Don, I take blanket recommendations with a grain of salt. My Nor'Sea 27 weighed more than 10,000 lbs.on the trailer, with a tongue weight of 300 lbs. If it lowered the rear end of my old 3/4 ton pickup, it was not enough to notice. My 3000 lb M17 rig has a tongue weight >350 pounds, and it lowers the rear of my 2010 4Runner several inches, but tows like a dream. Another guy with a late model 17 pulls it with a Subaru Outback, and merely moved the trailer axle forward to reduce tongue weight to 200 lbs, or thereabouts. Frankly, I don't worry about slowing down on hills a bit, unless you have an automatic transmission that cannot be locked in one gear (you don't want constant shifting). Personally, I take more time and take it easy. Tom Jenkins M17 Scintilla On Jul 9, 2012, at 4:40 PM, Don White wrote:
I've always read about 8% to 10% of the whole rigs weight. 200 pounds for an M15 tongue seems way too much. I'd guess closer to about 125 or so. When I bought my latest boat last month I stopped at a highway weigh station and first weighed the whole rig, drove to the parking area to unhitch the boat and got a second weighing for just the tow vehicle. My new boat combo weighs just over 1900 lbs and I figure the tongue weight at 178 lbs. Tows like a dream although uphills slow me down a bit. May have to get a stronger tow vehicle.
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 6:19 PM, Daniel Rich <danielgrich@gmail.com> wrote:
OK, interesting. As an aside, does 200 pounds at the ball mount sound about right for this trailer?
Daniel
On 7/9/2012 2:10 PM, Tom Jenkins wrote:
I concur with Dave's observations. I can relatively easily slide the tongue in and out of the trailer when it is off the tow vehicle. Working alone, I find it too hard to get holes lined up using the tow vehicle's motive power. Since I never take the tube all the way out, and the two tube ends are flush in the full out positiion, a little plate welded on the back end of the extension tube would line them up perfectly when the extension is pulled out by vehicle or by hand. Rather than drilling another hole for a stop when I go to traveling mode, I think I will use a 2x4 guage between the surge brake housing and the mast upright. I can just slide the extension in until the wood stops it right at the hole. Should work; we shall see.
Tom Jenkins M17 Pacific trailer 2004
On Jul 9, 2012, at 9:50 AM, W David Scobie wrote:
i've had no issue adjusting the tongue or controlling the weight (if the
extension stays in the receiver tube). i unhook the vehicle, un-pin the extension, walk it out, and re-pin. the reverse is true when returning the extension to 'road mode'. i am careful as i do have a bad back. the trailer is carrying the weight of the tongue ... i am just pulling (or pushing).
all my trailers are new(ish) so as Ron states check for any rust or other 'gunk' on the extension.
the other item could be the extension is slightly bent. this would be enough to make the extension bind in the receiver tube. unlikely as Pacific _really_ overbuilds the trailer ... but still could have happened.
for lining up the holes make a mark/line on the top of the extension (perm. maker of a good contrasting color) right where the receiver tube accepts the extension. one mark when 'in' and another when 'out'. this will allow you to see when the pin holes are lined up. you will need to 'refresh' the mark every know and again. don't use paint as this has 'thickness' that may cause the extension to bind in the receiver tube.
:: Dave Scobie
--- On Mon, 7/9/12, judy casino <jratesq@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hi Dan,
I have a 2007 M15 with the Pacific trailer that contains the long, heavy tongue extension that slides into the trailer tongue. I remove it to fit the boat comfortably in the garage. I generally launch at deep-sloped ramps, and so have not had to use the extension in its extended position often. However, it is nice to know you can launch at a shallow ramp without drowning the tow vehicle.
A little lubricant makes the extension slide more easily so that you can line up the holes without a lot of back and forth.
To make attachment and detachment easier on my back, I keep the extension on a small furniture dolly with castor wheels. That allows me to roll the extension to where I need it to be. Then all I need to do is lift it for insertion or lower it on the dolly after removal.
It's not a perfect solution, but it works for me.
Ron Casino M15, "Spirit"
______________________________**__ From: Daniel Rich <danielgrich@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 9:16 AM
Montypals:
I have a newer Pacific trailer for my older M15 (Thanks, Bob Becker!). I tend not to use the trailer extension because the thing weighs a ton, and seems to be really hard to deal with. Anybody got any suggestions on how to get that extension in and out without killing myself, and lining the holes up easily??
Daniel Rich M#208 Kestrel