Trailering-Weight Distribution

[dloy1324]

Does it make sense to back the TG on to a 6x10 trailer? Would this reduce trailer wag or make the tongue weight too heavy? Or because the overall length of the bike is short enough weight distribution is not a concern?
Thank you

 

[Billr13]

I know that a man that has a 6x10 trailer he just drives straight in. My trailer is 6x12. I drive a jeep Wrangler with a 300 max trailer hitch weight. I used a bathroom scale under the trailer hitch jack. Moved the trike back and forth so I had 280 pounds on the scale. Pulls great no sway. Hope this helps.

 

[Dan SC]

This is how I have calculated the tongue weight of my 6x12 cargo trailer, and my camper trailer, just to be sure I have at least 15% of the trailer weight on the back of the truck.

Truck stop scales are very easy to use.

Calculate trailer tongue weight using truck stop scales:

Weigh tow vehicle (by itself) with front axle on front pad of scale, rear axle on second pad of scale.

Front axle weight + rear axle weight= D

Weigh tow vehicle and trailer together, front axle on front pad of scale, rear axle on second pad of scale, trailer axle on third pad of scale.

Front axle weight + rear axle weight= A

Trailer axle weight =B

A+B=C

C=Gross Vehicle Weight

A-D=Tongue Weight

C-D= Trailer Weight

 

[Rogue1]

Does it make sense to back the TG on to a 6x10 trailer? Would this reduce trailer wag or make the tongue weight too heavy? Or because the overall length of the bike is short enough weight distribution is not a concern?
Thank you

I haul my Tri Glide around on a six and a half by 10 trailer. I have the Condor chock all the way to the front and just drive it on and lock it in the chock. Never checked the tongue weight. Traveled thousands of miles with it and never had a problem with weight. I'm towing it with a 22 Ford Explorer King Ranch.

 

[dloy1324]

I haul my Tri Glide around on a six and a half by 10 trailer. I have the Condor chock all the way to the front and just drive it on and lock it in the chock. Never checked the tongue weight. Traveled thousands of miles with it and never had a problem with weight. I'm towing it with a 22 Ford Explorer King Ranch.

Thanks Rogue1, are you using sway bars or breaking system or both?

 

[Rogue1]

Thanks Rogue1, are you using sway bars or breaking system or both?

No just the trailer on a class 3 hitch. The trailer is only a 10 ft bed so I only have maybe a foot to play with front to back before the tour pack hits the gate.

 

[Rogue1]

No just the trailer on a class 3 hitch. The trailer is only a 10 ft bed so I only have maybe a foot to play with front to back before the tour pack hits the gate.

As you can see with it sitting on a trailer there's not much room to go back even if I wanted to move it. It works fine just the way it is. Shown with the truck I had before the Explorer.

 

[Notgrownup]

I loaded my trike in my trailer about centered. . I then took my bathroom scale and put a piece of plywood on it to protect the surface. I then lowered the jack on it and got it off the hitch. I got 300 lbs which was about 10-15% of my total weight. Pulled like a dream. No sway bars or electric brakes , pulled it to Canada last year. I just was conscious of braking distance.

 

[dloy1324]

I loaded my trike in my trailer about centered. . I then took my bathroom scale and put a piece of plywood on it to protect the surface. I then lowered the jack on it and got it off the hitch. I got 300 lbs which was about 10-15% of my total weight. Pulled like a dream. No sway bars or electric brakes , pulled it to Canada last year. I just was conscious of braking distance.

NGU thank you for your experience. I looked at the DK video securing the TG on the trailer. It looks like in front they are wrapping a strap around each side of the front fork. Is that how you secure the front of the trike? Thank you

 

[Notgrownup]

NGU thank you for your experience. I looked at the DK video securing the TG on the trailer. It looks like in front they are wrapping a strap around each side of the front fork. Is that how you secure the front of the trike? Thank you

Yes, I have some loop straps and wrap them with microfiber cloths, on the back wheels I have built up some 2x4 blocks that I screw down on each side of the bike then I use 2 rat shit straps to some secured d rings on my trailer bed. I check them at each fuel stop. Solid.

 

[Rogue1]

No just the trailer on a class 3 hitch. The trailer is only a 10 ft bed so I only have maybe a foot to play with front to back before the tour pack hits the gate.

Maybe I will load the bike on the trailer just to see what the weight might be..... I also have a winch on the trailer just in case. The trike would be a bitch to push up the ramp without two men and a small boy to help.

 

[ISP-FL]

Over the past several years I have towed two different trikes in a couple different enclosed trailers. I start with marking the center of the axles on the inside of the trailer, which in the ops case would simply be over the single trailer axle. I try to position the trike a little forward of that mid point.

It is easy to tell if you don't have enough tongue weight because the trailer will tend to "wag" as you go down the road, especially a single axle trailer.

 

[Rogue1]

Yes, I have some loop straps and wrap them with microfiber cloths, on the back wheels I have built up some 2x4 blocks that I screw down on each side of the bike then I use 2 rat shit straps to some secured d rings on my trailer bed. I check them at each fuel stop. Solid.

I just use the loops under the rear axle. Ratchet strap to eye hooks on the front corners. Strap from the passenger pegs to the side rails on the trailer. Along with the Condor chock locking the front wheel, she never moves an inch, and I check it often.

 

[pwhoever]

In this post, I have seen that it's recommended to strap down using the fork tubes and still allow suspension to be able to move. I can see where that makes some sense.

But with Goldwings and front end, it has always been recommended to run the straps over the bottom plate of the triple tree and then slightly compress the suspension. And lashing down using the handlebars is a big no-no as the handlebars can be bent or tweaked. You don't want to completely bottom out the suspension because there's a good chance of blowing the fork seals if left that way for a while. By doing it this way, having 1 strap to either side should prevent too much suspension travel with the front end. It would also prevent the front end from being able to move either way as it will have opposing forces on it.

This is just the way I have always done it and seems to have worked out just fine. What are your thoughts on this? Is this just the difference between securing Harleys vs Goldwings?

 

[Rogue1]

On my my Ultra Limited I always trailered it lashed down to compress the front end a little bit in the Condor chock, with 2x4s built up underneath the engine so I could lash it down tight and secure. Then I would lash down the forks with soft ties and ratchet straps to the eye hooks on the outer edges of the front of the trailer then again in the back with and 2x4s behind the rear wheel screwed to the deck. But with the trike I see no reason to compress the forks. I just allowed to sit on the trailer like it sits in the driveway. The Condor chock keeps it from going front to rear, (along with the foot break applied and in gear), and up and down, along with the ratchet straps and the side straps that are hooked to the sides of the trailer so it can't go left or right. I have the front wheel strapped to the upright of the wheel chalk just as added protection.

 

[cScjhb]

Always used a locking (rocker) front wheel chalk with a ratchet trap through the front wheel and to the trailer corners for extra security. And, use a rag at the wheel where the strap goes through. Otherwise, sharp wheel edges WILL abrade and cut your strap. Then use soft ties with straps from the triple tree to the front corners of the trailer.....snug but not overly tightened. I had a trailer hitch and used straps from that to the rear corners of the trailer. For the most part, the trike used its own suspension (and the trailers) for a smooth ride. Never any problem after several thousand miles of trailering. An additional suggestion is to use ratchet straps that have the snapping enclosed hooks at the ends. (I have seen open-ended hooks come loose from bike suspension movement.)

Probably a bit of over-kill but only used 5 total straps and the trike never moved at all.

 

[Notgrownup]

I don’t use a wheel chock so it just bump it to the front of the trailer.

 

[pwhoever]

I guess I should think about a chock but it definitely needs to be removable. If not, it would be in the way inside my toy hauler. I must add that besides the front straps to the bottom triple tree plate, I have always secured the rear through the wheels and slightly to the rear in d-rings so some of the straps pull forwards and some to the rear. I will usually stop maybe a half hour down the road to check tightness and make sure the trike hasn't moved. So far that has been working out just fine.

 

[ISP-FL]

Once I went to a trike I stopped using a front wheel chock when trailering. I strap around the front axle and pull forward on each side, cross over ratchet tie downs pulling the rear back (factory loops), then two more ratchet straps off the passenger floorboard mounts to secure out. Six ratchet straps is overkill but it doesn't take long to tie down and it never moves.

 

[Notgrownup]

No such thing as overkill when trailering.

 

[Dan SC]

No such thing as overkill when trailering.

Agree, I tie down the motorcycle as much as I can to lessen the chance that it will come out of the trailer and slap me on the back of the head if the truck/trailer gets in a mishap.

 

[dloy1324]

I haul my Tri Glide around on a six and a half by 10 trailer. I have the Condor chock all the way to the front and just drive it on and lock it in the chock. Never checked the tongue weight. Traveled thousands of miles with it and never had a problem with weight. I'm towing it with a 22 Ford Explorer King Ranch.

Hi R1, what manufacturer is your trailer? That is the size I'm looking into from Trailers Plus.
Thanks

 

[Rogue1]

Hi R1, what manufacturer is your trailer? That is the size I'm looking into from Trailers Plus.
Thanks

My trailer is a Kraftsman. I had this one made for me with some special options right here in Ramseur. They have manufacturing plants in Albemarle and Ramseur NC. I should mention, after the bike is locked in the chock, it is also tied down with ratchet straps.

 

[Trail boss]

If I ever get an enclosed trailer, I’m going to get a rear camera for my Thinkware Dashcam. Instead of mounting that camera on the back of my truck or the back of the trailer, I’m going to mount the rear dashcam inside the trailer maybe in the rear looking towards the front. That way I can see what’s going on inside the trailer while the rig is in motion. There’s not too much worse than having stuff “rodeo around” while you’re driving and not discover it until an hour or two later.