1850 Reata and tongue weight

[SD-walleye]

I have a 2008 1850 Reata with F150 yamaha and tandem axle Ranger Trail trailer. The tongue weight seems to be very heavy and I am affraid that I after I load all my camping equipment in my 2004 1/2 ton Silverado I will need overload spring for the truck.

I moved the boat back 3" on the trailer to reduce the tongue weight a little bit, is there any damage that can caused by doing this? The bunks are about 3-4 inside the back of the boat now, before they were about flush with the back of the boat.

Also, I have never had any problems with the trailer brakes before but after I moved the boat back 3" on the trailer, the trailer breaks lock up when I back up the slight incline while parking it in the garage. I had to take a screwdriver and release the breaks, can this be adjusted some how?

[wiredog]

Move the boat back to where it was. The back of the boat needs to sit on the bunks. I would think that Ranger would have set the boat where it should be on the trailer. Also check your truck to see if the trucks back up lights are working. Thats what activates the trailer brake lock out solenoid. Wiredog

[SD-walleye]

Thanks wiredog, I will look into the lights and see if that is what is happening, maybe the plug in came unconnected and it was just a coincidence that I moved the boat on the trailer today.

As far as the boat position on the trailer, I bought the boat used and I am not sure if ther previous owner had moved it or not. I am not sure why they would have, the tongue weight is very heavy when it is forward. As of right now I have three options:

1. Leave the boat further back on the trailer and hope for the best.
2. Add another leaf spring to my truck, or something to increase the suspension.
3. Get a 3/4 ton truck.

Option 3 is out of the question, I spent all I could to get a Ranger and I am going to have to wait a year to upgrade the trolling motor and graphs. Option 2 is a possibility depending on cost. Option 1 may take a few calls to Ranger and see if they can help before I feel comfortable leaving it back on the trailer. WC is a great resource and I thought I would ask for help here first.

[CI_Guy]

The transom needs the support of the bunks under it. The hull 3 to 4" in is not designed to support the weight of the motor!
For your tongue weight, go to a grain elevator and weigh your boat. Once hooked to the truck with only the trailer axles on the scale. Then unhook the trailer, with the jack and axles on the scale. The difference will be your tongue weight. 7 to 10% of the total weight is the norm. Any less can cause fish tailing and other control problems.

[Hot Runr Guy]

Crawl under the trailer and see how the bunks are attached. It may be possible to remove the bunks, and "slide" them back the 3" you need, effectively regaining support under the hull.

HRG

[perchjerker]

like has been stated, I would double check all the weights to make sure you actually have a problem before doing anything

[Pezman38]

Modding your truck is easy and cheap. Just get some helper springs or air bags. Less than $300 if you do it yourself.

Helper springs are only in use under load, which makes your truck run better when not pulling anything, and way better when you put a load on them.
Springs
http://www.truckspring.com/products/...515-25250.aspx

Air bags
http://www.truckspring.com/suspensio...rol-59501.aspx

I have air bags in my Avalanche (coil suspension) and they rock, 0 sag, and the ride is way better.

[mikebertin]

Originally Posted by SD-walleye

Thanks wiredog, I will look into the lights and see if that is what is happening, maybe the plug in came unconnected and it was just a coincidence that I moved the boat on the trailer today.

As far as the boat position on the trailer, I bought the boat used and I am not sure if ther previous owner had moved it or not. I am not sure why they would have, the tongue weight is very heavy when it is forward. As of right now I have three options:

1. Leave the boat further back on the trailer and hope for the best.
2. Add another leaf spring to my truck, or something to increase the suspension.
3. Get a 3/4 ton truck.

Option 3 is out of the question, I spent all I could to get a Ranger and I am going to have to wait a year to upgrade the trolling motor and graphs. Option 2 is a possibility depending on cost. Option 1 may take a few calls to Ranger and see if they can help before I feel comfortable leaving it back on the trailer. WC is a great resource and I thought I would ask for help here first.

SD- Option 1 (hoping for the best???) puts you & everyone around you at risk. This could be disastrous not only to you but to others in the vicinity. Definitely NOT recommended. Could cost you much, much more than a leaf spring. Option 2 can be remedied by having your springs re-rolled or adding air shocks to help support the load. Springs weaken with use over time & yours could be a little soft by now. That can be done at any spring shop in a 1/2 day. Air shocks can be purchased at any reputable auto parts store. Option 3-- you probably don't need a new truck.

First thing to do is weigh the trailer with the boat fully loaded. Include full gas tanks & all your gear. 3-4 Batteries + trolling motor could add 300 lbs easy and full tanks will add 230 lbs (38 gallons @ 6lbs.) Multiple places to have this done.

Once you know total weight ( I calculated approx. 3600 lbs. for your rig) only then can you determine tongue weight requirements. These have been discussed for years with some valid & some inane answers to the same question. Almost every trailer manufacturer recommends 5-7% of the total weight. This is not a guess, but rather a recommendation from all their collective years of experience in the industry. They're probably a lot smarter than I am so I take their advice. Keep in mind that the trailer needs to carry the load, not the tongue. Light trailers will bounce more, therefore they need to be at the higher end of the spectrum regarding tongue weight to prevent sway. Some guys think the heavier the better. WRONG!!!! XX Carrying too much tongue weight on heavy trailers can be worse as this causes metal fatigue on your drawbar due to inertia from normal trailer undulation on uneven roads. Drawbars can break too & if you look closely you'll find that some mounting holes on the drop styles are further from the radius than others, which results in a slightly weaker bar. Put the testosterone away and find a happy medium. The answer is not set in stone. Again, multiple threads on this site and others on how to determine tongue weight.
Based on the above weight total (estimate only) 5-7% should get you between 185 to 250 lbs. tongue weight at level. Always tow level. That should be more than adequate for your rig & shouldn't tax your truck too much if your suspension is okay. Safety chains should ALWAYS be used, whether mandated in your state or not, however have them properly fitted. Long enough only to allow full swing & crossed under the tongue. Do not let them drag on the ground. Install closed loops, add a Shurtow unit to prevent the coupler from accidentally disengaging so the tongue doesn't go through your tailgate and you're good to go. The Shurtow unit gives you the added benefit of maintaining full vehicle control at all times, plus you can lock it down as a theft deterrent. Pretty cool unit. Can be seen at www.shurtow.com.
Take your time, hook it all up right and you'll enjoy thousands of miles of carefree towing. Stay safe & happy motoring.

[fetchwillie]

I pull my Reata 2050 with my 1/2 ton Silverado with no problem, I believe I have alot of tounge weigh but it does not sag my 1/2 ton down much at all. If you do anything bring it to an alingement shop and have them move you axles forward a few inches then see what you have.

Trust me I had to have this done to my 6 ton 33 foot sport yacht and it worked fine.

But I still believe Ranger would set it up right the first time

[mattm2632]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t a tandem axle supposed to take some of the weight off the tongue. I have the exact same set up on a single axle and towed it just fine when I had a Dodge ½ ton. I had a topper (200 lbs. plus or minus) and when I loaded the bed full of stuff it would sag a little, but not to the point it made me nervous. I have seen numerous guys towing 620’s and similar boats with a ½ ton that did not seem to be stressed out. I would figure out the tongue weight before you do anything. If it turns out being too heavy then the air bag option I have heard is a great option.

Matt