Bought a Princecraft 164Sport with a trailer last May, the boat when trailering always moves over to the starboard or right side of the trailer, to the point where it actually rubs on the fender. The dealer can find nothing and Princecraft wants me to send it to them, Quebec I think, but the transport is paid by them only one way, and I'm not willing to do that when it's a brand new trailer so the battle goes on. Has anyone experieced such a thing and can advise. I've played with the tie down straps, tight, loose, one tight one loose but nothing seems to stop this. As for the dealer they say the trailer is square, I'm stumped.
thanks
Trailer Problem
trailer problems
Hi
Sorry to hear about your probems but I love to solve problems , too bad I do not live closer so I could take a look.
Yeah your dealer should do this for you but as you have found out, it might be easier and cheaper to figure it out yourself.
Simplest question first.
Do you have a strap that holds the back of the boat to the trailer and is it still tight after a trip down the road?
I am not sure what bottom is on your boat a V or flat bottom.
I am presuming it is aluminum and your trailer has bunks.
Are the bunks close to the sides of the boat?
Maybe too close to the sides and you should move them closer to the middle?
Do you have an extra weight on the opposite side to the one that moves over the wheel. like 2 gas tanks or 24 vlt batteries that are not centred in your boat, or kicker motor?
Are your tires both at the same inflation and are they identical, they should be.
We never "balance" trailer tires but see if you jack up just one side does the tire spin true (perfectly even). jack up the other side and check it too.
Just thinking of other things to check;
Have you checked your tongue weight, often the dealers have the boats too far forward which will cause trailering problems.
Dave
Sorry to hear about your probems but I love to solve problems , too bad I do not live closer so I could take a look.
Yeah your dealer should do this for you but as you have found out, it might be easier and cheaper to figure it out yourself.
Simplest question first.
Do you have a strap that holds the back of the boat to the trailer and is it still tight after a trip down the road?
I am not sure what bottom is on your boat a V or flat bottom.
I am presuming it is aluminum and your trailer has bunks.
Are the bunks close to the sides of the boat?
Maybe too close to the sides and you should move them closer to the middle?
Do you have an extra weight on the opposite side to the one that moves over the wheel. like 2 gas tanks or 24 vlt batteries that are not centred in your boat, or kicker motor?
Are your tires both at the same inflation and are they identical, they should be.
We never "balance" trailer tires but see if you jack up just one side does the tire spin true (perfectly even). jack up the other side and check it too.
Just thinking of other things to check;
Have you checked your tongue weight, often the dealers have the boats too far forward which will cause trailering problems.
Dave
The dealer seems to be treating me real good, they have made several attempts at the problem and even replaced the bunk brackets but the problem still goes on. It's Princecraft that will not pay for the two way shipping to take care of their client.
As for the boat, it's a typical 16' boat, 90hp merc, batter in the back on the starboard, battery in the front on the port, nothing unusual about it at all. Like I mentioned in my note, I have played with the tie down straps and if I do them tight, they are tight when I get there. I've measured the tire preasure several times as I thought of that as well, the boat sits right at the end of bunks so the fit is good.
All your questions did raise another question I hadn't thought about, I run a transum saver with the motor turned to the right, it's not hydraulic stearing so will not sit in the middle upright. Next year I'm going to try turning the motor to the left and see if it rides over that way, it could be the bar hooked to the trailer and the boat is pushing the boat when I hit a bump. Food for thought.
Thanks all
As for the boat, it's a typical 16' boat, 90hp merc, batter in the back on the starboard, battery in the front on the port, nothing unusual about it at all. Like I mentioned in my note, I have played with the tie down straps and if I do them tight, they are tight when I get there. I've measured the tire preasure several times as I thought of that as well, the boat sits right at the end of bunks so the fit is good.
All your questions did raise another question I hadn't thought about, I run a transum saver with the motor turned to the right, it's not hydraulic stearing so will not sit in the middle upright. Next year I'm going to try turning the motor to the left and see if it rides over that way, it could be the bar hooked to the trailer and the boat is pushing the boat when I hit a bump. Food for thought.
Thanks all
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troutnmuskiehunter
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 3131
- Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:30 am
Do you have bunk guides on your trailer???....if not, it might fix your problem as well as aid you when loading the boat onto the trailer.....
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boating/ ... _104366880
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boating/ ... _104366880
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troutnmuskiehunter
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 3131
- Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:30 am
....how can the boat shift so much that it almost hits the fender, if you have side rails installed???? Are the side rails not almost touching the side of your boat when on the trailer????The side rails are each approximately 1" from the boat with the boat centered on the trailer. When the boat shifts it pushes the rail and not almost touches the fender, it rubbed on the fender once.
All Daves questions has led me to the transum saver and bumps in the road, I'm sure this is the answer.
All Daves questions has led me to the transum saver and bumps in the road, I'm sure this is the answer.
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Marine5068
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- Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:49 am
- Location: Madoc, Ontario