1 year old and tires worn out

Having the bow eye snugged up against the bottom side of the roller keeps the boat from going forward should the truck hit something. Well, hopefully it will. The winch strap should hold the bow eye down and if the eye is beneath the roller it should keep it in that position.

MT, if you can move the winch stand forward that much you won't need to get a larger trailer. But, like Woody said, you need to measure the tongue weight before you start doing anything.
 
MT, as I mentioned above about measuring the tongue weight on a scale, I was actually referring to using a certified truck scale, which you can find by googling. However, you can use a bathroom scale - but you may need to use some leverage and math since a typical bathroom scale may not go high enough. Basically put the scale about 2' away from the tongue, then use a piece of wood to connect the scale to another piece of wood that is on the other side of the tongue (exactly the same distance away). Letting the tongue down on the "spanning" wood directly in the middle would then lessen the weight that the scale sees by half as long as you're accurate with your placement. If that's still not enough, then you need to set the tongue down 2/3 of the distance of the total 'spanning' wood away from the scale, etc.
 
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Should be able to get the TW tomorrow . . . . .Found the attached (should help)

Determining Trailer Tongue Weight _ etrailer.jpg
 
MTork said:
Should be able to get the TW tomorrow . . . . .Found the attached (should help)

View attachment 41780
Click to expand...

Learn something everyday on here! I did not know the bow eye should be tucked under the bow roller...mine is about 3-4" away. Since I have my TW and everything else like I want it, I will simply move the winch back and down slightly.

The diagram above is exactly how I checked my TW(part B) and how my wife got a new set of scales!

Thanks,
Bennett
 
Well, just checked the TW. As suspected I'm a$$ heavy. (the boat too) When I checked the scale rig against my weight and my son's , I was only off by less than .5%.

The TW came in at 360 lbs, by my calculations it should be around 560 lbs.

Boat Dry wt ~ 4200 lbs
50 gal fuel ~ 300 lbs
10 gal H20 ~ 90 lbs
Equip ~ 250 lbs (i think this is high)
Trailer ~ 800 lbs
==========
Total 5640 10% ~ 560 lbs

Do you think I can get 200 lbs moving the boat forward 6" ~ 12" ~ 18"??

I'll start the adjustments this weekend.
 
Actually, most BOAT trailer manufacturer's only recommend about 7%, so you're not as far off as you think. Travel trailers, for whatever reason, are the ones the are in the 10%+ range. Maybe it's a 5th wheel vs ball hitch thing - I dunno - never stopped to really think about it.

Before you adjust anything, start with just cranking it on all the way - that might get you where you need to be.

FYI, I weighed had my '00 215EC on a scale and it weighed in right at 6,000lbs loaded up (don't forget about batteries, oil in the engine, drive fluid, trailer options, etc). Now, my 215 weighed 3,800lbs dry, whereas your 225 is closer to 4,500lbs dry (not 4,200). However, I had a galvanized trailer that weighed 1,200lbs. Based on my "wet" weight, I would then think you'd be about 6,300lbs. Trailer setup is not an exact science - you don't have to be "right on" to be safe.
 
I went through this with my boat last summer and Dennis helped me figure it out. My PO bought the trailer just to move the boat to his home lake and never adjusted it to the boat. Yes, you can get 200lbs moving it 12-18". However, everything I could find said for a boat trailer to have a tongue weight 7-10% of the total weight. I am right at 7%(850 lbs). I would check my tongue weight, put the boat in the water, make an adjustment, reload, and check. This took 2 or 3 tries as I was adjusting bunks as well. I finally got it where I wanted it and it is perfect. Another critical factor is to pull it level by raising or lowering the ball on the hitch. I had to buy and adjustable hitch as a regular straight hitch placed the tongue too low. Bought a Curt 14k lb hitch, raised it up slightly and that was the icing on the cake. If you do not have enough tongue weight, you will find that your boat will want to "fishtail" sometimes behind your tow vehicle. I have been there as well in times past. I would move the boat up on the trailer so that the bunks are even with the transom and then check your tongue weight. Make sure it is within the 7-10% and then be sure you are pulling level. I think your problem will be solved.

Bennett
 
When you move the boat all the way forward, make sure that your bunks extend all the way back beneath the transom. If they don't you will end up with a "hook" or "cup" at the end of the bottom of the boat right where it meets the transom. That hook will have an effect on your running attitude.
 
THANK YOU to all for your insightful input. . . . . . I'll move her forward this weekend and report back on how we do.

This is my first boat and were 1 year old together next month. I am thoroughly enjoying her - from learning how to take care of her, operate more efficiently and just the calm it brings being out on her.

CSR and it s members have helped me out with your knowledge base more than you can imagine.

I'm gushing . . . but Thank You.

Mark Torkelson (MTork)
 
Good Luck MTork. I think you will find increasing the tongue weight a little will improve the handling as well. BTW I always loved that 225. Looks fantastic, and IMO it is impossible to pack a more enjoyable boat into 22.5 feet.
 
To me the trailer frame looks to small for the boat and those bunks stick way to far back, looks awkward to me, more like someone tried to fit a larger boat on the trailer than should be on it.. I have some bunk trailers at the shop open no boats on them for summer storage ill take a few pics for you..
 
His trailer has the large 4x8 cyprus bunks. My Road King brand aluminum trailer is just like it, the trailer is "short" but the bunks stick out another 4 feet past the metal Designed that way for some reason. But, yes, the boat should move forward so the bunks extend past the transom.

tony357 said:
Look hear you will see what i mean about bunk location. not too far back from trailer frame.

http://www.tidewatertrailers.com/tidewateraluminumtrailers.htm
Click to expand...
 
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If the axles are the tortion type, inspect the tortion forgings to make sure they are parallel to the trailer frame. Then lay a 6-foot level across the tires and make sure the tires are parallel. I went through the same thing and it turned out the previous owner had hit a curb or something and one of the tortion forgings was bent about 5/16" which translated to 1-1/4" at the tire. A new tire was severely worn in 150 or so miles. The forging was bent too far to be straightened so I needed to replace the axle. Once I replaced the axle, the tire began to wear properly.
 
The bunks should not stick out past the transom.. you will knock off speedometer pickups, transducers and temp senders and any aftermarket livewell aerator pumps.

Did you order the ladder i have only seen them on pontoon trailers and cat boat trailers..

with your style boat all the weight is in the rear, your transom needs to be up by your tail light.
 
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I think that because the trailer has been improperly loaded, it probably overloaded the rear axle causing it to tweak at the hub plates, thus causing excessive camber at the end of the overloaded rear axle....this is scrubbing off the rubber on the inside edge of the rear axle only.
 
Thanks for the reply Sublimetime.

I guess I should have updated the thread.......

I found that the boat WAS loaded too far back on the trailer and the ride in the truck was awful as well. I moved the boat forward on the trailer about a foot and it seemed to do the trick. The tires are not wearing unevenly and the added tongue weight made pulling it much easier with a better ride.
 
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