Lowering tongue weight

happy hooker

happy hooker

Crew Member
Here is my dilemma, changed setups this year, new bigger boat so had to sell motorhome and go back to truck and camper. Got the Torklift Superhitch with 42” Supertruss extension which allows me 650 lbs of tongue weight without going to a weight distributing hitch which I dont want to do if possible. Boat tongue weight is 750 lbs with full fuel tank, 850 lbs without full fuel. My question is has anyone moved the axles forward a bit on their trailer to adjust tongue weight? My boat looks like the axles too far back imo. Cant slide boat back and adjust front post without lengthening bunks. 5500 lb boat dry, I assumed tongue weight would be about 10%. Anyone have experience moving axles?
 
Moved my axles last summer. it wasn't a big deal
- block up the trailer so the wheels hang free
- take a measurement from a reference point to the axle. (Check for Square)
- loosen axle bolts (use penetrating oil)
- slide forward to required position
- check reference measurement
- tighten bolts
- if need adjust brake lines
 
I moved my triple axles forward. Is not hard to do it with the boat off. Trick is to get the alignment of the axle right and watch your brake lines.
Mark where your axle u-bolts are and then mark 3,4,5,6 inches forward of that. Loosen the u bolts, block your wheels, and back up very slowly till it hits your mark. You could probably use a come along which would give you a bit more accuracy. Just don't go too light on the tongue weight. Very dangerous. Maybe go for around 600 pounds. Don't forget to retorque all your bolts.
 
Yes and as said it is not hard to do. Just make sure each side is the same distance from a common point of refernce on each side of the trailer. Could be the end of the frame rails.
 
I think I moved mine by using a sledge on a piece of 2x4 held against the axle. Watch that your brake lines have enough slack to move the amount you need.
 
As said by others, not hard. We got a new-to-us trailer last year and had to move the axle for correct tongue weight. Move forward to reduce tongue weight. An air wrench and PB Blaster helps. As mentioned, make a mark on each frame at equal distances from the ends to keep the axle square. I moved it same as Profisher, loosen and bump alternate sides.
Use a lever and a bath scale to check the tongue weight as you progress. For boat trailers about 7% is safe. "
"The transom should rest at the end of the bunks or close to the aft rollers. Boat trailers are different than other trailers. To determine proper tongue weight, total the package weight (boat with fuel, battery, water, motor with maximum horsepower, passenger goods, and the trailer) and multiply it by 6-7% on single axles and 5-6% on tandem axle trailers. ShoreLand'r and most other boat trailer manufacturers suggests that tongue weight is acceptable in a 5-7% range."
 

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Foxsea said:
As said by others, not hard. We got a new-to-us trailer last year had had to move the axle for correct tongue weight. An air wrench and PB Blaster helps. As mentioned, make a mark on each frame at equal distances from the ends to keep the axle square. I moved it same as Profisher, loosen and bump alternate sides.
Use a lever and a bath scale to check the tongue weight as you progress. For boat trailers about 7% is safe.
Click to expand...
I actually have a tongue weight scale that the hitch installer loaned to me
 
Just got off the phone with Weldcraft, it looks like I can safely move the boat back on the trailer as I have about 6” of bunk left to the transom, they told me bunks do not have to be supporting the pod. Do any of you guys remember how much tongue weight you eliminated by moving the axles? Should reduce it the same just sliding the boat back? Would 6” make the tongue a couple hundred pounds lighter? Or should I just move axles? I think boat looks too far forward of the axles, whole cabin is in front basically.
 

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After podding mine was about 150 lbs negative and moving the axles back 2 1/2" gave me tongue weight, more than I could lift and decent crank on the winch but no scale.
 
Yeah probably, I want a little more and this time will be easier because I have a portapower here.
 
Can you take your boat to a boat launch, weigh the tongue, launch the boat but leave it back 3 inches from the winch and then weigh again? That way you would know what you need to do. I used the method with a bathroom scale that Foxsea posted above. Works great. Do you have room to move your winch back? Looks like it is close to the Y on the trailer frame.
FYI from your picture I think the wheel location looks about right.
You could also put a bigger heavier motor on the back :)
 
Sir Reel said:
Can you take your boat to a boat launch, weigh the tongue, launch the boat but leave it back 3 inches from the winch and then weigh again? That way you would know what you need to do. I used the method with a bathroom scale that Foxsea posted above. Works great. Do you have room to move your winch back? Looks like it is close to the Y on the trailer frame.
FYI from your picture I think the wheel location looks about right.
You could also put a bigger heavier motor on the back :)
Click to expand...
I have about 6”, hopefully with what Wild Bill says it will do the trick. Yes thats what I’m going to try tomorrow, lake is so low that I dont know if I will have enough water to slide it back but will try.
 
Don’t make it to light, you will get a sway from hell, I move my axles back because it was to light on the tong, could not go more then 90 km, soon as I went a bit faster I would get the death wobble
 
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