trailering with an extra 400 lbs in lead. ok?

(big_xstar) · (big_xstar) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 09-19-2006, 1:22 PM

So I want to trailer our 04 x-star with the extra 400 lbs of lead we use. I dont want to take it in and out of the boat, truck anymore. I will be keeping it just about loaded over the trailer axles. Do you think it will be ok? Or should I not be lazy and just suck it up?

(mjmurphy53711) · (mjmurphy53711) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 09-19-2006, 1:34 PM

How far are you trailering? Its really not a big deal.

(surfnfury65) · (surfnfury65) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 09-19-2006, 1:40 PM

Your trailer should have a weight certification label on it( I think it is required). Check the G.V.W.R. That will tell you the load carrying capacity plus the weight of the trailer itself. If you have to much weight on one side the trailer might want to fishtail a little.
Board More/Work Less!
J$

(ttrigo) · (ttrigo) **Join Date: Dec 2004** 09-19-2006, 2:22 PM

Kevin,
I tow my little ol echelon with about 550 extra pounds of sand and lead. I usually tow about 40 miles one way. have not had a problem. when I tow to Naci (a lot further), I usually put it in the bed of my truck, as there are more bumpy roads on the way in. you should be fine.

(socalwakepunk) · (socalwakepunk) **Join Date: Dec 2002** 09-19-2006, 2:26 PM

Kev - Pulled my boat to McClure/Delta/Naci with 1200lbs, no problem. Just move the extra weight over the axles.

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 09-19-2006, 3:19 PM

400 pounds is nothing

(big_xstar) · (big_xstar) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 09-19-2006, 3:28 PM

Sweet, thanks for info.
I usually tow about 45 miles each way.
No more early morning workouts for me now.

(Message edited by BIG_X-STAR on September 19, 2006)

(trace) · (trace) **Join Date: Feb 2002** 09-19-2006, 4:00 PM

The only way that would be a problem is if you put all 400 lbs in the very front of the boat. It could cause some surprisingly violent fishtailing in that case.

(troyl) · (troyl) **Join Date: Feb 2002** 09-19-2006, 10:19 PM

I of course tow with a couple pop bags now and then

Anyway last month I lost all four Goodyear marathons in less than 500 miles...one at a time.
I guess it was just their time to go. Only 3 years old so it could have been the extra weight and the fact that I tow to Mead in 120 degrees alot.
Make sure you keep your tires at the max.

Trace....fishtaleing comes from weight behind the axles of the trailer. Tongue weight (to some extent) makes it tow better assuming your tow vehicle can handle the weight.

(awf_axis) · (awf_axis) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 09-20-2006, 9:30 AM

Something to consider are the axle springs. Mastercraft trailers have these rubber torsion spring-axles, and the extra load over time will shorten their life. I experienced 3 total failures in July. Big headache.

I kept sand bags in the nose and rear (balanced). On top of that, when camping, we really loaded up the trailer.

Now, I've plumbed the front under-seats with a V sac, and removed the rear sand.

Dave

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 09-20-2006, 9:42 AM

Kevin, I tow with around 1400lbs extra. If I know I'm going to be hauling camping gear, etc, then I'll lighten the lead load and make up for it with water weight at the lake. Otherwise, I wouldn't sweat it at all. Just take some extra care when you're bouncing down the freeway or into driveways. You should be fine.

(rodmcinnis) · (rodmcinnis) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 09-20-2006, 9:42 AM

If you have a tandem axle trailer then an extra 400 pounds is probably not an issue. The biggest concern is that the tires are not overloaded. A single axle trailer has the weight on two tires, which would require tires with load ratings of ~1700 pounds just to handle the boat and trailer. An extra 400 pounds raises that requirement to 1900 pounds, and then if you throw extra gear in the boat it gets even worse.

With a tandem axle trailer the load is distributed between four tires. The problem is that the load distribution will not be equal, especially if the hitch is too high or too low.

You might want to be a little careful when you load up to go camping. The boat tends to become a utility trailer, carrying the ice chests, tents, stove, food, tools, gas cans, etc. The weight can really add up.

Another concern is how the lead is supported in the boat. It can bounce around a bit going down bumpy roads so you want to make sure the lead isn't sitting on top of something that might crush, like the gas tank.

(big_xstar) · (big_xstar) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 09-20-2006, 10:01 AM

Yea I figured it wouldnt be that big of a deal.
Its equal to having 2 full grown adults in the boat.
We do have the dual axle trailer also.
I guess i feel ifi dont need to take it out, why do it right? ha ha

(trace) · (trace) **Join Date: Feb 2002** 09-20-2006, 10:25 AM

Troy is right, my bad on tongue weight / fishtailing thing.

Good point also from Rod on the axles thing, but I hope an 04 Xstar isn't on a single axle!

(liquidmx) · (liquidmx) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 09-20-2006, 10:29 AM

I have also been thinking about adding around 4-5 hundo to my boat as well. It would be really nice to only have one sack laying out rather than two. Plus everything else being on switches would be NICE!!!

Glad to hear that others are doing this without major problems.

(nukepower) · (nukepower) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 09-24-2006, 12:31 PM

Sorry to be so late, but think of this too, 400 lbs of lead is about the same difference between driving your boat around with or without a full tank of gas assuming your boat has a 53 gallon capacity (source Mastercraft website) and gas weighs about 6lbs/gallon (source:Material Safety Data Sheets provided by BP Amoco, each of the unleaded, fuel-grade gasolines has a specific gravity around 0.75 g/ml) meaning you have about 318lb swing in trailer weight due to the gas tank being full or empty. Now, if I was going to tow my boat from SD to Powell or something "long distance" I would put it in the truck. But anything less is just an early morning workout!!