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Bouncing Benni

Ecoman

Ecoman

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I have a question I have the rear tie downs but what I have a problem with is the front. I have it as tight as possible but it still bonuses up and down during towing. So I thought tying down the front but where. I have three toons the center one is tied to the center winch. It just pulls it forward. What has everybody else done? My thought was I towed the with the toung to high?
 
Have you checked your tongue weight? Almost sounds like you trailer is unbalanced with too much weight to the rear of the centerline. Just a thought. Post some pics of the front of your boat on trailer, and I'm sure folks can suggest the best way to secure the boat to the trailer. As a starter, I'd say look at those ratcheting straps, if memory serves, made by tie down engineering. Maybe secure to the eyelets in the front of the two outer tubes? Or use ratcheting straps and go all the way around bunks and tubes as far forward as possible?
 
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Ecoman...........make sure when you put your boat back on the trailer and BEFORE you actually pull it out of the water and up the ramp.........that the rub rail is flush against the trailer stop and pulled tight w/the winch strap. For an extra security measure I have a chain that attaches the boat and the trailer using the same hole as the winch strap to the center tube. I also have a "ratchet" tie down strap that connects one outer tube eye hole to the other outer tube eye hole that runs under the winch. The boat doesn't move...................(Oh! Just read JimR's post......he beat me to the ratchet tie downs......)
 
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As big as your boat is and with the big motor, you are probably not against the front stops. I have to go down hill and slam on the brakes to get ours to move against the stops after pulling out. When at the ramp we are at the stops but when the boat settles on the bunks it is 2" away and I have the best winch I could find and the boat will not move up the bunks on the ramp. If you can not get it tight to the stops than ratchet straps will work. Checking your tongue weight is a good safety idea.
 
I only pull my boat twice a year, in and out. Our steep ramp made the rub rail six inches from the stop so I loosen the front stop clamps and move it forward six inches and back against the rub rail when I pull it out. Not practical if you have to pull all the time. Steve
 
lakebum said:
I only pull my boat twice a year, in and out. Our steep ramp made the rub rail six inches from the stop so I loosen the front stop clamps and move it forward six inches and back against the rub rail when I pull it out. Not practical if you have to pull all the time. Steve
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That is a great solution. Kind of a DUHHH why didn't I think of that.
 
I have the same problem but I just use an additional strap and tie the two outside toons to the trailer. I still like to find out how some of you check your tongue weight?
 
You can go to a scrap yard and check the tongue weight on their large scales, You just have to disconnect the trailer from your vehicle and have the trailer jack on the scale.
 
http://www.etrailer....gue-weight.aspx One way to weigh.

On a scale you drive on with the trailer hooked up but the wheels of the trailer off the scale. Then just the truck with no trailer. Difference is the trailer tongue weight.
 
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I stand corrected.
 
Is the trailer level? Could be your towing at and angle.
 
Post some pics of the truck and trailer hooked up.
 
Ecoman said:
Ok I get the toung weight. I drive a F250 Platinum Diesel it can pull just about anything. Do y'all think I need more weight up front to balance out all the weight in the back. I'm thinking the engine is making it ass heavy and that is why it bounces so much.
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Kind of what it sounds like to me. I had the opposite problem on my last one, I had to move the boat forward to support the center toon, which made my tongue weight far too high. EZ Loader took care of that with the brackets they sent, but you might be able to move your bunk stop forward a bit and see how that works. I did the scale thing to find out how heavy I was. I did it while on the vehicle.
 
My Mid America trailer has a loop about half way down the post of the winch. It works great. Once I have the boat against the front bumpers, I loop the strap through the loop and back to the boat cleat. The strap then has about a 45 degree angle to the boat cleat. No bounce at all.
 
Had that problem but it went away when I got a ball and receiver that were 4" higher. It wasn't level (or balanced) when I was towing.
 
We have the same issue on our boat. The trailer sits level but sits to far aft with the increased motor weight causes it to bounce. My plan is to move ahead as far as possible to increase weight at tongue to eliminate bounce. However, this is a delicate balence game as to not go too far forward which causes trailer sway going down the road. Since increased weight is no problem with F-350 diesel dually. We also have a lower ring below the center winch stand to tie down with a ratchet strap on a angle from same point that winch strap hooks too. Hope this helps.
 
Keep in mind that although you can tow a house with that diesel, pretty sure the max tongue weight is 850lbs. It's much higher if you have a weight distribution hitch, which I'm almost positive you won't on your boat.
 
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