Snowmobile Trailer

Skeld · September 29, 2016

I've been researching a little as to why snowmobile trailers never use weight distributing hitches. I actually had a 1500 truck before, and this trailer that I have is quite a handful hooked to a 1500 in any amount of wind. I decided to run it across the scale fully loaded with 3 sleds. The sleds are loaded backwards, which works best, and also puts more of the sled weight to the rear (a lot of the weight of an unloaded sled is on the skis due to the engine). There really isn't much room for altering how the trailer is loaded. It seems like it's giving me 900 pounds tongue weight. It's fine for my 2500 I'm sure, but what do you make of this set up? It kind of seems to me like they built this trailer with the axles too far back.

If I had a lower drop hitch that might help a little, in theory, but I can't go much lower and still be able to get the wheel down. This is kind of the minimum height where I can get under the trailer and pick the wheel up off the ground.

As it sits, the trailer weighs about 4300 pounds and it appears I have about 21% tongue weight...

Andy Seibel · September 29, 2016

Do you have the two sleds side by side in the rear of the trailer? If you have the weight as far back as you can, I guess that's all you can do.

Yes, I agree that the trailer looks a little front heavy due to axle placement, but your truck should handle it. It has a nice long V in front. Try pulling one with a flatter front and you'll think your trailer is great.

ember1205 · September 29, 2016

I don't think you're getting 900 lbs of tongue weight. You're getting 900 lbs of "weight" over the rear axle, but the actual tongue weight (which is -behind- the axle) would be different due to leverage.

The best way to get that specific rating would be to see if the scale operator would let you park the trailer on the scale with the jack under the tongue being the only thing on the scale. It still wouldn't be perfect, but it should be pretty close.

Where did you get the 4300 lb weight for the trailer? Are you using the delta from the first weigh and the second? If that's what it really is, there's 720 lbs "missing" from the trailer axle weight that was measured. Given that the front axle lightened by 200 lbs compared to the rear getting heavier by 920, there's your difference to get you to 700.

Still a bit on the heavy side, but not as bad.

Skeld · September 29, 2016

Do you have the two sleds side by side in the rear of the trailer? If you have the weight as far back as you can, I guess that's all you can do.

Yes, I agree that the trailer looks a little front heavy due to axle placement, but your truck should handle it. It has a nice long V in front. Try pulling one with a flatter front and you'll think your trailer is great.

It's a 7' wide inline, so they are staggered with the back one skis touching the ramp on the driver side facing backward. Next one is passenger side, front one is driver side again but the track is up in the V of the trailer.

The machines are too wide to sit side by side basically in a 7' trailer.

Skeld · September 29, 2016

I don't think you're getting 900 lbs of tongue weight. You're getting 900 lbs of "weight" over the rear axle, but the actual tongue weight (which is -behind- the axle) would be different due to leverage.

The best way to get that specific rating would be to see if the scale operator would let you park the trailer on the scale with the jack under the tongue being the only thing on the scale. It still wouldn't be perfect, but it should be pretty close.

Where did you get the 4300 lb weight for the trailer? Are you using the delta from the first weigh and the second? If that's what it really is, there's 720 lbs "missing" from the trailer axle weight that was measured. Given that the front axle lightened by 200 lbs compared to the rear getting heavier by 920, there's your difference to get you to 700.

Still a bit on the heavy side, but not as bad.

I probably could do that, it's my scale. I might get some funny looks though.

Walk me through your second part because you lost me there somewhere.

The weight of the truck did not change so the delta has to be the weight of the trailer?

Blue2500CC · September 29, 2016

It appears that you have 660lbs of tw, total trailer weight of 4340lbs with ~15% tw.

To figure the tw, take the weight of the steer and drive axles of the truck when the trailer is hooked up, and subtract the truck only total weight. Your front axle "lost" 260lbs as mentioned due to the teeter/totter effect of hooking up the trailer. That is why the rear axle is now 920lbs heavier, making it look like the tw is ~900lbs.

Skeld · September 29, 2016

Makes sense now, thanks.

Blue2500CC · September 29, 2016

Makes sense now, thanks.

YW!!!

gmckenzie · September 30, 2016

As to using a wdh, measure the distance from the top of each front wheelwell to the ground, both unhooked and hooked. Measure through the hub of the wheel so you measure the same spot each time. Look at how much the front comes up when hooked up. If it's more than a couple of inches, consider a wdh. Besides having your headlights mis-aimed, too much weight removed from the front can make steering iffy.

Skeld · September 30, 2016

Seems like not enough weight to need to do that with a 2500, but it's surprising how quickly the tongue weight bothers even this truck. Taking 260 pounds off the steer axle is not great probably.

Blue2500CC · October 1, 2016

It is surprising!!!

One thing to look at is if the ball mount you have is longer, a shorter one may be slightly better due to the teeter/totter effect. How noticeable though is how to say.....

Having ~15% tw you may be able to rearrange the sleds some to lighten the tw a little. BUT make sure if you try this to not lighten the tw to much!!!! To light of a tw can and will cause sway!!!

It seems most inline trailer owners don't use a wdh because mounting the brackets on the tongue is not easy. You usually need a tongue pole adapter, and that only works if the tongue is long enough to be able to position the snap up brackets correctly.

You mentioned the trailer when windy was a hand full with the 1500. I have wondered if it is because of the v-nose the inline trailers have. I think it was one of the members here that hauls RVs for a living has stated that towing the v-nose travel trailers are not as stable in wind as the traditional trailers. Makes one wonder if it is similar for the sled trailers.

Skeld · October 1, 2016

That could be. I know that it's quite amazing when a vehicle passes, particularly a tractor trailer, you can feel that air cushion push on the rear of the trailer which sends the truck towards the ditch. Then as they move by it pushes on the front of the trailer which sucks you into the passing vehicle. Have to stay on top of things.

ember1205 · October 1, 2016

Lots of folks have said that the V-nose makes it harder to tow in wind because you add quite a bit of surface area with that "V" for the wind to push against. Also, many folks opt for the extra inside height which adds a LOT of extra surface to the sail... Er, trailer side.