Tongue weight again

Finally got around to taking my tandem axle ‘18 MX1825 dual console walk thru (Skeeter trailer) to the Cat scale. Boat was unloaded (but had three small tackle boxes in left front storage compartment, about 15 lbs), three batteries, Ultrex on the bow and a full fuel tank (filled up before rolling onto the scale).

Total weight for truck (2018 Chevy Colorado Duramax) and trailer was 9980 lbs. Truck alone was 5400. Boat was 3960. That gives me a tongue weight of 620 lbs, which is 20 lbs over the hitch rating that I’ve been using. Is this in line with what others have seen on their MX?

My truck’s receiver is rated for 770 lbs TW with a 7700 lbs towing capacity. Because of the high TW, I just upgraded to a B&W hitch with a 1000 tongue weight rating (although I lost the use of my Rock Tamer mud flaps). The B&W is adjusted for within 1/2” of my other hitch. Couldn’t get it exactly the same with 1” adjustment holes so it’s 1/2” lower.

When loading the boat to where the bow eye is contacting the roller (as it was when I weighed), the hull is raised off the front of the bunk boards. If I load it to the point where the the bow just touches the roller, the eye is approx 1” behind the roller, and the hull is also off the boards but not as much. In either case, the back of the hull is hanging off the trailer a bit (don’t have exact measurements). I know moving the hull back will drop the TW but don’t know how much difference 1” will make.

Eventually, I’d like to install a kicker but would like to adjust things to drop the TW now if I can. With the tandem setup I can’t move the axles like on a single axle trailer. Ideas?

I made a bathroom scale setup so I could “play” with the height settings without running to the Cat scale each time. Gave me pretty much the same weight as the Cat scale — just over 600 lbs.

While my eyes told me the trailer was level, my bubble level told me otherwise. It was tongue high so I adjusted my setup down 1” to match the next lower hole in the hitch and weighed it again. Actually dropped the tongue weight by over 40 lbs. I checked the weight several times to ensure I was getting accurate readings. Dropped the hitch 1” and went fishing the rest of the day. Boat towed and handled fine (short trip of 30 miles) so I think I’m good in the TW now.

Can’t you install a new higher rated hitch so you don’t have to think twice about it, or is that the max for that truck?

mojogunter wrote:

Can’t you install a new higher rated hitch so you don’t have to think twice about it, or is that the max for that truck?

I believe the OP stated that he had already done that.

HMoshier wrote:

My truck’s receiver is rated for 770 lbs TW with a 7700 lbs towing capacity. Because of the high TW, I just upgraded to a B&W hitch with a 1000 tongue weight rating

I put a higher rated hitch on it but still wanted to lower the weight some if I could. The truck is rated at 7700/770. The new 1000 lbs hitch rating is actually for the 2-1/2” ball not the 2”. But the 2” ball is still over 700 which is good.

Now that I have the trailer level, I’m good with the setup. All my heavy items will be loaded in the boat above the axles. Once I start traveling again next year, I’ll not fill the boat with fuel until I get where I’m going. That will save on overall towed weight.