Or neutral, or tounge down??????????

 

[MattBMiller]

Set the trailer up level.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Set the trailer up level.

Level, I would suggest you go so far as level it and measure height for proper hitch adapter.

You adjust the weight by how the boat sits on the trailer forward and back, not by the angle of the tongue.

Tongue weight should be 100lbs or more. depending on what the truck will tolerate. Generally the more the better. When you don't have enough weight and are too close to neutral is when the trailer will wonder.

 

[Warlock28SXT]

Set the trailer up level.

I agree.

 

[Bgchuby01]

on most large trailers myco wants the top of the ball at 21 inches. On real large boats say over 40 feet maybe 23 or 23 inches. If the axels are non leaf spring type (torsion) than the trailer has to be perfectly level so that the tires will wear evenly. If your trailer has leaf springs then the trailer should be level but you can get away with a little angle. I have air ride in my truck and the top of the ball is 22 inches and it covers 95% of the trailers I do

 

[Chris]

There's absolutely no reason not to run level. As was said, you pretty much have to on torsion-axle trailers. You can get away with a little more on sprung trailers. But id you get to the point that you're affecting tongue weight, you're unloading the front trailer axle. Now you're shifting to the rear one- you'll overload the tires and get them hot. If you have a surge brake setup, level becomes even that much more important.

On tongue weight- use it to balance your load, not affect traction. The rule of thumb is 10% on the hitch. Varying much from that is going to invite sway issues which can range from annoying to catastrophic.

 

[Bgchuby01]

if you have air ride and it is self leveling like a big truck than tongue weight to me is not as important. I perfer more up front since my truck can take the weight and it puts less on the trailer axels.

 

[BraceYourself]

Thanks. Reason I ask is I have a special hitch that is 2 1/2 inch tube to fit and I'm either going to be 2 inches high or 2 inches low, from what I think neutral is.

 

[MarylandMark]

How do I set up my truck/trailer?

Looking for a new hitch and not sure how much of a drop to get?

Do hook the trailer with the boat on it up to the truck put a level on the trailer tongue?

Just measure where my hitch is at now and make sure it is 21-23"?

I bought a new ball- 10K and didn't realize the shank part is rated as well...

 

[MacGyver]

I measured the trailer frame height between the wheels. Then got the correct ball mount to get the same height at the frame just behind the hitch.

 

[Bgchuby01]

with your boat being a long one I think the two inches will not make a difference. At least that is what my wife says to me all the time

 

[MarylandMark]

2006 F350 SRW KR 6.0 Long bed (KR has 20" wheels from the factory tires are 275/65-20)- guess it is about 20' long.

Boat is 32'6" boat, 3' outboards, 2-3' extended tongue = around 40' total I guess.

I have a 2.5" drop hitch right now (I think- would have to look). Get the same? It seems to tow fine- put like 100 miles year on the trailer- but figured I'd do it right if I were upgrading. I had a 6K ball which was right there but figured for $100 I could go 10K so better be safe than sorry (or have Jeff/Sunkin/Sydwaz/SOS on my ass). $70 10K Stainless Steel ball was $26 at Boaters World!

 

[BraceYourself]

I had this made. My trucks hitch is rated at 25K so I got a ball rated at 25K and had this made out of solid steel and the ball welded on.

 

[B.Z.]

I had this made. My trucks hitch is rated at 25K so I got a ball rated at 25K and had this made out of solid steel and the ball welded on.

Now that's a draw bar.....

 

[MattBMiller]

That should do!

 

[duke252]

No Chit! I've got the Reese Titan Receiver and Draw Bar rated to 16K, but DANG, yours is a monster draw bar...NICE WORK.

 

[baywatch]

No Chit! I've got the Reese Titan Receiver and Draw Bar rated to 16K, but DANG, yours is a monster draw bar...NICE WORK.

My reese I just got is rated to 18k and the ball is rated to 20k. I think they bumped them up this year because when I was ordering it didn't show them on the website but when I inquired they checked their inventory and had them.

 

[Chris]

I hate to rain on this, but I'd never connect my boat to something like that unless it was signed off on by a Professional Engineer and NDT tested. And you'd be hard pressed to get the former done. If it failed, your insurance company will most likely send you to the person that fabricated the part for compensation. and I really doubt they have the insurance coverage for something like that. I'd hate like hell to see you in that situation.

Just looking at the pic, I see several things I'd take issue with, design-wise.

Sorry, Jeremy. I just don't want to hear about you banging that boat up- or worse, yourself.