Towing gods of tacomaworld, hear my pleas!

Not really pleas, but I want some more answers to confirm what the weirdos on the kayak forums have said to me.

I built a trailer out of 2 trailers, but I feel the wheels are too far back.
The trailer deck is 86 inches long, 40 inches wide, the tongue is 34 inches long for a total trailer length of 120 inches (10feet). Now the axle sits 20 inches (center of hub) from the back of the deck, so its pretty far back there.
The trailer is used for a small boat with motor, or a pair of kayaks, never more than 300lbs.

I can move the axle forward 8 inches fairly easy by swapping the left and right rear frame parts. I would need to drill a few new holes for the cross beam, but the axle would still bolt into factory holes.

Should I even bother trying to move the axle forward, or just leave it the way it is?

 

Maybe hook it up with your yaks or boat loaded (whichever is heavier) and test drive it around the block and see how it tows (get up to max speed you'd be traveling normally when towing it).

20" from the back does sound like it would make the trailer tongue heavy (but with that low of weight may not be a big deal).

Also, confused, 86"+34" = 120". Is my math broke? lol

Also also, this might help: https://www.etrailer.com/faq-where-...ioning a trailer axle,is placed on the tongue.

 

Thats what I was thinking, light weight trailer should probably tow better with the wheel far back.

Yeah, my math just sucks... 120 inches, so its a 10f trailer. Also, thank you for reading the full post, most people skim posts, then reply something wildly out of context.

 

For sure, light weight trailers can get squirrely. And with a boat trailer, you'd typically have the axle further back than normal since you'll have the motor hanging off the back.

Just see how she pulls as-is and then go from there.

 

If you look at commercially made small boat trailers, the axle sits way back there too. You won’t be overloading the tongue at those weights, should not have any sway issues, and it’s easier to back up a longer wheelbase trailer. My vote is to leave it.

I’d probably try to measure loaded tongue weight with a bathroom scale and a jackstand / trailer jack just for funsies.

 

Backing the trailer when I first got it was a shit show... the trailer started out as a 48 inch deck and 24 inch tongue.

Im going to try to weigh it soon. Im guessing its around 80lbs tongue weight when loaded. Full trailer when loaded is around 550lbs (adding up rough weights of the things on it).

 

I tried backing a 4’ trailer at night once. Horrible idea.

 

Personally I’d put the axle as far from the ball as possible. Your weight is minimal. The further that distance, the better it will tow, be stable, and easier to back up. You never want too much weight behind the wheels!

 

So here is my nearly completed trailer. Just need to put carpet on the bunks. I would like to eventually replace the 10x2 boards with a sheet of wood and make sides for the stake pockets.

 

Looks like you’re going to have a lot of fun times! That looks more comfortable than my kayaks!
I think your jack needs to be moved forward closer to the hitch so you don’t bang your knuckles. Just looks a bit close to the boat.
Is the boat pretty light? No winch needed?
Sealed axle bearings, or are you going to dry launch?
Tie down ratchet straps?

 

I got the boat for that very reason. My kayaks are great, but my legs start to hurt after a few hours. Plus trying to catch pike and musky in the kayak is less than fun mainly due to the size net I need to land those fish takes up so much space.
Boat is about 100lbs empty, maybe 180lbs full loaded.
The bearing are sealed, they also have grease fittings on the hubs so I can pump them full of grease if any water gets in.
I am using ratchet straps to hold the back down like a normal boat, then a strap over the top near the front to hold the front down

 

when loaded you want at least 10% tongue weight. With that small trailer, the more tongue weight, the better, also adjust your hitch height so that the trailer is level to a little low at the tongue..

 

The hitch looks weird in my pictures because my truck is facing down a hill and the trailer is on kinda flat ground. Here is a picture further out (and with the old tongue) When both truck and trailer are on flat ground its right.

 

if you get any trailer sway, add tongue weight. Start slow with your test drive..

 

Finally got out to test my trailer today. Pulled smooth and straight, but I only got up to 50mph because I didnt go on the highway. I will say backing that thing up is a pain in the ass, its so narrow I cant see it in my mirrors, the back up camera is terrible for backing a trailer. I put little driveway markers on the back corners so I can see it while driving, but hey are little help when backing it up.
Glad most boat ramps are not as long as the one I backed down today (200 feet single lane)

 

Maybe attach something like these, can probably be made at home, to the back corners of your trailer. Extend them up high enough to be seen over the back of the bed.

 

That might work pretty well, I just need to be able to see the sides of the trailer when backing up. Right now when I see a side of the trailer I know its already too far jack knifed and I have to pull forward. The little driveway markers I am using right now are just so thin that its hard to gauge distance with them.