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front end vibration when towing small boat
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2strokesmoke
New User
May 9, 2012, 7:05 AM
Post #1 of 5
(3703 views)
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front end vibration when towing small boat
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I have a 2004 1500 dodge ram quad cab 4x4 with a 5.7 hemi, 135k miles. When towing my small jon boat I get a strong vibration from the front end mostly in the steering wheel and dashboard right at about 60 mph and up, anything under 55 mph and I feel nothing. The boat and trailer probably dont wiegh over a thousand pounds so Im not even close to max tongue weight. I have put two new tires on the trailer and balanced and rotated all my truck tires with no improvement, also front end alignment. I have had the shop check my front end supsension twice when they had the truck up and explained my problem so I know they looked probably with the intention of finding something but found nothing. I have had the bed of my truck loaded and squating (much more wieght than the boat puts on the hitch by hundres of lbs) and did not have any of the same problems.
All this leads me to belive its the trailer, I dont have another vehicle to pull the trailer with and dont have another trailer to pull with my truck to rull out one or the other. I need a bigger drop on my ball as the tongue rides very high. My trailer has small 8 inch wheels plus given the hieght of the hitch on my truck I need at least a 5 inch drop rather than the 3 and a quarter I have now.
Any ideas? Sorry for the long post just trying to give as much info as possible wihtout back and forth questions I should be answering now. Thanks
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re-tired
Veteran
/ Moderator
May 9, 2012, 7:42 AM
Post #2 of 5
(3668 views)
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Re: front end vibration when towing small boat
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Remember those little trailer tires are really humming at highway speeds . Make sure the tires at recommended pressures , be sure they are highway speed rated and right load rating for your total weight, ie,gas ,gear , coolers full of ice,anchor(s) etc. Be sure wheel bearings are lubed with high temp bearing grease and adjusted right. Try changing your tounge wieght by shifting the boat on trailer or loading gear differently. A small amount makes a big change in handleing.,
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
(This post was edited by re-tired on May 9, 2012, 7:45 AM)
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2strokesmoke
New User
May 9, 2012, 8:17 AM
Post #3 of 5
(3653 views)
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Re: front end vibration when towing small boat
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Thanks for the reply re-tired.
My thought was that if my bed being loaded almost to the max and squating didnt cause the vibration then its not the trucks front end. I think I will buy the following in hopes to correct the problem. If you were buying these items, which would you buy first... bearings or wheels and rims (going from 8" to 12")? Deff getting a longer drop to help level the trailer since it sits way unlevel right now.
*New 12" trialer tires and rims
*New trailer wheel bearings
*And a longer drop to help level the trailer more
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re-tired
Veteran
/ Moderator
May 9, 2012, 8:40 AM
Post #4 of 5
(3643 views)
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Re: front end vibration when towing small boat
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All good idea's. I still would try different tongue weights. Its more for trailer tracking than loading the truck. I have had a small trailer effect the handling of my 1500 ext cab chevy. They refer to it as the tail wagging the dog.
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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2strokesmoke
New User
May 9, 2012, 12:33 PM
Post #5 of 5
(3626 views)
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Re: front end vibration when towing small boat
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I will give that a try for sure. Wish i had a pic to post of it hooked to my truck but the drop on the ball is not near enough, sitting maybe 10 inches too high so this alone might affect tongue wieght by shifting the force to the back. I will try tonight and post back. Thanks again.
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