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A Towing Question...


Ron in Atlanta

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I've recently gone from a single axel to a twin axel trailer (both AmeraTrail) as I sold the 2000V and purchased a 2200 TRS.

Here's the question, is it my imagination or does the twin axel trailer NOT FOLLOW THE TRUCK AS WELL AS THE SINGLE??  The old boat and trailer stayed right in my tracks on right and left turns.  It seems that the new trailer is "cutting the corners", i.e., not following behind me.  I have to swing much wider on turns, especially right turns.

Is it just me or is this what twins axel trailers do?

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1 hour ago, Ron in Atlanta said:

I've recently gone from a single axel to a twin axel trailer (both AmeraTrail) as I sold the 2000V and purchased a 2200 TRS.

Here's the question, is it my imagination or does the twin axel trailer NOT FOLLOW THE TRUCK AS WELL AS THE SINGLE??  The old boat and trailer stayed right in my tracks on right and left turns.  It seems that the new trailer is "cutting the corners", i.e., not following behind me.  I have to swing much wider on turns, especially right turns.

Is it just me or is this what twins axel trailers do?

I felt the same way going from single to tandem, wider turns. thought it might be the pivot point of the tires on the single if you know what I mean that allowed for tighter turns.

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As Mulligan stated, two tires on a tandem axle trailer will actually skid sideways through a turn.

We are actually dragging the trailer through a tight turn.  The rear of the trailer can't swing around as quickly as a single axle.

It makes sense that you have to turn a little wider.  It is also what keeps the trailer tracking straight at high speeds.

Of course the longer total wheelbase will affect your turn radius as well.

I made the switch from a single to tandem 2 years ago.  I instantly regretted not doing it sooner on it's very first trip.

For me the highway safety more than makes up for the differences in maneuverability, but very little of my trailering is less than 120 miles one way, and most is at high speed.

 

 

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  • 3 years later...
12 hours ago, mustang190 said:

one of those tilt things that go over the trim actuators but id caused the actuators to leak

I've used the "My Wedge" to hold up the motor in a tilt position while towing for years on both the 115 Yamaha on the Pathfinder 20 footer and the Yamaha 150 on the 2200 TRS.  Since I live near Atlanta, I do many long tows to salt water, e.g., the Everglades NP, GA Coast, Gulf Coast of FL. etc.  Never had a problem with trim actuator leakage.  It is important to use the MY Wedge ON THE PORT SIDE ACTUATOR. There is a grease fitting on the starboard side which may have caused your leakage problem (I understand that age can also cause that problem😊).

Just one warning about the MY Wedge.  Here is what it looks like...

249519213_mywedge.jpg.c5de658dcf8d4d4a24cbd941b7d0685e.jpg

it's about 9 inches long.  I ordered it online and when the package was delivered and I was unwrapping it, Laurie took one look and ran out the back door!

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Depending on  height it is always  better to  keep the jack plate down. Sunday I passed a boat being towed  with the jack plate up and the motor tilted and the amount of flex at the plate was astronomical. Almost looked like it was ready to snap.If there had been a safe place for him to pull over I would have flagged him down

 

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7 hours ago, bernieNC said:


Read your manuals guys! Last line of the Atlas manual clearly states: (below is a direct copy and paste)

6. Always trailer with the jackplate in the lowest “down” position!

 

Yamaha sells the My-wedge relabeled. I would say that is an endorsement.

0790F90A-6DF0-4270-A792-FAA4E28CE714.jpeg

Been using one since they first came out ....

 

dc

 

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10 hours ago, bernieNC said:


Read your manuals guys! Last line of the Atlas manual clearly states: (below is a direct copy and paste)

6. Always trailer with the jackplate in the lowest “down” position!

 

Yamaha sells the My-wedge relabeled. I would say that is an endorsement.

0790F90A-6DF0-4270-A792-FAA4E28CE714.jpeg

I also use this my wedge but with the weight of my F-250 the plastic keeps splitting. I have had to resort to using two, one on each ram. Problem solved. 

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On 11/9/2019 at 9:38 AM, HoneyB said:

I tow mine motor down jack plate up. Not to say it’s correct but my though is no bouncing on the trim cylinders. 

I thought about doing it that way too, but like BernieNC said, the Atlas JP manual specifies to tow with it all the way down.  The problem is some jack plate installations don't allow enough clearance for the hydraulic steering when JP is down and the motor is tilted.  Mine is ok because I've got enough setback for the steering to clear the transom, so I use a MotorMate and drop the JP all the way down.  But if I couldn't, I thought about cutting a M-Y Wedge Universal down to the right length with a hacksaw, to place on the JP cylinder ram, to drop the JP down until it touches, to keep the entire weight of the motor/JP combo from bouncing on the JP actuator.  Just an idea.

https://www.amazon.com/M-Y-Wedge-universal-support-engines/dp/B07D1BBWL9/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=m-y+wedge&qid=1573660203&sr=8-2

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On 11/13/2019 at 8:39 AM, D-linesider said:

I also use this my wedge but with the weight of my F-250 the plastic keeps splitting. I have had to resort to using two, one on each ram. Problem solved. 

Take the sleeve (pvc pipe) off and saw off about an inch. This will keep it from cracking as easily. If you put one on the starboard side it will crack the grease fitting. On my VF250LA the dealer cracked it towing it home from the boat show. I had them switch the tilt/trim switch from the starboard side of the cowling to the port side to reduce the urge of placing it on the wrong side. 

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18 hours ago, Laid Back said:

Take the sleeve (pvc pipe) off and saw off about an inch. This will keep it from cracking as easily. If you put one on the starboard side it will crack the grease fitting. On my VF250LA the dealer cracked it towing it home from the boat show. I had them switch the tilt/trim switch from the starboard side of the cowling to the port side to reduce the urge of placing it on the wrong side. 

My buddy has a 250 SHO and you are correct it will hit the grease fitting oh his motor. Mine is an older F250 25” shaft and it isn’t even close to the fitting on my motor. I like your work around on the cracking PVC, I am going to give that a try. 

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