[Rhodes22-list] I Hate My Trailer

Steve Alm salm at mn.rr.com
Tue Aug 12 18:13:35 EDT 2003 

Thanks Doug,

I've been trying to check out all the variables and I'm not finding any
discrepancies. Perhaps the tire pressure is off by 1 or 2 psi--could that be
it?  I'm not sure how to check the tracking other than measuring like Rummy
suggested and it seems to check out OK.

I would like to know your weighing method.  But, yeah, it seems like I had
plenty of tongue weight and still had problems.  It's very puzzling.

Slim

On 8/12/03 4:10 PM, "Gardner, Douglas L. (LNG-DAY)"
<douglas.gardner at lexisnexis.com> wrote:

> Slim, 
> 
>  Sorry, I haven't had much time to get involved.  However, I agree that
> things aren't adding up quite right.  What bothers me most is in an earlier
> post you mentioned that you topped off a 300lb scale and estimate that you
> had at least 400lbs tongue weight and STILL had sway problems.  Doesn't
> sound to me like tongue weight should have been the problem after that.
> (BTW, you can use a system of levers to reduce the force on the scale to get
> a better estimate of tongue weight. Let me know if you're interested in how
> to do this)
> 
> OK, so you had to do a lot of gymnastics to get that much tongue weight.
> That is a problem.  However, once you got that much weight you STILL had
> sway.  I think there may be something else wrong.  Go back to Rummy's post
> and check those things.  Is the trailer tracking right? Are the wheels and
> tires matched? Problems with the brakes?  etc?
> 
> --Doug
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Alm [mailto:salm at mn.rr.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 5:02 PM
> To: Rhodes
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] I Hate My Trailer
> 
> 
> Steve,
> Yeah, Dan and Julie live close and I think I'll do just that.  And you're
> right--things just don't add up.  Nobody else seems to have as much
> difficulty as I do, so I suspect the trailer may very well have been
> modified.
> Thanks, 
> Slim
> 
> On 8/12/03 3:53 PM, "Steve" <rhodes2282 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> Slim
>> If there is another Rhodie around where you live;
>> might want to pull your trailer over to them and line
>> them up.  Just to see what kind of differences there
>> might be.  My Triad trailer is a 1982 and I have never
>> had a problem getting the boat on and far enough
>> forward.  
>> Just a suggestion.
>> Steve
>> 
>> 
>> --- Steve <rhodes2282 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> Slim
>>> Something is not right about that.  Only 4".  Don't
>>> know for sure but sound like the trailer been
>>> altered.
>>>  Should have a couple of feet to play with.  Anyway,
>>> I
>>> have been reading this tread of e-mail and this is
>>> just not adding up.
>>> Steve
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --- Steve Alm <salm at mn.rr.com> wrote:
>>>> Joe,
>>>> I only have about 4" of room to move it forward
>>>> unless I also weld on more
>>>> tongue.
>>>> Slim
>>>> 
>>>> On 8/12/03 2:16 PM, "Ware, Joseph W."
>>>> <joseph_ware at merck.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Steve, I had asked the same question a while
>>> ago. 
>>>> Someone at the time had
>>>>> suggested cutting the bow stop off, it's welded
>>>> on, and moving it forward a
>>>>> foot.  They had done this and it worked.  I'm
>>>> having it done as we speak.
>>>>> I'll let you know how it works out.  Cost about
>>>> $30.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Joe
>>>>> S/V Whisper
>>>>> 
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Steve Alm [mailto:salm at mn.rr.com]
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2003 3:58 AM
>>>>> To: Rhodes
>>>>> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] I Hate My Trailer
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hi.  Mary Ann and I just got back from a four
>>> day
>>>> trip with Fandango.  We
>>>>> went up north to Leech Lake in north central MN.
>>> 
>>>> The sailing and living
>>>>> aboard were great (I'd love to tell you more
>>> about
>>>> it sometime) but after
>>>>> putting the boat in and out several times in
>>>> several locations with varying
>>>>> degrees of steepness at the ramps, I've
>>> concluded
>>>> that something is
>>>>> definitely wrong here.
>>>>> 
>>>>> No matter what, I just can't get the boat far
>>>> enough forward on the trailer.
>>>>> The result is not enough tongue weight.  I had
>>> to
>>>> take the motor off and
>>>>> lash it on the trailer tongue, put the rudder up
>>>> in the V berth, along with
>>>>> anything else that has any weight to it.  I used
>>>> my bathroom scale to try to
>>>>> find out how heavy the tongue really is:  the
>>>> scale only goes up to 300 lbs.
>>>>> and I pegged the thing before the tongue even
>>>> budged off the hitch--so I'll
>>>>> bet I have at least 400 lbs, maybe more.  Still,
>>>> the trailer fishtailed at
>>>>> anything over 55 mph and also lurched and tugged
>>>> most of the way.  I use a
>>>>> 3/4 ton full-size cargo van with a V-8--more
>>> than
>>>> enough.
>>>>> 
>>>>> At one of the ramps that had a very gradual
>>> slope,
>>>> I backed in so far that
>>>>> my tailpipe was almost under.  Using the tongue
>>>> extension, the forward ends
>>>>> of the bunks were just at water level and I
>>> drove
>>>> the boat hard at the
>>>>> trailer, trying to get up on the damn things,
>>> but
>>>> still no luck.
>>>>> 
>>>>> And at the steep ramps it's even worse.  As
>>> we've
>>>> discussed before, you pull
>>>>> the boat all the way up to the bow stop, but
>>> when
>>>> you pull the trailer out
>>>>> of the water, the bow rocks back away from the
>>> bow
>>>> stop, and leaves the boat
>>>>> too far back--actually NEGATIVE TONGUE WEIGHT!
>>>>> 
>>>>> I really don't want to move the motor, rudder,
>>>> etc. not to mention all the
>>>>> landing gymnastics every time I trailer.  Is it
>>>> just me or is it a design
>>>>> flaw.  The trailer axle should be about 6-8
>>> inches
>>>> back or something.  Can
>>>>> anyone offer some insight, please?  Pretty
>>> please?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Slim
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>> __________________________________________________
>>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
>>>> www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>> 
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