Trailer hook up question

[Rssuttle]

Hey. Bought my first pontoon about a month ago 21’ Bennington ssx pontoon not tri.
I think I have an issue with the winch being to tall. What’s happing is once the pontoon is winched up tight to the trailer the strap is in an angle and is touching the pontoon and showing some wear on strap. I attaching pictures. Also the the boards that touch the front of boat are rapped with vinyl and at top the wood is showing and water can get inside and cause a problem eventually.
something just seems wrong.
it’s a load rite tandem trailer P20-22t-4100TRIB1.
I did call load rite just haven’t heard back yet. Thought I’d ask you folks. Thanks
I redid the strap so it comes out from bottom instead of from the top of winch. Helped some but still touching

 

[BigKahuna]

I was thinking that once you hookup to the eyelet to winch your boat onto the trailer the strap becomes tight and may be touching the bottom of the front cross member but it's not actually rubbing/moving or chafing against it........ Is it?!? Good thinking on having the strap come out of the bottom. The strap broke on our first pontoon boat trailer after years of service. I replaced it with a cable. I know you wouldn't want that cable touching the underside either. As far as your front stops are concerned they could have at least installed it in a way where you cant see the wood. You can remove it yourself and paint/ seal it then reinstall. Or just remove it and lower it where you cant see the wood. But then again you would probably see it at the bottom. When they vinyl wrap the stops and the bunks they they don't fully enclosed it. I guarantee if you look at your bunks you can see the wood underneath. Let us know what Loadrite says about the winch height and if they are able to modify it .....

 

[ILLINOIS AVE]

Did your trailer and boat come from a dealer? I would think they would have set it up for you! Start with your dealer.

 

[lakelifeMN]

I’ve posted this before but what about some sort of roller to lower the angle it attaches at? That could solve your rubbing problems and maybe even give you a bit more downward force.

 

[Schreytg]

Hey. Bought my first pontoon about a month ago 21’ Bennington ssx pontoon not tri.
I think I have an issue with the winch being to tall. What’s happing is once the pontoon is winched up tight to the trailer the strap is in an angle and is touching the pontoon and showing some wear on strap. I attaching pictures. Also the the boards that touch the front of boat are rapped with vinyl and at top the wood is showing and water can get inside and cause a problem eventually.
something just seems wrong.
it’s a load rite tandem trailer P20-22t-4100TRIB1.
I did call load rite just haven’t heard back yet. Thought I’d ask you folks. Thanks
I redid the strap so it comes out from bottom instead of from the top of winch. Helped some but still touching

I ran my strap all the way out and run it under the spool. I did have to take the latching mechanism apart and flip it over too so it’ll ratchet correctly. Easy fix.
Tim

 

[LaurencetheAdventurer]

I’ve posted this before but what about some sort of roller to lower the angle it attaches at? That could solve your rubbing problems and maybe even give you a bit more downward force.

I will be trailering a LOT, so having separate tie downs for the outside toons to the trailer.

 

[Rssuttle]

I was thinking that once you hookup to the eyelet to winch your boat onto the trailer the strap becomes tight and may be touching the bottom of the front cross member but it's not actually rubbing/moving or chafing against it........ Is it?!? Good thinking on having the strap come out of the bottom. The strap broke on our first pontoon boat trailer after years of service. I replaced it with a cable. I know you wouldn't want that cable touching the underside either. As far as your front stops are concerned they could have at least installed it in a way where you cant see the wood. You can remove it yourself and paint/ seal it then reinstall. Or just remove it and lower it where you cant see the wood. But then again you would probably see it at the bottom. When they vinyl wrap the stops and the bunks they they don't fully enclosed it. I guarantee if you look at your bunks you can see the wood underneath. Let us know what Loadrite says about the winch height and if they are able to modify it .....

I will be trailering a LOT, so having separate tie downs for the outside toons to the trailer.

 

[Rssuttle]

I ran my strap all the way out and run it under the spool. I did have to take the latching mechanism apart and flip it over too so it’ll ratchet correctly. Easy fix.
Tim

Hey. You said you flipped the latching mechanism. Does it need to be done? I flipped my strap also but no issues.

 

[Schreytg]

My latch only ratchets in one direction so freewheel in the other direction. So yes I had to flip my ratcheting mechanism over. Some ratchet in both directions.

 

[BigKahuna]

I will be trailering a LOT, so having separate tie downs for the outside toons to the trailer.

If I was trailering long distance I also had straps from the outer toons to the trailer for extra security and of course the security chain.....

 

[Spoiledrotten]

This is mine rigged for road trips. I also use a transom savers after securing all four corners.

 

[Remediation]

Our two toon pontoon the strap is just like your boat. We tow into Canada and have never had a problem. The underside of the trim is flat and smooth. It has not put any wear on the strap. Just make sure the boat is against the stops very firmly. That will stop any bouncing.

Sometimes the salesman have no clue what they are telling new customers. Saw a new Bennington Saturday that the strap went down the winch stand, then thru the ubolt that you normally hook the winch strap snap to when the boat is in the water, then up to the ubolt on the boat. The strap was at a 45 degree angle and the small ubolt was bent. It was a pretty rig, brand new 22' Benny with the brand new F150 in matching colors to tow it. It rained all weekend so they did not launch it.

 

[Remediation]

Biggest problem with the ubolt on the first crossmember is getting to it without walking in the water. It is just too far back to reach from the front of the boat.

 

[Rssuttle]

Our two toon pontoon the strap is just like your boat. We tow into Canada and have never had a problem. The underside of the trim is flat and smooth. It has not put any wear on the strap. Just make sure the boat is against the stops very firmly. That will stop any bouncing.

Sometimes the salesman have no clue what they are telling new customers. Saw a new Bennington Saturday that the strap went down the winch stand, then thru the ubolt that you normally hook the winch strap snap to when the boat is in the water, then up to the ubolt on the boat. The strap was at a 45 degree angle and the small ubolt was bent. It was a pretty rig, brand new 22' Benny with the brand new F150 in matching colors to tow it. It rained all weekend so they did not launch it.

What about the stops the pontoon tightens up to. Do you have wood showing where the vinyl doesn’t wrap all the way? You’ll see in one of the pictures.
That helps to know you don’t have wear. Since I rewound the strap so it comes out under winch it does help. I checked and it’s very smooth under boat where strap touches. Talking to load rite tomorrow. Hopefully it’s all good.

 

[Pbakk]

Maybe this has already been said, but it looks like the winch could be lowered by adjusting the U bolts? Difficult to see in the pictures.

 

[Spoiledrotten]

Maybe this has already been said, but it looks like the winch could be lowered by adjusting the U bolts? Difficult to see in the pictures.

I certainly don’t have that problem, but I had to look at mine. Steps would keep mine from being lowered by the u bolts, if needed. Might be the same with OP.

 

[Ric]

Hey. Bought my first pontoon about a month ago 21’ Bennington ssx pontoon not tri.
I think I have an issue with the winch being to tall. What’s happing is once the pontoon is winched up tight to the trailer the strap is in an angle and is touching the pontoon and showing some wear on strap. I attaching pictures. Also the the boards that touch the front of boat are rapped with vinyl and at top the wood is showing and water can get inside and cause a problem eventually.
something just seems wrong.
it’s a load rite tandem trailer P20-22t-4100TRIB1.
I did call load rite just haven’t heard back yet. Thought I’d ask you folks. Thanks
I redid the strap so it comes out from bottom instead of from the top of winch. Helped some but still touching

The bunkers on the trailer need to come up a touch at front and middle.

 

[Rssuttle]

Maybe this has already been said, but it looks like the winch could be lowered by adjusting the U bolts? Difficult to see in the pictures.

Is hasn’t been brought up but the winch can not be moved. I rotated the strap from the top to the bottom and it has made a difference.

 

[Rssuttle]

The bunkers on the trailer need to come up a touch at front and middle.

I haven’t thought about that. I’ll look and see if there’s a way to adjust. The front of pontoon is smooth and since I changed the the way the strap comes out know from bottom. It’s working way better

 

[the-little-B]

My trailer , a toon toter , has a metal loop welded to the winch post and the winch the strap goes downward and through that loop then upwards at a >or< 45 degree angle to the boat. It pulls forward and down at the same time that way and the strap is away from any type of rub through possibility.

Is there anything like that on your winch post where you could reroute your strap?