bell99man
Active Member
Has anyone had to tweak a trailer just to launch?
I have messed with this for a couple of years but I still haven't figured out how to improve the situation. I have 2 97 GTIs on a Dixie double trailer. The trailer is a long one with plenty of room in front of the winches for a big box. When dropping the skis in the lake at my brother's, the truck (03 Tundra Access Cab 2-wheel drive on standard tires, rims and suspension, zero drop hitch) has to have water up to the rear drums before I can get them off the bunks. I think it might be because of a very shallow private ramp where even the jack gets wet.
At the usual launch by the house, things are only a little better as the jack doesn't get wet and I can stop before the drums get wet but it's real close and it is still a struggle to get them floating.
At the beach, the state park ramp is as bad as the Tuscaloosa ramp.
I have to fix this before I launch there again. I have all summer but I would love to gain a few inches in the front to lower the jet skis further into the water and keep the jack dry. It currently is salt corroded beyond repair. The trailer has fat wide tires, 20.5x10x8 or 205 65 10, so they are pretty low profile. The seadoos sit a little high and I think that is where I will start. The pumps sit about 5 inches above the last crossbeam. The fenders are only 1.5 inches from the hull as are the front crossbeams. I thought I might raise the front a inch or two and lower the back 2 or 3 and see how that works. Will this make enough of a difference?
I have messed with this for a couple of years but I still haven't figured out how to improve the situation. I have 2 97 GTIs on a Dixie double trailer. The trailer is a long one with plenty of room in front of the winches for a big box. When dropping the skis in the lake at my brother's, the truck (03 Tundra Access Cab 2-wheel drive on standard tires, rims and suspension, zero drop hitch) has to have water up to the rear drums before I can get them off the bunks. I think it might be because of a very shallow private ramp where even the jack gets wet.
At the usual launch by the house, things are only a little better as the jack doesn't get wet and I can stop before the drums get wet but it's real close and it is still a struggle to get them floating.
At the beach, the state park ramp is as bad as the Tuscaloosa ramp.
I have to fix this before I launch there again. I have all summer but I would love to gain a few inches in the front to lower the jet skis further into the water and keep the jack dry. It currently is salt corroded beyond repair. The trailer has fat wide tires, 20.5x10x8 or 205 65 10, so they are pretty low profile. The seadoos sit a little high and I think that is where I will start. The pumps sit about 5 inches above the last crossbeam. The fenders are only 1.5 inches from the hull as are the front crossbeams. I thought I might raise the front a inch or two and lower the back 2 or 3 and see how that works. Will this make enough of a difference?
