Trailer Weights

[Grassl B.]

I pull a 28 cu ft home-built cargo trailer with my Voyager XII. I pulled it out to clean and service the other day and also weighed it. It is 260 lbs with 18 lb tongue weight. What do your trailers weigh?

[Mike in Pekin , Il]

I have a piggy backer style and it weighs around 170# and is about 35 at the tongue.

[Chris near Kansas City]

I don't know what the whole trailer weighs, but I keep the tongue right around 20-25 lbs.

[Dan Desjardins]

I have a home made trailer that I built last year, You can see it in the Voyager pictures. The trailer weight is about 135 lbs and the tongue weight is 13 lbs. I looked at a lot of motorcycle trailers specs and the tongue weight averaged 12 to 22 lbs depending on the size of the trailer. My trailer pull great and except for going over bumps you'd hardly know that it is there.
Dan

[LASER917]

I pull a Napper II popup camper. Total weight unloaded is 300Lbs with30 Lbs on the tongue.
I remember reading a post that someone had their ball come loose from their hitch (bolt backed out). They wondered if anything could help prevent this. I use some good thread locker (locktite red) on bolt and nut style balls. On nut style balls I also drill and cotter pin just bellow the nut, so if it did loosen it would not come off.

[David (N. Alabama)]

I don't have a motorcycle trailer, but I do have several other types of trailers. One thing to keep in mind, is that the tongue weight of the trailer should be at least 10 percent of the total trailer weight. Not only when empty, but also when loaded for a trip. Have you ever seen a trailer that had too little tongue weight? They start fishtailing until control is lost. Not a pretty sight.

[WingNutLori]

I remember reading a post that someone had their ball come loose from their hitch (bolt backed out). They wondered if anything could help prevent this. I use some good thread locker (locktite red) on bolt and nut style balls. On nut style balls I also drill and cotter pin just bellow the nut, so if it did loosen it would not come off.

That's sounds like good advice. Just for the record, though...

When I "lost" my trailer, the nut didn't come off the ball. The threaded shaft came out of the ball. I don't know how this happened and have not idea how one would be able to avoid it. It was just an unlucky day. Or maybe it was a really lucky day ('cause I'm still surprised that I didn't have an accident!)

Lori

[flip18436572]

I remember reading a post that someone had their ball come loose from their hitch (bolt backed out). They wondered if anything could help prevent this. I use some good thread locker (locktite red) on bolt and nut style balls. On nut style balls I also drill and cotter pin just bellow the nut, so if it did loosen it would not come off.

That's sounds like good advice. Just for the record, though...

When I "lost" my trailer, the nut didn't come off the ball. The threaded shaft came out of the ball. I don't know how this happened and have not idea how one would be able to avoid it. It was just an unlucky day. Or maybe it was a really lucky day ('cause I'm still surprised that I didn't have an accident!)

Lori

If you are still worried about something like that, you can put some locktite on the threads when you install the bolt the first time and that will keep it on. Unless that wasn't torqued correctly, or had some very undo stress, that shouldn't have worked its way loose. I do check those types of things on a somewhat regular basis though.

[LASER917]

Lori
I do not know what make ball you had, but that does bring up a good point. Buy a name brand, quality ball , one that is made from a solid peice of steel, not one that has the threaded shaft pressed into the ball portion. Also do not over torque the nut, as this can weaken the shaft.
I'm betting it was a real lucky day ;)

[WingNutLori]

That's probably the best advice I've heard yet! Hadn't thought about over-tightening the nut...that makes sense! Thanks!

[The Masked Rider]

(I "lost" my trailer)

AHHHH, how do you loose a trailer? Did you completely loose the trailer. Even if the ball breaks off, which I don't understand that either, the safety chains will carry the tongue load. Safety chains should be crossed under the tongue to carry that load should something like this happen. Safety chains are also required in all States. So, what am I missing?

[WingNutLori]

You aren't missing anything! Okay...so I didn't completely LOSE the trailer. The chains kept it attached to the bike (which I think is a little scary too!). Because the chains need to have a little slack in 'em for manuverability, when the bolt disappeared, the ball (still locked into the trailer tongue) was dragging on the road behind me. Luckily, the ball was being ground away and the tongue was undamaged.

Like I may have mentioned earlier... The lesson for that day was, "Friction produces HEAT". Stupid me! I tried to pick up the ball! Duh!

[The Masked Rider]

Well, your alive and and not hurt and thats what really matters. The rest can be replaced. I TOO, would have most likely been dumb and picked up the tongue. OUCH ! Bet cha that SMARTS.
Fritz

[WingNutLori]

...and isn't it IRONIC that we doing dumb things that "smart"!?!

[mervt198]

We pull a Timeout. Empty weight 300 lb. Loaded probably 450 lb. Riding double. Tongue weight is important. Buy a fish scale and check weight everytime you reload.

Merv from Manitoba

[MTN99]

I pull a 28 cu ft home-built cargo trailer with my Voyager XII. I pulled it out to clean and service the other day and also weighed it. It is 260 lbs with 18 lb tongue weight. What do your trailers weigh?

GrasslB,

Like Chris, don't know what our Piggy weighs in at loaded, just know that with all the gear packed & cooler on, I keep the tongue weight at 25Lbs +/- . I use my digital Fish scale, (its really accurate, Reely just ask anyone who fishes)

You could probably go a little heavier on the tongue weight. You don't want to be too light, you may encounter sway & handling problems during hard brakeing /cornering.
For more info on trailering, take a look at the MCTrailer forum
http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/nav/st ... ilertowing

or the International Brotherhood of Motorcycle Campers sites.
http://www.ibmc.org

Also the Goldwing site has some good info
http://www.gl1800riders.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=14


Hope these links work 8-)

Happy Camping

[Chris near Kansas City]

Not really the right way, but I put the stand I made for the tongue on a regular bathroom scale and then zero the scale. Then I hook up the trailer tongue and then load it up. Check the scale every now and then. Throw the scale in the trailer before leaving.

[The Masked Rider]

I pull a 28 cu ft home-built cargo trailer with my Voyager XII. I pulled it out to clean and service the other day and also weighed it. It is 260 lbs with 18 lb tongue weight.

I just really need to ask this. Grassl B, you said you pulled out your trailer and weighed it??? How on earth did you do that? Do you have a giant scaie? I know how much mine weighs because I weighed it at a truck weigh-in station.

[WhiskeyDoc]

WingNut Lori said,

Because the chains need to have a little slack in 'em for manuverability, when the bolt disappeared, the ball (still locked into the trailer tongue) was dragging on the road behind me.

I always thought that trailer safety chains were suppose to be crossed and "slack". I was wrong and so was Lori as her story of the "....the ball (still locked into the trailer tongue) was dragging on the road behind me." illustrates. According to the California DMV this is how safety chains should be attached,

Safety chains are required for travel trailers. Safety chains are not required for fifth-wheel trailers. The purpose of safety chains is to prevent the trailer from separating from the tow vehicle in event of hitch failure such as a hitch ball that has loosened. The chains should be crossed in an "X" fashion below the ball mount, with enough slack that they do not restrict turning or allow the coupler to hit the ground.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl648/dl648pt12.htm

We have all seen trailers being towed behind tow vehicles with very long "loops" of hanging chain, sometimes dragging on the road under the hitch. This will lead to disaster!

Cross the chains and make them tight enough so that if the hitch comes loose like Lori describes, the crossed chains "catch" the falling ball/trailer tongue so it can not reach the road. My $.02.

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

Cross the chains and make them tight enough so that if the hitch comes loose like Lori describes, the crossed chains "catch" the falling ball/trailer tongue so it can not reach the road.

WiskeyDoc, you hit the nail right on the head. I have been pulling a camper for 20+ years and was dad's assistant for many years before that. With the advise of numerous uncles and friends who have camped now for over 50 years the advise was always the same as you have stated.
"Keep the chains tight enough to hold the tongue up off the ground should it become loose. It won't be the most fun experience you'll have but much safer and thousands of $'s cheaper"