Advice Needed: First Long Trailer Tow
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Category: General Correct Craft Discussion
Forum Name: General Discussion
Forum Discription: Anything Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3885
Printed Date: May-16-2024 at 9:22pm
Topic: Advice Needed: First Long Trailer Tow
Posted By: dchris17
Subject: Advice Needed: First Long Trailer Tow
Date Posted: June-15-2006 at 4:56pm
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I want to tow my M17 from Indy to Texas for a couple of days of boarding on Possum Kingdom Lake (one of the best skiing lakes ever). I've never towed the trailer more than a few miles before. Any advice on how to prep for the road trip?
Thanks! ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=917" rel="nofollow - My 1974 Mustang 17 http://www.trooptrack.com" rel="nofollow - TroopTrack : The Best Scouting Software |
Replies:
Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: June-15-2006 at 5:00pm
| Definitely inspect the bearings and repack. Bring one or two extra incase one goes. Bearings and lights are my only 2 concerns. |
Posted By: GottaSki
Date Posted: June-15-2006 at 5:03pm
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And never preload the bearings. Check for heat periodically, don't drive till something falls off. ------------- "There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worthwhile as messing around with boats...simply messing." River Rat to Mole |
Posted By: bkhallpass
Date Posted: June-15-2006 at 5:11pm
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Get a spare. Even if it's used, its' worth it. I think mine was a little over $100 for new rim and tire. As said, make sure you have a fresh pack in the wheel bearings. Make sure you have some good tie down straps. If you are not going to cover the boat, you can spray some cooking spray on the deck and windshield. Washes off easy enough with soap and water, and makes it a lot easier to get the bugs off. BKH
------------- Livin' the Dream |
Posted By: 81nautique
Date Posted: June-15-2006 at 6:53pm
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Don't forget a jack, make sure your tow vehicle jack will work, if not get a small scissor or bottle jack. Lug wrench, again tow vehicle wrench may fit but make sure. spare set of bearings is only about $15, worth the peace of mind. Bring any tools your may need incase you have to change a set out including some bearing grease.
Chances are you won't need anything but you gotta have it. ------------- You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails |
Posted By: rleinen79
Date Posted: June-15-2006 at 9:10pm
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Also, a couple of spare light bulbs, because as I'm sure you know, bulbs go out at the worst times. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=7744" rel="nofollow - 2006 Ski 206 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1123" rel="nofollow - 97 SNOB |
Posted By: stang72
Date Posted: June-15-2006 at 10:16pm
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I trail my boats 12 hour drives each year (a few times)...all the above is good advice...I bring a grease gun...a spare...a tool box...and small hydro jack. As you start out...once you get 60mph+ for a few miles pull over and feel for any heat on tires and hubs...heat beyond normall.check every so often and at gas stops.
Don't pack a bunch of heavy stuff in the boat! Your Mustang wieghs about 1700 lbs plus trailer . Watch out for any steep transitions...drive to road etc. Also...if the boat is bouncing more than you think it should...at some point you can move the bow stop up a bit to get more weight on the tongue. AND...have yourself a very fun trip!!! ------------- stang Face plants are not that funny when it's you face! http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/images/3720/photo1.jpg" rel="nofollow - The Super Air |
Posted By: skicat
Date Posted: June-15-2006 at 10:49pm
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Bearings, Bearings, Bearings!!! In towing my new project home, I completely destroyed the inner bearing on one side. I was lucky. I was going about 10 miles an hour because of a wreck ahead and looked back & noticed the tire was really moving around. I quickly pulled over & pulled the wheel. The bearing was in pieces. If I had been doing 70 who knows what would have happened. I did have all of the tools needed to do the job though. Grease, hammer, screw drivers, large slip pliers, jack & lug wrench, Plastic gloves like the doctors use to keep the grease mess down, paper towels, hand cleaner, even some chocks in case you have to unhook the boat as I did. I threw in everything I could think of & was glad I did. Just be prepared & You can handle most anything that can happen. Have a great time on your trip. ------------- Greg http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=2427&yrstart=1981&yrend=1985" rel="nofollow - 86 BFN |
Posted By: great78
Date Posted: June-16-2006 at 1:44am
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how about a couple extra fuses too? ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1314 - Missin' this 78SN http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1527&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - Lovin' this 96 |
Posted By: DrCC
Date Posted: June-16-2006 at 10:35pm
| Lots of Starbuck's Coffee!!! |
Posted By: duckhawk
Date Posted: June-29-2006 at 8:29pm
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Hey guys what about tongue weight. I just trailered my 75 Tique 275 miles North and then back.
On the way back I loaded a lot more stuff in the tow vehicle that I had in the boat on the way up. Of course, the ride back was nicer. It seems like the tongue weight on my trailer set-up is too high. Feels like 300-350#. What is optimal? And yes I believe it can be measured with a bathroom scale. Duckhawk ------------- J Fisher |
Posted By: great78
Date Posted: June-29-2006 at 8:51pm
normally the rule of thumb for a tow behind is 10-15% of trailer weight on the tongue so sounds about right, I think my 78 is around 3200LBS with trailer. If you get too light at the tongue the tail will start waggin' the dog if you know what I mean ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1314 - Missin' this 78SN http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1527&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - Lovin' this 96 |
Posted By: The Dude
Date Posted: June-29-2006 at 10:52pm
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Guys, I've heard of people doing some kind of saran wrap on the front of their boats when trailering a long way...supposedly keeps off bug and road grime and then is a simple peel off. Anybody know the easiest way to do this?
One time I really toasted a wheel bearing and was glad to have sand paper/emory paper along to smooth down the spindle to get new bearings back on. ------------- Mullet Free since 93 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=717&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - 95 Sport |
Posted By: stang72
Date Posted: June-29-2006 at 11:03pm
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Duckhawk....be carefull how much you pack in a boat...wieght could exceed the load the tires can handle. ------------- stang Face plants are not that funny when it's you face! http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/images/3720/photo1.jpg" rel="nofollow - The Super Air |
Posted By: Munday
Date Posted: June-30-2006 at 2:12pm
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I have a spare spidle and hub bolted to my spare tire.That way I have both bearings,hub,spare and splindle.I've never used it but I figure I can get a welder to come
replace the spindle wherever I am,I learned this from my uncles race car trailor his is mounted to flip down becomes the third wheel for rolling around in his shop which is cool but I never got that far. Good luck Munday |
Posted By: Jim_In_Houston
Date Posted: June-30-2006 at 10:24pm
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I have had a lot of experiance in long haul boat tows. My '68 came from Vermont (to Houston)and my '66 came from Ohio. I then trailered both of them from Houston to Amarillo and back (about 500 miles each way) during the Rita evacuation. (When Rita was barreling in at Cat 5 levels the arrow the weathermen drew on the TV screen to show where Rita would hit, was pointed directly at my house down here on the Gulf Coast and yes, I did not leave my CCs behind - kinda makes you proud doesn't it?) (Although my GF said she'll never do that again. But I bet she will.)
Carry Fix-A-Flat, a jack, flash light, and stop every hour and feel your hubs for heating. Stop and check your tie-downs frequently - they have a way of working loose. If you have a flat do not try to fix it on the side of the highway - forget the tire and pull the boat to a safe area. Like the others said, have your bearings repacked and replaced if needed before you begin. If you add very much weight into the boat it will become unstable and sway back and forth and will pull you out of control - you should not use you boat as a trailer to haul things in unless you drive very very slow. I had fun on all of my trips because of the comments I got continuously (and I made a point to not be in a hurry). Everyone loves an old CC for some reason. Don't hurry and have fun. Don't tail gate. Sad but true story I still think about frequently for the last 50 years (I really never got over this and I never talk about it but now seems appropriate): A neighbor in Houston, during the early 60s was wooden boat builder of a fairly well-know high quality wooden inboard ski-boat. While pulling his boat back from the river one Sunday, a bus pulled in front of his car. He hit his brakes but his boat pushed his car into the bus. Tradgically, half his family was killed. I still miss them very much. I really don't care to bring everybody down with this story and out of respect for his family I don't feel good about talking about it but I would like to make a point that pulling a heavy load on the highway is serious business. The problem is often not what you do, it's what some other bastard does when you least expect it. I also don't care to hear anyone's comments about this and I will not come back to this thread - just be careful. My guess is you will have a car full of kids with you when you are towing your boat... ------------- Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang |
Posted By: dchris17
Date Posted: June-30-2006 at 11:14pm
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Thanks everyone for the great advice. I think it's been very helpful. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=917" rel="nofollow - My 1974 Mustang 17 http://www.trooptrack.com" rel="nofollow - TroopTrack : The Best Scouting Software |
Posted By: 83_2001
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 4:51pm
| Any advice for trailer tie downs for my SN 2001? Right now the trailer just has a winch located in front of my crash pad. I want to add an additional tie down in the front and would like to try and use a metal "tightener" like I have seen on the front of some trailers. That being said, I am not sure how I would attach it to the 1.75" tubing my crash pad frame is made out of. Also, the "metal tighteners" (anybody know the real name of these) I found at lowes seemed too small. In addition, how to secure my transom? All I have is the lift ring back there, probably easier than it looks I guess, just wanted to make sure. |
Posted By: great78
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 5:10pm
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83,
my 78 trailer had an additional tie down added like you describe. I wish I had a picture but the term you are looking for is "turnbuckle" and there are available at hardware stores. Mine connected to the same eyelet on the front of the boat as the winch line, the other end attached to an eyelet that was installed about midway down the winch post. they just drilled a 3/8" hole thru the winch post, dropped the eyelet thru, nut on back. also make sure you have jam nuts on the threaded rods that go into the turnbuckle to prevent it from moving during tow. At the back I would suggest looking into either motorcycle straps or the fancy self recoiling ones if there is a place to mount them. Mine just hook on the swim platform brackets and work great. Good luck! ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1314 - Missin' this 78SN http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1527&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - Lovin' this 96 |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 5:32pm
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A lot of boats use a safty chain on the front instead of the turnbuckel CC likes to use, you can get a tigh down strap that goes acrros the top of the gunnel towards the rear and hooks onto the frame rails. Some use the ski platform brackets but most other boats have eyelets to attach the straps to CC's don't. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: backdeep1
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 7:28pm
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I learned the hard way. Was towing my dads 81 Ski Nautique and did not check bearings for heat or did I pack the bearings that spring.
I was driving down a road and felt a big jerk and noticed someones tire rolling next to my truck. I said hey that looks like our tire. Dang thing rolled right into the lake we were driving by. Trailer dug into asphalt, bent fender a small bit and scrached the plate behind the bearing down about a 1/4". Limp the rig into a nice gentlemans drive way left it over night. Spent about $30 on bearings and packed them in his drive way the next day. Did not get to ski that day I took off work. Boat $20k Truck $25k Packed Bearings $Priceless |
Posted By: backdeep1
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 7:31pm
| Since then I have learned not to trust bearing buddies. You need to pack the bearings by hand. The grease does not get pushed into or through the bearings it just rides around the bearing. It may help alittle but I still don't trust them. |
Posted By: Tate
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 10:01pm
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Two weeks ago I had just pulled my boat out of the water after a big weekend. Not a mile down the road I felt a big jolt and heard a really loud noise. My whole weel also came off. I had to pull the boat qtr. mile before I could pull off of the road. We had to put out a fire. Literally! Needless to say, I've got a new axle and a new wheel and spindle on one side of the trailor. The boat was fine. Rudder 1 1/2" off of ground. ------------- Tate |
Posted By: Tate
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 10:02pm
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One more thing. I packed the bearings one week before. ------------- Tate |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 10:30pm
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tate sounds like something wasn't done right on the bearing inspection and repack. Glad I don't have to hand pack the bearings. They make a bearing packer that you can use with a grease gun looks like two cones with a shaft throught the middle its threaded on one side and has a zirk fitting on the other end, place the smaller bearing onto the larger bearing then place then into the packer and screw on the top pump it full of grease until it squirts out the race then remove apply a little more grease to the out side of the bearings and a little on the races and your good to go. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: scottb
Date Posted: August-17-2006 at 2:08pm
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Another bearing story.
I bought my boat in the spring of last year. I was going to repack the bearings before I put the boat away in the fall, but I ran out of time. So I decided that I would just replace the bearings in the Spring of this year, but I kept putting it off. I kept meaning to do it, but just kept putting off. Do you ever have a feeling something bad is going to happen. Well, that was how I was feeling about one of my bearings the past few weeks, and then on my way to the river a couple of weeks ago the outer bearing went bad. Luckily I was only a couple of miles from the house. A little bit farther, and I would have been on the expressway. So I ended up replacing the brake hub drum. I would have replaced the spindle too, but I found out that you have to replace the entire axle on Ram-lin trailers in order to replace the spindle. So I broke out the emery cloth. When I did the other side, that didn't fail, I saw that the seal was bad and that the outer bearing was probably close to going bad too. And, I had to replace the brake hub drum on that side because the race wouldn't seat right. What did I learn. Don't put off till tomorrow what you should probably do today. It's less expensive. The spindles with the grease fittings will just cause you to blow out the seal, and the grease probably never reaches the outer bearing. |
Posted By: jon4pres
Date Posted: August-17-2006 at 3:43pm
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I have a good bearing story.
This summer we were heading to Grand Lake to do a little camping. We got to some little town in Oklahoma when I noticed a bearing had just gone out. There was no where to pull over so I just got out of the way the best I could. Ended up that we had to call a flatbed tow truck to winch the boat and trailer up on it and drive it back to his shop. As soon as we got it up on the truck and a block under it the tire fell off. Ended up the cops told us we could camp in the city park and in the morning the tow guy helped me weld a new spindel in the axle and put the bearing all back in. It was a disaster of a weekend but we still managed to have a good time. Other than the $300 that I spent on the tow and fixing of the trailer. ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1801&yrstart=1976&yrend=1980 - 82 2001 jon4pres@gmail.com Fort Scott Kansas |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-17-2006 at 7:29pm
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if your not sure on the proper way to adjust and pack the bearings fine someone that does or pay someone to do it. it's not that hard but it doesn't take much to screw it up either and if it is then your going to have problems.
best advice I could give is check the rims for heat regularly if there warm then something is wrong, before you start jack up each side and check for play if there is any play get it fixed before you get on the road because it's sucks drinking coldies on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck especially if their not on ice yet. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |