Ramlin Trailer Issues and Bow Guard Move

[laker220]

I have issues with my dual axle Ramlin. First the boat seems to sit very heavy over the front axle or else the spring in the axle is toast. It just sits too deep in the wheel well to be right.

My boat (2006 216 Air TEam Ed. Direct Drive) sits completely flush with the bunker at the rear end. I have been thinking about moving the bow guard back to it's next mounting position to spread the weight better over the 2 axle's. If I do this the boat tail will now over hang the end of the bunker by about 3 or 4 inches. Is there any issues with this or has anyone else tried this?

So far not a huge fan of the Ramlin trailer but maybe I can get it worked out.

[mdvalant]

Is this when you are hooked up to your truck? How much drop do you have on your hitch? Raise the tongue up and you should be smooth sailin. Ramlin make the best trailers for our Nautiques...IMO

[shag]

Ditto on the Ramlins - really like em. Check your hitch height. Direct drives should have the engine pretty much centered on the two axles.

[laker220]

My engine box is definetaly not centered over the 2 axles..........it is closer to the front axel. This is why I am curious about moving the boat back a couple of inches. Hitch height is in the 18' - 22" range which is what Ramlin suggests as the proper height.

[shag]

It is hard to say without pics. You want there to be just enough tongue weight so you don't get a 'bounce' when trailering. In other words, you don't want the weight perfectly centered on the two axles - should be just a hair forward. The frame of the trailer should be level (when viewed from the side) front to back. Trying to remember when I had my DD, but I believe the back hung off the bunks a few inches too.

[CradGen2]

Plus 3 on the Ramlin I wish CC just shipped the boats on them. I had a 216 and the motor sat over the front axle more. I understand your comments about the tires close to the wheel well. How to the axles look if you use the tongue jack to make the boat flat. When I tow and had a drop which made the trailer axle sit lower. Mine was fine. If you had a bad bushing on the front axle you would know it, all the weight would be on the rear axles. Here is a picture of mine.

Call David at Ramlin if you have questions, they are great down there. I wish I had Ramlins under both my boats now, but situations prevented me from doing that.

[laker220]

I'll throw up some pics when I get home tonight, but my boat sits on the exact same trailer and exact same position as shown above. Axel sits lower in the wheel well though. Wondering if maybe the axel is toast??? I have talked to Alonso at Ramlin a bit but he says I have to send him the axel to verify if it is warranty or not..........not exactly sure if it is worth it to remove the axel, ship it about 2000 miles to find out that all is good or bad for that matter....hahaha.

[CradGen2]

I had an axle go bad on my 2008 Boatmate which my 210 sits. Seems the bushing broke. Mine was so bad it was easy to spot, but try taking the tire off and if you can move the axle by hand, would be bad. I had a trailer shop fix mine and they worked with Boatmate for the replacement, but they were authorized to repair the axle by the axle manufacture. NONE of the trailer companies make their own axles.

I was told it is rare axles go bad (torsion), but they can freeze. I think mine got stuck in a whole on the ramp and when i pulled up it twisted the tire and axle, breaking the rubber bushing.

[CradGen2]

Also here is a better pic of the mirror you PM me about.

[laker220]

Here is what I am looking like on the trailer. BTW, When the boat is off the trailer, it springs back and looks like the trailer is perfect.

[CradGen2]

OK I agree that does look tight. Looks tight on the rear axle also. Motor sits in about the same spot as mine did. Odd question does the other side look the same? Asking because I found with that trailer and boat it was easy to drive the boat into the fender, maybe it got bent? Did you put new tires on and they are a different size.

Based on the photo would be worth having checked out at a trailer shop. find out who made the axles and if they have a authorized shop in the area.

Lots of people have had lot of luck with Ramlin trailers. Personally I think they are best driving trailers on the road. They use 7,000# axles on each were most use 3500# per axle to get a 7000# rating.

[CradGen2]

On second look, they look about the same. I never had any issues. JMO

[laker220]

Ya, actually appears to sit lower on the other side.....not by much but definetetly lower. I haven't changed the tires so pretty sure they are correct profile for the trailer. I am going to talk with Ramlin again......wsa dealing with Alonso a bit in fall and he suggested that I send the axle in. So far not too impressed with how my local Nautique dealer is handling this. Have talked to him a bit but he doesn't seem too interested to help.

Guess that's why my short term solution was to attempt to move the bow stop back to what I belive is the 206 mount position......that is about 3" further back on the trailer but would leave my boat and rudder overhangining by about 3" on the back of the bunkers.

[Quinner]

Tough to tell from the pic if the trailer is actually level, if not what is the position when the trailer is dead level? If it is OK then, you probably want to get a new hitch insert/receiver that would make the trailer level while towing.

Interesting that the axles are so far from the center of the boat, or not closer to the center of the engine, that is how the axles are on my Eagle, which would appear to make more sense.

[shag]

That pic angle is hard to tell. But it appears that the engine is a bit forward than I remember mine being. Ditto with the hitch recommendation. Those axles don't go bad often/if at all.