Weigh Safe Ball Mounts - Who's Using One?

[morrow]

Anyone using one? Feedback? Pros/Cons?

[Nautiquehunter]

How many different heights do you need. It would be cheaper to buy three or four drop ball mounts with balls and swap them out as needed.

[Gtsum2]

I use one and it works well. I have a 6" drop and use it for all my trailers as I don't want to lug around, or store, several different setups.


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[RDT-G23]

I do, but would offer a caveat... My triple axle trailer for my Paragon has a 2 5/16" coupler. The Weigh Safe 2 5/16" ball is rated at 18,500 lbs with a 2.5” shaft that I use with my F250, so I have plenty of capacity. Now the Weigh Safe 2” ball is rated for 8,000 lbs, no matter what shaft size is used. Why is this so important? I didn’t use the Weigh Safe with my G23 trailer that only had a 2” coupler. The trailer and the boat were a little over 8K together. You can get 2” balls rated for more weight, but not from Weigh Safe. You need to verify your total boat and trailer weight for suitability, regardless what ball size is used.

[jjackkrash]

I love my weigh-safe hitch. I don't like towing without knowing exact tongue weight. My little ski boat isn't a big deal, but on the big travel trailer, 14k flatbed, and 14k dump trailer, I want to know I am right around 13% and load accordingly. My mini-ex or track loader can change the tongue weight by hundreds of pounds by moving a few inches forward or back.

On the 2" ball, it is a little surprising to me they'd spec a trailer with a 2" ball for something that heavy. Anything over 8k ought to have the bigger ball, IMO.

[RDT-G23]

I love my weigh-safe hitch. I don't like towing without knowing exact tongue weight. My little ski boat isn't a big deal, but on the big travel trailer, 14k flatbed, and 14k dump trailer, I want to know I am right around 13% and load accordingly. My mini-ex or track loader can change the tongue weight by hundreds of pounds by moving a few inches forward or back.

On the 2" ball, it is a little surprising to me they'd spec a trailer with a 2" ball for something that heavy. Anything over 8k ought to have the bigger ball, IMO.

I couldn’t agree more. Though you can get 2” balls rated for as much as 10K plus, they are very much the exception. When I got that trailer with the 2” surge coupler-I called and scolded Boat Mate trailers. I ended up getting a very heavy fixed drop tow bar with a 2” ball that had (if I remember right) like a 1 1/4” shaft. I think the tow bar was good for 20K pounds and the ball for 10K. Why not just equip that trailer with the 2 5/16” surge coupler and be done with it? I’ve seen others tow their G23s with a 2” ball, but aren’t savvy to ensure that is meets the spec, or too lazy, or both... The moral of this story (for this thread)? Don’t tow a G23 with a tandem axle trailer with a Weigh Safe 2” ball....

[Gtsum2]

I’m shocked a g23 trailer has a 2” ball?? My 18’ atv/utility trailer has a 2 5/16” ball.


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[Cpan13]

Two things surprise me about G23 trailers. 2” balls and surge brakes. I converted mine to electric over hydraulic but I still can’t understand why they don’t spec these with a 2-5/16” ball.

[NautiqueJeff]

Yep, most Boatmate G23 trailers used 2" balls. Weird, I know.

Ram-Lin and EZ Loader both use 2-5/16" balls for their G23 trailers.

[RDT-G23]

Yep, most Boatmate G23 trailers used 2" balls. Weird, I know.

Ram-Lin and EZ Loader both use 2-5/16" balls for their G23 trailers.

You can easily spec a 2 5/16" coupler for a G23 trailer from Boat Mate, but for some unexplainable reason-their default spec (in absence of a dealer/customer specific order for a 2 5/16") is a 2". I don't mean to put the Boat Mate trailers down at all; from what I've found-they are nicely constructed. This issue is a bit of a curiosity though...

[morrow]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll be towing a G21 with a Boatmate. Seems like even a G21 I might not want the 2" ball? I wish I would have known that, I would have ordered my trailer with the larger ball.

By my calculations:

• G21 Dry Weight: 5500 lbs
• Fuel Capacity: 46.5 gal * 6.7 lbs per gal = 311.55 lbs
• Trailer Weight: 1500 lbs
• Total Dry Weight for Towing: 7,312

Add some gear, and seems like it's getting pretty close to that 8k mark.

[jjackkrash]

If "dry weight" is spec'd without options, you might be on the north side of pretty close to 8K before you add any gear.

[RDT-G23]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll be towing a G21 with a Boatmate. Seems like even a G21 I might not want the 2" ball? I wish I would have known that, I would have ordered my trailer with the larger ball.

By my calculations:

• G21 Dry Weight: 5500 lbs
• Fuel Capacity: 46.5 gal * 6.7 lbs per gal = 311.55 lbs
• Trailer Weight: 1500 lbs
• Total Dry Weight for Towing: 7,312

Add some gear, and seems like it's getting pretty close to that 8k mark.

I’d get the trailer as level as possible on the jack wheel/stand, then take measurements for your needed drop from your vehicle, (the method for doing this is all over the internet) go on e-trailer or some equivalent site and get a solid draw bar with the proper drop (these are exceptionally heavy, and likely rated for 15-20K), then order the 2” ball with that large threaded shank (again, I think the heavy duty tow ball will be a ~10K unit). You won’t have height adjustability, but you will have tow equipment that is properly spec’d for any towing you will do with that boat and trailer combo.

[sixcampbells]

Two things surprise me about G23 trailers. 2” balls and surge brakes. I converted mine to electric over hydraulic but I still can’t understand why they don’t spec these with a 2-5/16” ball.

Couldn't agree more! I have converted my Boatmate to electric over surge and love it. I also have the Weigh Safe and wouldn't tow a trailer without it. Takes the guessing out of it completely.

[NautiqueJeff]

I just heard from BoatMate, and here's the official word on their coupler sizing.

For nearly a year now, ALL Boatmate trailers for Nautiques over 7500 lbs GVWR have been equipped with the 2-5/16" coupler.
Previously it was offered as an option with the 8400 lbs 2" as standard, but it is now standard on basically the GS22 and larger.

Glad to hear that, and it is interesting to see that their 2" coupler is rated at 8,400 pounds.