bouncing while towing...

[jimmyjames636]

Hey guys, thought id post up and get some opinions on whats maybe going on with my towing. I have a 09 ram 1500 crew cab short box 5.7L. I have rough country leveling kit on the front with monroe struts. I have monroe load leveling shocks in the back. I have towed quite a few different trailers and have not had the bouncing i'm getting with my new boat/boat trailer setup. It is literally bucking me up and down on various lumps,bumps in the roads. Makes me nervous and I never have felt nervous towing other setups. Any suggestions on how I can figure out whats going on? IE too much tongue wieght, not enough etc. Im thinking about taking my trailer to a scale this weekend and get it weighed and try and figure out how to get the tongue weight on it. I am able to shift the boat forward, but would be a little tougher to get it moved back. I can get pictures of my setup as well if that would help. Just want to be more confident towing this rig as I will be towing it a lot through out the summer.

 

[NewBlackDak]

Most boats are tail heavy. It sounds like you might need more tongue weight, but the scales are the only way to be sure.


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[MADDOG]

I agree. Weigh it and see what you got at the tongue and at the axle.

 

[jimmyjames636]

As far as getting it weighed, should I just weigh the rear axle on the scale without my trailer then weigh just the rear axle with the trailer hooked up? Or should I weigh my whole truck without the trailer then weigh the whole truck and trailer combo? Whats the best way to get tongue weight on a truck scale? Never have had to do this before...Just want to be little prepared before I go and look like I dont know what im doing.

 

[OC455]

As far as getting it weighed, should I just weigh the rear axle on the scale without my trailer then weigh just the rear axle with the trailer hooked up? Or should I weigh my whole truck without the trailer then weigh the whole truck and trailer combo? Whats the best way to get tongue weight on a truck scale? Never have had to do this before...Just want to be little prepared before I go and look like I dont know what im doing.

Load up the truck the way you would go out on your trip. Weigh the truck by itself to get the front & rear axle weights.

Hook up your travel trailer or boat & trailer to your truck. Get the trailer weight and the truck front & rear axle weights. Just to see where you are at....

With your trailer hooked up to the truck get your weigh distribution hitch attached/hooked up. Get your front & rear axle weights for your truck and the weight for your trailer with the weight distribution.


The axle weights of your un-hitched truck added up give you your gross truck weight.
The axle weights of your hitched trailer to your truck with WD hooked up, your truck axles only=gross truck weight with weight distribution.

Subtract those two weights, get your weight difference. Then divide your trailer weight from hitched weight with WD hooked up into the difference between gross truck weight give you your tongue weight percentage.

Example:
Weight of truck axles with no trailer attached: Gross Truck Weight: Front: 3300 Rear:2850=6150lbs
Weight of truck axles w/trailer & WD attached: Gross Truck Weight: Front: 3320 Rear: 3650=6970

Difference is 820lbs.

Divide your gross trailer weight (trailer axle weight hitched to truck with weight distribution) into that difference; Let's say your trailer axles weigh in at 5820lbs when the trailer is hooked up to the truck and weight distribution hitch is hooked up properly.

Example: 5820lbs gross weight of trailer divided into 820lbs=.14 which is 14% between 10% and 15% of tongue weight.

I just used some generic numbers.....just estimating what some others have experience with.

 

[gofishn]

thinking not enough tongue weight, so rear trailer weight is lifting the ball of the truck, as it bounces over road imperfections.

weight trailer, seperately, loaded, then weight tongue of trailer. ie just the front ball when trailer unhooked.
should be anywhere from 7-15% of total trailer weight, for tongue weight. preferably 10-15%

 

[aladin_sane]

Yes, i would bet on not enough tongue weight, unfortunately, that can be hard to fix with a boat trailer. Not as many things you can move forward as with a camper or utility trailer.

 

[rotwiler]

My single axle travel trailer is a really light trailer. I get bounce also, but my 05 Durango I had bounce, put on Bilstein 4600 shocks and bounce stopped, so thinking with my Ram I may do new back shocks.

 

[Rampant]

Hey guys, thought id post up and get some opinions on whats maybe going on with my towing. I have a 09 ram 1500 crew cab short box 5.7L. I have rough country leveling kit on the front with monroe struts. I have monroe load leveling shocks in the back. I have towed quite a few different trailers and have not had the bouncing i'm getting with my new boat/boat trailer setup. It is literally bucking me up and down on various lumps,bumps in the roads. Makes me nervous and I never have felt nervous towing other setups. Any suggestions on how I can figure out whats going on? IE too much tongue wieght, not enough etc. Im thinking about taking my trailer to a scale this weekend and get it weighed and try and figure out how to get the tongue weight on it. I am able to shift the boat forward, but would be a little tougher to get it moved back. I can get pictures of my setup as well if that would help. Just want to be more confident towing this rig as I will be towing it a lot through out the summer.

I use this weighsafe hitch. It works great for easily adjusting tongue weight. Highly recommend.


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[Rado]

I use a this weighsafe hitch. It works great for easily adjusting tongue weight. Highly recommend.


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Never knew they made something like that, really cool and perfect for the proper set up

 

[Rampant]

Never knew they made something like that, really cool and perfect for the proper set up

Yes, it really is genius. I'll never use anything else.

 

[MasonD21]

I'm half way there to buy one myself. They are awesome, and come in 1400TW/14k weights! And most of them you can choose your shank drop! Very, very handy.

 

[Rampant]

I'm half way there to buy one myself. They are awesome, and come in 1400TW/14k weights! And most of them you can choose your shank drop! Very, very handy.

Yes, I've had mine for over 2 years and have never taken it off. I've towed up to it's max several times. Notice the tongue weight in the pic? My particular one is a 2.5" shank (no adaptor, yay!) and 8" drop. It's cut from a solid piece of billet, so it looks great and the build quality, locking system, and versatility are top notch. It also comes with two balls.

 

[Riccochet]

Can you take a pic of your boat/trailer and post it? From the side and another of the bow roller and tongue.

You may be able to adjust the trailer some to move the boat a little forward, which will shift a bit more weight on the tongue.

Or, if the boat is new I'd take it back to the dealer and have them adjust it. Could also be the trailer is not matched to the boat.

 

[Cardhu]

how long ago did you do the level kit and shocks. The load leveling shocks might be stiffer than your fronts now and bucking is the difference in the dampening; assuming there isn't anything drastically wrong with your trailer setup.

I experience a mild version of it with my 1211 coils and stock front. Its going away soon.

 

[Riccochet]

My point being, pleasure boats typically don't arrive at the dealer with a trailer. They are an option since people that live on bodies of water leave their boats in the water. They are easy to spot when your boat is sitting on a EZ-Loader or Load Rite trailer. These are generic trailers that need to be setup by the dealer for the boat being put on it. Where as bass boats come on trailers specifically designed for the boat they are carrying. Where these types of problems arise is when a dealer inadvertently puts a stern drive I/O boat on a inboard ski boat trailer. The trailers axles are not located in the same place. A stern drive trailer will have the axles more towards the rear of the trailer to account for the engine being further aft, while a inboard trailer will have its axles more centered on the trailer due to the engine being more in the middle of the boat. I've also seen used boats come in on the wrong trailer type where the previous owner bought whatever trailer, threw it on there and took it straight to the dealer to trade in.

Not saying any of this is your issue, but something to consider outside of trailer setup. Since the type, model, size of boat was not mentioned.

 

[MasonD21]

My point being, pleasure boats typically don't arrive at the dealer with a trailer. They are an option since people that live on bodies of water leave their boats in the water. They are easy to spot when your boat is sitting on a EZ-Loader or Load Rite trailer. These are generic trailers that need to be setup by the dealer for the boat being put on it. Where as bass boats come on trailers specifically designed for the boat they are carrying. Where these types of problems arise is when a dealer inadvertently puts a stern drive I/O boat on a inboard ski boat trailer. The trailers axles are not located in the same place. A stern drive trailer will have the axles more towards the rear of the trailer to account for the engine being further aft, while a inboard trailer will have its axles more centered on the trailer due to the engine being more in the middle of the boat. I've also seen used boats come in on the wrong trailer type where the previous owner bought whatever trailer, threw it on there and took it straight to the dealer to trade in.

Not saying any of this is your issue, but something to consider outside of trailer setup. Since the type, model, size of boat was not mentioned.

Very good information for anyone! I don't even own a boat and I found this useful and interesting.

 

[jimmyjames636]

Hey guys, I ended up moving the boat forward on the trailer about 4-5'' and seems to ride quite a bit better. Although I haven't been able to get it weighed, I certainly want to so I know what i'm working with numbers wise. I have about another foot of adjustment on the front bow stop. The boat and trailer is a custom setup. The trailer I built to the boat. It is a flat bottom aluminum 1872 Weldbilt setup for bowfishing. I can get a picture asap. I have been looking at those hitches, they look really nice and actually talked to a guy at a gas station that had one. He had good things to say about it. Although, with a hitch like that if I drop to much I run the risk of dragging it at boat launches etc. Also, all my suspension components are either brand new or a few thousand miles on them. I will try and get a picture for you guys so you can see what I am working with. Great info though gents. Thank you.