22Ve Questions

[Jason B]

Tessa,
It's a PITA, but letting a significant amount of air out of your tires may get you where you need to be. Just remember to fill them back up be4 you hit the street.
I have an MX trailer I have to do that with and it's a good band-aid fix.

[tessa]

Tessa,
It's a PITA, but letting a significant amount of air out of your tires may get you where you need to be. Just remember to fill them back up be4 you hit the street.
I have an MX trailer I have to do that with and it's a good band-aid fix.

I have thought of letting air out of tires but that is my last resort. Pushing the tandem trailer into my garage uphill on low tires would be a bear. I think I can get the space I need with a 10" drop down or even an 8 1/2. The other choice may be a two wheel cart with the ball mounted a few inches off the ground. My ony problem is will my association allow me to have the boat on my driveway for a day or two while we figure out the easiest solution.

It appears with the Trailer company lowering the bunks three inches the highest point decreases to 83 1/2". I re-measured the garage sill and it is 82 1/2" so using a drop down hitch I need to drop a couple more inches. Since this is the front of the boat the geometry should get me a couple of inches with a large drop down hitch. we hope

[ragboy]

I have thought of letting air out of tires but that is my last resort. Pushing the tandem trailer into my garage uphill on low tires would be a bear. I think I can get the space I need with a 10" drop down or even an 8 1/2. The other choice may be a two wheel cart with the ball mounted a few inches off the ground. My ony problem is will my association allow me to have the boat on my driveway for a day or two while we figure out the easiest solution.

It appears with the Trailer company lowering the bunks three inches the highest point decreases to 83 1/2". I re-measured the garage sill and it is 82 1/2" so using a drop down hitch I need to drop a couple more inches. Since this is the front of the boat the geometry should get me a couple of inches with a large drop down hitch. we hope

Put some 14" beaner spokes on it, with some low profile whitewalls. ;-)

[Ruune]

Careful, you might piss off Matt. I heard he has curb feelers on his trailer, 12" brass spoke wheels, and "Garcia" in Old English letters on his transom.

Just kidding, dude.

[Ruune]

anyways, as long as the highest point of your boat is in FRONT of the axle closest to the hitch, you should be able to lower it by dropping your hitch.

One way to figure out how much drop you need in a hitch is to measure the horizontal distance from the front axle is to the tip of your trailer (hitch). You can do this by setting your trailer to be level (set a leveler on your fender or trailer frame), then tie a string to the highest point of your boat and put a weight on the other end of the string, letting it hang w/o touching the floor. Measure the horizontal distance from the axle to the string and mark it. Put another mark on the string below the first one, spaced however far you need to drop to get through the door (again, this is from level, not necessarily from where your trailer sits when hooked up). These two marks and the centerpoint of your axle will form a right triangle.

Measure the vertical line on the string, and lets call that "side a," then measure the horizontal line to the axle centerpoint and call that "side b." We wont worry about line c (the hypotenuse).

Now, figure the angles. Instead of explaining pythagorean theorum, check out this web site:
http://www.csgnetwork.com/righttricalc.html

For the sake of argument, figure 1" for "side a" and 36" for "side b."
Now, plug in the numbers. The calculator will give you three angles: "a," "b," and "c." In this case, the angles (in degrees) are 1.59, 88.41, and 90, respectively. Angle "a" represents your axle.

So now that we've figured that out, write down your angles. Now we need to measure the distance from the center of your hitch to your axle. Measure along the keel line of your boat for the most precise measurement. As an example, lets say its 15 feet (or 180 inches).

Clear all the values in the calculator, then plug in the two angles that you calculated ("c" is always 90), plus the new length of "side b," which is 180inches. "Side a" is figured to be 5 inches. This is the drop you need from level. You now need to figure where your hitch goes after it settles on the hitch. So, measure the distance from the ground when its level, then measure again when its hooked up. If it goes up (lifted trucks or higher hitches) add that distance to the 5 inch drop you need. If it goes down, subtract that from the 5 inch drop.

Its a lot easier than it sounds... especially if you use the calculator.

[tessa]

Put some 14" beaner spokes on it, with some low profile whitewalls. ;-)

I have led a very isolated life! I suspect I know what beaner spokes are but could you give a midwestener a midwestern definition.

Thanks

[ragboy]

No beaners in south elgin, huh?

Something like this:



Put those on and drop the sucker. Some fuzzy dice and "La Bamba" graphic will round it out nicely.

[Lunchbox]

No beaners in south elgin, huh?

Something like this:



Put those on and drop the sucker. Some fuzzy dice and "La Bamba" graphic will round it out nicely.

As a Mexican American with the same last name as you, ragboy, I resemble that remark...

Or is it resent? Ah forget it, lets go get some tacos...

[ragboy]

As a Mexican American with the same last name as you, ragboy, I resemble that remark...

Or is it resent? Ah forget it, lets go get some tacos...

That's funny. When I moved up here to the mountains, one of my main complaints was the crappy mexican food. That was really hard. Taco bell is ok, and a jack in the crack taco once in a while, but I need a good Carnitas or Carne asada taco once in a while, you know?

There is one place about 10 mi away that is ok, but this little dive in Chico, man, those tacos are incredible. Real tacos. Double corn tortillas - not fried - good masa, perfectly seasoned and cooked meat, you can taste the fruit juices in the carnitas, little bit of fresh chopped onions, cilantro, guacamole, picoso salsa, not that gringo pico de gallo crap, maybe a radish, and def some lime to squeeze over the whole thing.

Damn, I am really hungry now. I think I am going to take the kids down the hill for some tacos.

[tessa]

No beaners in south elgin, huh?

Something like this:



Put those on and drop the sucker. Some fuzzy dice and "La Bamba" graphic will round it out nicely.

Ah! Not in South Elgin but they do have them in West Chicago....oops West Chcano

[tessa]

anyways, as long as the highest point of your boat is in FRONT of the axle closest to the hitch, you should be able to lower it by dropping your hitch.

One way to figure out how much drop you need in a hitch is to measure the horizontal distance from the front axle is to the tip of your trailer (hitch). You can do this by setting your trailer to be level (set a leveler on your fender or trailer frame), then tie a string to the highest point of your boat and put a weight on the other end of the string, letting it hang w/o touching the floor. Measure the horizontal distance from the axle to the string and mark it. Put another mark on the string below the first one, spaced however far you need to drop to get through the door (again, this is from level, not necessarily from where your trailer sits when hooked up). These two marks and the centerpoint of your axle will form a right triangle.

Measure the vertical line on the string, and lets call that "side a," then measure the horizontal line to the axle centerpoint and call that "side b." We wont worry about line c (the hypotenuse).

Now, figure the angles. Instead of explaining pythagorean theorum, check out this web site:
http://www.csgnetwork.com/righttricalc.html

For the sake of argument, figure 1" for "side a" and 36" for "side b."
Now, plug in the numbers. The calculator will give you three angles: "a," "b," and "c." In this case, the angles (in degrees) are 1.59, 88.41, and 90, respectively. Angle "a" represents your axle.

So now that we've figured that out, write down your angles. Now we need to measure the distance from the center of your hitch to your axle. Measure along the keel line of your boat for the most precise measurement. As an example, lets say its 15 feet (or 180 inches).

Clear all the values in the calculator, then plug in the two angles that you calculated ("c" is always 90), plus the new length of "side b," which is 180inches. "Side a" is figured to be 5 inches. This is the drop you need from level. You now need to figure where your hitch goes after it settles on the hitch. So, measure the distance from the ground when its level, then measure again when its hooked up. If it goes up (lifted trucks or higher hitches) add that distance to the 5 inch drop you need. If it goes down, subtract that from the 5 inch drop.

Its a lot easier than it sounds... especially if you use the calculator.

Thanks for the way to figure the solution. Next time I review the satus of the trailer I will try this to figure out the right drop down. This whole thing is a PITA and

[dogbert]

Thanks for the way to figure the solution. Next time I review the satus of the trailer I will try this to figure out the right drop down. This whole thing is a PITA and

Time for a new garage

[tessa]

Time for a new garage

I just built the house six years ago

[tessa]

Time for a new garage

hell it's not time for a new garage it's time for a decent tower that does sit 10 feet in the air folded. Man do I wish it did not have the tower when we bought it. A monster or Sampson does not look like same height problem. Maybe time to try again with different boat. This is just one major PITA and a big FUBAR.

[chpthril]

hell it's not time for a new garage it's time for a decent tower that does sit 10 feet in the air folded. Man do I wish it did not have the tower when we bought it. A monster or Sampson does not look like same height problem. Maybe time to try again with different boat. This is just one major PITA and a big FUBAR.

Tessa,

Have you considered raising the garage door header/sill plate and custom door???? With the amount you've spent on a custom trailer and your still coming in too tall, and the cost of a new tower?