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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Do any of you MX1825 owners have bucking/rocking when towing on roads that have expansion joints, specifically interstates? I know of 2 other owners of this boat that experience this.
I went and had the tongue weight measured and it measured 500#. I only had 1/2 tank of fuel in boat, so it would probably be more when full since the fuel tank if in front of the axle. From what I've read it should be 7 to 10% of the towing weight. Not sure what the boat weighs but the trailer is rated for 3000# so the TW should be 210 to 300# at the capacity of the trailer. I'm assuming this trailer is custom for this boat since there is no adjustments that can be made, i.e. move the axle or winch stand.
I've contacted Skeeter and EZ Loader. Here's what I got back from EZ Loader:
"I have spoken to our engineering manager on this issue. 500 pounds of tongue weight is not over the limit for the ratings on this trailer. While we do try and average that 7 to 10 percent of the total load for the tongue weight not every boat model on every trailer will be able to fall in those numbers. The ratings that we design around is no less than 5% of the total load and to not exceed the ratings on the coupler. The weight rating on the coupler for this trailer is well above 500 pounds."
If this trailer is custom, it should be within the desired range. The coupler rating is 750#. Wonder what kind of weight would be measured when the rocking is going on. At interstate speeds, the rocking is a good 2 - 3 inches. Not only is it an uncomfortable ride, I would have to assume an unsafe one too.
Any thoughts, and don't say "should of bought a ranger"? |
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Posts: 171
| What vehicle are you towing with? |
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | I have a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. I think one of the other guys has a newer RAM 1500 and I'm not sure the make of the other guy has but do know it's a 1/2 ton truck.
Edited by V18 5/13/2016 10:32 AM
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Location: Contrarian Island | 500 + lbs at the tongue to me is way over what it should be... that would be the problem imo.. I'd contact the dealer you got it from and see what they say...I'd imagine it's under warranty ... |
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Posts: 171
| I think it is more of too much boat on a single axle trailer. I am having the same problem on my Ranger Reatta 1850 being pulled by my Ford Expedition. I think alot of my problem is the fact that my Ford has independent rear suspension. When I pull boat with my son's F150 with different sprung rea rend, not much problem. I still think any mfg with a 18' or larger glass boat of some decent depth should be putting it on a tandem axle trailer at factory. |
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Skeeter and dealers are pointing at EZ Loader Trailers for now. I have brought it to their attention that they may be putting their boats on a trailer that wasn't designed correctly for their boat possibly creating an unsafe condition and they are looking into it.
As for the tandem axle trailer, I asked the dealer why someone they were sponsoring running the same boat was using a tandem axle trailer and they said it was due to the number of miles they put on and the single axle was fine. Had they told me something different, I might have sprung for the tandem axle trailer. |
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Posts: 15
| You might want to try a different height hitch with less drop, it might transfer some of the tongue weight to the trailer. |
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | When hooked up to my truck now, the tongue is almost perfectly level and, although I didn't measure it, the truck probably doesn't sag more than an inch when lowered on to hitch. I did ask the marine shop that measured the TW about possibly trying a different hitch height and their opinion was it probably won't make enough of a difference due to the fact the TW is so far over what it should be. |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | I have the 2012 MX 1825 .I pull it with a 2012 Chevy Avalanche .
I have not had this problem I pull it down the road at 75 to 80 miles a hour I don't even notice it's back there till I get to the lake. |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | I just noticed you said your trailer was level mine is lower in the front.I was thinking of flipping my hitch so it was more level maybe I won't after all
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Mine is a 2012 also. I never really pulled it out on the interstate or roads that have the expansion joints until last year so I decided to investigate the possible cause. Any yes I do know mine is there which may be a symptom of too much TW. We did trying moving the winch stand back as far as it will go, which was about 3 inches and it reduced the TW by 75#. Unfortunately the problem is still there. |
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Posts: 171
| I moved my Ranger back 3" on the trailer on last trip, no improvement, worse. |
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| That sounds bad and possibly dangerous. If the manufacturers can't/won't fix the problem, I wonder if a weight equalizing hitch would help. When I had a 7,000 pound travel trailer, that is what I used. The hitch is designed to transfer some of the weight forward on the vehicle. That trailer had a lot more than 500 pounds on the tongue but with the hitch it towed very smoothly. I have only seen that style hitch used with travel trailers but might be worth exploring. There are some engineers on this board, maybe one of them could comment on whether this might be an option. |
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Posts: 1209
| On a single axel trailer doesn't need to ride flat. And any hitch will make almost no difference in tw. Moving a winch post 3 inches back will make tw more than 75# less and more than likely cause the boat to sway over the axel more making it much more dangerous to operate. i have a 2014 ram 1500 and if I hook up 500# of tw it will squat 3". |
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Posts: 668
Location: mercer wi | This may sound dumb but are you using the correct size ball. |
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | V18, what's 'bucking/rocking'? The boat is rocking side to side? Is it also feeling like it's thrusting into the hitch? How is it on other roads without expansion joints?
It's strange how muskyhunter47's boat gives him no issues and only67 has the same problem with a different boat.
Could it be a hitch issue? |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | BNelson - 5/13/2016 10:32 AM
500 + lbs at the tongue to me is way over what it should be... that would be the problem imo.. I'd contact the dealer you got it from and see what they say...I'd imagine it's under warranty ...
Check the paperwork that came with the boat and trailer when sold new, I doubt it is still under warranty.
Every time I have seen this issue over the years with a custom trailer, it's the axle placement, the tires need to be up sized one inch, or the trailer is overloaded. I remember in one case years ago the springs on the trailer were shot.
Weigh the rig unhitched from the truck to make sure. If the trailer has had the tires/rims replaced, make sure the replacements are the maximum the trailer will accept. When it's bucking, watch the trailer in the rear views, that will tell you a lot about the issue. |
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Posts: 633
Location: Madison, WI | I have a 2012 MX1825 and I have noticed this problem to some degree. It seems to happen only on certain stretches of roads and I've also noticed this more with my 2012 Ram 1500 than my previous 2006 F150. 500 lbs seems quite excessive to me. I always wondered why this boat didn't come with a dual axel trailer. |
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | The rocking motion is front to back like someone jumping up and down on the rear bumper. Hitch ball is the correct size. And yes moving it back 3", although reduced the TW by 75# as measured at the shop, did seem to worsen the problem. This problem only is prevalent on roads with expansion joints. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | sounds like it has more to do with the suspension in your truck than the boat...
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Could it be an issue of the distance between the vehicle's rear tires and the trailer tires. Tires and rims on trailer are original, just to answer a previous question. |
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Trucks suspension has had springs and shocks replaced. Rear springs were replaced with 1.25 heavier than OEM. Yes problem was prevalent before that. It is slightly better but not exceptable. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | If tongue weight is too high, can't the axle be moved forward to reduce tongue weight? Not sure if that would solve your problem but it could be something to look at. |
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Custom trailer. Axle is fixed. Fenders welded to frame, etc.
Edited by V18 5/14/2016 10:19 AM
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | Interesting! Well, I'll be picking up my new 2014 soon. I'll be interested to see if I'll have the same issues on the 300 mile trip home. Maybe it's a different trailer though??? |
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Posts: 135
| I had similar issues at times with the same combination of truck and trailer ('13 Ram and EZ Loader), even though mine was a tandem axle trailer. There's something about the spacing of the expansion joints around Madison that really exacerbates it, as this was by far the worst area of anywhere I towed across WI, MN, and ON. Worst stretch was heading south between East Towne and the Beltline...horrible.
I believe part of the problem is Ram's use of a coil spring rear suspension; it makes for a very smooth ride, but it also allows more drop to the rear end before stiffening up than trucks using a leaf-spring design. My '15 Ram pulling the same boat and trailer has zero issues...but it's got the 4-corner self-leveling air suspension system (which freaking rocks).
Since it's a single-axle, I'd start by getting the nose of that trailer up enough to reduce more tongue weight and then you might consider adding some inside-the-spring suspension helpers or an air bag kit. |
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Yes the area between east towne and the belt line is the worst I've encountered too. Need to take hwy 51 north to bypass. Even though it might not be right, starting to sound like the nature of the beast. |
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Muskyhunter47, the tongue on your trailer looks longer for some reason. I measured from tip of boat to hitch and measured 30". What's yours ?
Edited by V18 5/17/2016 6:52 AM
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | I measured from the front of the winch post to the front of hitch
48 3/4 |
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Posts: 1279
| I believe this is the spacing of axles. If this is happening on particular stretches of road, at particular speeds, and it is a front to back bucking. I first encountered this many years ago with a Jeep CJ, no trailer. On a certain stretch of new freeway, if you went over about 50 mph, it would buck severely, front to back. It would not do this on other roadways, or other stretches of the same road. If you drove this same stretch of road, with a vehicle that had a longer wheel base, there was no issue at any speed.
My current rig pulls great, and is quite smooth most of the time. However, there is a stretch of freeway that I drive frequently, while pulling the boat, that will start doing this at about 63 mph. It's not severe, but is very noticeable. Also, I just took a trip down to Iowa, earlier this month, and took my boat for the first time. There was a stretch of about 15 miles, that did this very severely, if I went over 52 mph. No issues anywhere else on the whole trip. I believe there can be a harmonizing of speed, expansion joint spacing, and axle spacing that can occur, that causes a serious front to back "bucking." |
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | Ok, I had some crazy bouncing action on certain sections of highway on my way home from skeeter boat center in Chippewa Falls last Wednesday. Right when I got on to US- 53. Then it happened again on a stretch of I-94. I made it through the northern Madison area up to HW-51 where my truck broke down. My buddy came and rescued me and my boat with his F-250. There were no issues through Madison and the rest of the ride home. My truck is and '02 GMC Sierra 1500.
Maybe this boat/trailer combo isn't 1/2 ton truck friendly??? |
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Posts: 228
Location: Tinley Park, IL | Greg- I have found that my X-190 on a single axle jumps around a lot. I have a Toyota Tacoma which has plenty of power to pull it (6500 lbs towing capacity) but it's a midsize truck. By far the worst stretch of road I have driven this year has been 43 north of Milwaukee on the way to Door Co. I knew I was going to get a full size Tundra as my next truck. Just didn't want to get it for a couple years. |
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Posts: 1209
| It's just a bad stretch of road for your wheel base, the 3/4 ton is longer between wheels. |
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | Fishysam - 11/1/2016 9:07 AM
It's just a bad stretch of road for your wheel base, the 3/4 ton is longer between wheels.
Yep, a couple of them. Buddy's truck is definitely longer - crew cab vs my standard cab. My next truck will be a crew cab so maybe by next summer this will be a non-issue. |
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Posts: 1716
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | my truck did the same thing pulling a 16' aluminum deep V tiller that weighs 1000 lbs. Route 53 is absolutely terrible! I never thought I would be glad to be back on Illinois roads. The bucking is from the expansion joints and the spacing.
Edited by RyanJoz 11/1/2016 11:58 AM
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | Never had any issues pulling my 17ft Lowe tin boat up there or anywhere...interesting.
Edited by gregk9 11/1/2016 12:18 PM
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Surprised this thread has been re-born. I pretty much gave up after being in contact with some of the engineers of the trailer manufacturer as well as one at Skeeter and basically, been told not their problem. Was not so surprised about trailer manufacturer's response, but more so of Skeeter's. Most people are concerned about how the boat rides and handles in the water when looking for a boat, they shouldn't have to be concerned that it's going to bounce you around on the highway.
Edited by V18 11/1/2016 12:32 PM
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Greg,
If you only made it to Highway 51 then you hadn't gotten to the real bad part yet. It starts right around Highway 30 and goes at least to Highway 12.
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | V18 - 11/1/2016 12:46 PM
Greg,
If you only made it to Highway 51 then you hadn't gotten to the real bad part yet. It starts right around Highway 30 and goes at least to Highway 12.
Right, in my truck. My buddy towed the boat from The Gander Mountain at the 51 exit all the way into IL, getting off @ Genoa road...we barely felt the boat back there! |
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Posts: 135
| I had my trailer alignment checked and the tires balanced this spring too - that helped out a TON. It was surprising how much vibration the trailer was sending up to the truck. The alignment was fine, but it was clear that the tire balance was way out of whack. Pretty clear that it had never been done by the trailer company or by the boat company prior to delivery.
It's a cheap and easy step that might improve your ride.
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | Might be worth a try, Glaucus. |
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Posts: 859
Location: MN | sounds stupid but did you have the right drop or rise on your hitch? The number of people I see towing a boat with the trailer angling up or down scares me. Those ones angling up scare me the most that trailer is all over the place. |
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | Yep, it's pretty level. It's tows fine over most conditions.... just those few stretches of road where it's bouncing my truck like crazy. At one point it thought I was gonna hurl! |
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