Expert Answers about Boat Motor Accessories

• How to Correct Bounce When Towing 5th Wheel That Tows a Boat Trailer
• Towing a trailer with another trailer can be tricky, and this practice is not legal in all states and provinces. The problem is that for any towed trailer to handle well, its tongue weight (TW) needs to be right around 12-15% of the trailer gross weight. But when your boat trailer's tongue weight is pressing down on the rear of the 5th wheel trailer, it will reduce that trailer's TW. Things get complicated here because typically a power boat trailer has lowish TW since the motor sits...
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• Troubleshooting Trailer Lights and Blower Motor for 2015 Jeep Cherokee After Launching Boat
• My first thought after reading this is if you disconnected the wiring from your trailer before you backed your trailer in the water to launch your boat. If you didn't then that would explain the issue. Since water and electricity don't like each other very much what probably happened is that (if you didn't disconnect anything) you had a short somewhere and you need to inspect all of your wiring. It could be that the wiring connector itself either on your 2015 Jeep Cherokee or your boat...
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• Can Single Transom Strap Secure Lighter Weight Aluminum Trailer
• Ideally you'd want to fix your setup so that both transom straps can be used. In the meantime running a single transom strap would be your best option. While a strap like the part # IMF14220 would have the needed capacity for what you are wanting to do I'd be worried the single attachment point on both the trailer and the boat wouldn't have the capacity.
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• Clutch Does Not Lock on the Dutton-Lainson TW4000 StrongArm Electric Winch
• There could be two possible reasons as to why the clutch is not engaging when you are pulling in your boat with the Dutton-Lainson TW4000 StrongArm Electric Winch part # DL25200. The first reason is the simplest to fix and it entails tightening the clutch which is explained on page 4 of your owner's manual. The other possible cause is a faulty brake. In order to check this you will want to remove the winch cover to observe which parts are moving as the load slips out. This should pinpoint...
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• Triple Towed Boat Trailer Sways at Speeds Above 50 MPH
• Boat trailers are notorious for swaying because most boats carry all the weight at the rear with the motor, gas tanks, battery, etc. Here are several things you can do. Adding weight to the front of the boat should provide fairly dramatic improvement. Any heavier gear you're carrying in the tow vehicle that you can move to the trailer, do so. You'll also want to make sure the trailer's being towed level. If it's more than 2 or so inches high or low at the tongue, it can contribute to...
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• Troubleshooting a Bouncing Boat Trailer, Possible Causes and Solutions
• It sounds like a problem with tongue weight. In this case, the tongue weight may be too high meaning too much weight is forward of the trailer axle, pushing down on the hitch, or too low. If at all possible, try moving some weight further back or forward. If you have a large motor on the back, it could be making the tongue weight too low, while gear at the front or items mounted to the trailer tongue area can make it too high. Also, most trailer tires are rated for a maximum speed of 65...
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• Trailer Tire Wear on the Outsides of the Tire Tread
• Wear on the outside of a trailer tire is an indication that the weight on the trailer is not significant enough to straighten out the axle when under load. Most trailer axles have a bow in them that points up in the middle. When enough weight is placed on the axle it will straighten out. Otherwise the tires will tilt in at the bottoms. This is likely what is going on. The other possibility is that there is something wrong or worn out with the suspension. Check the suspension for worn out...
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• Replacing Failed Grease Seals on Boat Trailer with Bearing Protectors
• If the grease is on the back of the wheels, then the grease seals have failed and need to be replaced. While you have the hub disassembled, make sure to examine the bearings and races to ensure they are in good shape. When using the bearing protectors, over filling the hub with grease will cause grease to be pushed past the seal at the back of the hub. Be sure to follow the manufacturers directions for properly filling your hubs with the bearing protectors. We have a video which shows...
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• What Causes Trailer Tires to Wear on the Center
• When you get wear just in the center tread of a tire that does indicate that the tire is over-inflated. You want to make sure the tires are inflated to the max psi listed on the sidewall of the tires. Over-inflation would cause the wear and then could lead to the failure issues you are having. If you jack up a side of the trailer do the wheels turn easily without any in/out or tilting movement? If so, the bearing are fine.
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• Troubleshooting Hydraulic Drum Brakes on Boat Trailer Rubbing After Removing Actuator
• With your boat trailer, removing the actuator would not have caused the brakes to apply. It sounds like there is a mis-adjustment with the assembly due to either the springs or adjuster spacer not engaging correctly. I assume the lack of pressure in the wheel cylinder likely meant shifting of the brake shoes and causing misalignment. I recommend removing the hub and then removing the brake shoes, springs, and adjuster. This will remove any braking issues causing rubbing/grinding. I...
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• Troubleshooting Overheating While Towing Boat with 2015 Grand Cherokee V6
• Your 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee V6, the towing capacity is greater than that, however you still need to use caution. Your owners manual suggests not using ACC at all during towing. It also states that you should follow the gauges which may be more sensitive to heat when towing to remain safe. It could be that your thermostat is misreading, but it is very likely you need to add a cooling system which is normally included with a towing package. Adding coolers will only help your vehicle...
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• Hydrastar Electric Over Hydraulic Actuator Hums But Doesn't Run
• It sounds like you are going to need to go through the basic testing procedure to determine where any problems might be on the HydraStar Electric-Hydraulic Actuator # HBA-12. With the unit running and brake pressure applied, determine that a minimum of 8.5 volts DC are reaching the Hydrastar’s black wire. Check to see if the white ground wire runs directly to the tow vehicle ground. IT MUST NOT BE GROUNDED TO THE TRAILER ONLY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS GROUND WIRE RUNS DIRECTLY TO THE...
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• Battery Drains when Flat Towing a 2016 Jeep Patriot Behind a Motor Home
• I checked the owner's manual for the 2016 Jeep Patriot and there is not all that much information on flat towing apart from an explanation of the models that can be flat towed. Since the vehicle has a feature that drains the battery while being flat towed I recommend supplying a trickle charge to the battery from the motor home. To do this I recommend using coiled umbilical kit # HM47054. One end plugs into a 7-Way on the RV and the other end plugs into the 6-Way included with the kit....
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• Troubleshooting Titan Electric Over Hydraulic Brake Actuator T4813100 Not Engaging Brakes
• The issue you are describing with Titan BrakeRite EHB Electric-Hydraulic Actuator for Disc Brakes T4813100 sounds like it is not building enough pressure to engage the brakes on your trailer. I recommend using a volt meter and checking the black and white wires on the actuator while the trailer is connected to your truck. When the brakes are NOT applied you should have 12 volts, and when the brakes are applied you should not see less than 10 volts. If you are seeing less than 10 volts...
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• Troubleshooting a Tow Vehicle that Sways Considerably Towing Boat Trailer
• How is the tire pressure on your 2013 GMC Yukon XL? Is the suspension in good working order? If your vehicle and trailer suspension are both in good working order, your trailer is being towed level, and your trailer weighs less than the towing capacities of your tow vehicle you shouldn't be getting the sway you are describing. Especially if the trailer tows just fine with other tow vehicles. That leads me to believe that the problem is either tire or suspension related on your Yukon XL....
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• Battery Draining When Flat Towing a 2014 Ford Explorer Behind a Motor Home
• There isn't a fuse bypass that is confirmed to fit your 2014 Ford Explorer. The owners manual does state that having the vehicle in the accessory mode can drain the battery. It mentions that you will need to start and allow the vehicle to run for 5 minutes at the start of the day and at 6 hour intervals. This should allow the alternator to charge the battery. You may find that you will need to do this more frequently than every 6 hours if you continue to have issues.
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• Running Lights and Marker Lights do not Work on a Boat Trailer with LED and Incandescent Lights
• There are a few different things that could be causing your problem. The fact that some lights are LED and some lights are incandescent should have no effect on their functionality. The first step I would take is to use a circuit tester, like part # PTW2993, and test the trailer connector on your tow vehicle. With the running lights on, test each pin in your trailer connector for power. If you do not have power for the taillights at the vehicle side trailer connector, then you most likely...
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• After Sitting for 1 Year Cargo Towing Solutions Hydrastar Actuator Will Not Work, Just Clicks
• Below I have included the basic troubleshooting steps for the Cargo Towing Solutions Hydrastar actuators. Unit will not run or the unit will not shut off: Verify that the trailer and tow vehicle are wired according to the electrical schematic shown in the manual. Perform the following checks to determine if the unit is functioning properly: Step 1 With the unit running and brake pressure applied, determine that a minimum of 8.5 volts DC are reaching the Hydrastar's black wire. Check...
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• Troubleshooting Dexter Electric Over Hydraulic Brake Actuator Pump that Runs But Brakes Do Not Work
• You will want to start by following the troubleshooting tips in the manual for the electric over hydraulic actuator, # K71-651. I have outlined them here for you: 1. Verify that the trailer and tow vehicle are wired according to the electrical schematic shown in “Electrical Requirements”. 2. Re-bleed the trailer brakes. Any air in the trailer brake system causes brake delay 3. if the trailer is equipped with drum brakes, re-adjust the drum brakes to the trailer manufacturer's recommended...
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• No 12 Volt Power to Trailer Connector on a 2002 Chevy Silverado
• This is not an uncommon situation for your generation of Chevy Silverado. If you remove the cover on the power distribution box, look for a row of larger fuses on the left side of the box (if facing the motor from the front of the truck). If there is no fuse or a blown fuse in the slot closest to the front of the truck in that row then you will need to install a new 40 amp fuse. If there is no wire attached to the post nearest that fuse location you will have to manually run a wire from...
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