The "free" trailer

[Hghgrad]

I looks like the second picture would be the best way to distribute the weight.

Best way to figure it out is to get a bathroom scale under the tongue and figure out exactly how much weight is on it. Try it both ways and see which one will give you a proper weight.



Where do you ride at? I'm at the very south east part of the state and we've got very few options. I take my jeeps and quads out to bundy hill, good times.

 

[aka Larry]

When I was building my utility trailer I found an spreadsheet on-line used to calculate the best way to load the trailer. You can move the numbers around and see how it affects the tongue weight very easy. Shoot me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you.

 

[Toolhunter]

I looks like the second picture would be the best way to distribute the weight.

Best way to figure it out is to get a bathroom scale under the tongue and figure out exactly how much weight is on it. Try it both ways and see which one will give you a proper weight.



Where do you ride at? I'm at the very south east part of the state and we've got very few options. I take my jeeps and quads out to bundy hill, good times.

Before i moved in town my parents had 11 acres, now we go to friends houses and went to ogema sport and trail last year, I wish we had more places to ride i need to move to the country again....If you ever get a chance check out a place called Wellsville Ohio on youtube went there a couple years ago with my brother it was a blast

 

[alpinewhite]

When I was building my utility trailer I found an spreadsheet on-line used to calculate the best way to load the trailer. You can move the numbers around and see how it affects the tongue weight very easy. Shoot me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you.

Tongue weight should 10% of trailer's weight loaded.

 

[joedeak]

Tongue weight should 10% of trailer's weight loaded.

What he said. They make scales for you tongue as well if you wanted to go that far with it. I use them when i haul stuff on my heavy equipment trailer

 

[koditten]

Sounds good in print, but nothing beats experience. I for one, don't believe in the calculations. There are too many variables to take into account.

I wish I had time to list them all.

If your tow vehicle is squatting 1-2" vs normal ride height, you are pretty close. Of course vehicles come in all sorts of spring configurations, so the # of inches could be way lots different.

if you are towing a trailer, you already are bein extra cautious. i cringe every time I get passed on the xway by a car and trailer, and I'm already doing 80.

Later

KO

 

[alpinewhite]

if you are towing a trailer, you already are bein extra cautious. i cringe every time I get passed on the xway by a car and trailer, and I'm already doing 80.

KO

I've seen:

- a car pulling a U-Haul in the carpool lane (illegal in California)
- a car pulling a U-Haul in the fast lane (illegal in California)
- a pickup pulling a jet ski without safety chains or a coupler lock
- a truck pulling a rental trailer change lanes cutting off a car as he forgot he was towing

 

[kevin47]

Where's the fenders...?

 

[joedeak]

Sounds good in print, but nothing beats experience. I for one, don't believe in the calculations. There are too many variables to take into account.

I wish I had time to list them all.

If your tow vehicle is squatting 1-2" vs normal ride height, you are pretty close. Of course vehicles come in all sorts of spring configurations, so the # of inches could be way lots different.

if you are towing a trailer, you already are bein extra cautious. i cringe every time I get passed on the xway by a car and trailer, and I'm already doing 80.

Later

KO

there are some other calculations to take into consideration but i wont go into all that. I too have experience. Went to school for a while to load trains, planes, boats and large trailers. there is a science to it with many variables. However, with just your run of the mill trailer less than 20 feet, the 10 percent method works for just about all your load outs

 

[Hghgrad]

Before i moved in town my parents had 11 acres, now we go to friends houses and went to ogema sport and trail last year, I wish we had more places to ride i need to move to the country again....If you ever get a chance check out a place called Wellsville Ohio on youtube went there a couple years ago with my brother it was a blast

That looks like a great place, and its only about 3 hours from me...which isn't all that bad since I drive to Cleveland a few times a year for day trips. Maybe I'll have to make a weekend out of it. Take the jeep and quads.

 

[Toolhunter]

That looks like a great place, and its only about 3 hours from me...which isn't all that bad since I drive to Cleveland a few times a year for day trips. Maybe I'll have to make a weekend out of it. Take the jeep and quads.

Just be aware its a free for all kind of place, We never had a problem and all the people were great, but it is not state run or anything, people do camp there though, but it is beautiful right next to the river. I want to go back as soon as I can. There has got to be some guys here who have camped there, Even if you didn't want to camp you could probably get a hotel. I think there are two ways to get into it and the way we came in after you get over the tracks your looking at two dirt trails, all I could think was how and the heck am I going to get up those....the only dirtbike I had at the time was a 1970 honda trail 70 with a lifan 120, you should have seen the looks I got as I cruised around that place trying to keep up with my brother on his new RM250.

It is also dangerous, I was glad to have a guide, As I was boping along behind my brother there was a blind curve so I lost sight of him, as I go through the corner the field of view opens up and my brother is no where in sight, I pull up to what I would call a drop off and there he was picking up his bike about forty foot down. He broke off his front brake lever and found out later his arm. He said he didnt remember that part haha, I have heard alot of people get hurt out there but a weekend would be great to get to know the land and then hit it hard.

 

[Hghgrad]

I've got a 1986 Honda 350 4x4...not exactly a speed machine

I like to ride fast, but the quad keeps me from killing myself.