Trailer Wobble Brackets - How loose ?

[Scott79]

OK, a bit of a rookie question....
How loose or tight should the wobble brackets be on a 'drive on' type trailer? Particularly the rear assembly, I see some trailers parked at the ramp and the rear rollers are nearly touching the ground, due to how loose the pivot is on the last assembly, does this assist the drive on process at all??

My trailer looks a bit like the below, with the 6 or 8 rear rollers on each side being part of the one bracket that can pivot up and down (although the pairs can also move independently). I have always had it pretty firm, that is, tight enough so that the brackets don't move by themselves with the boat off the trailer. Interestingly enough though, they don't move when I drive off the trailer either, yet I can move them easily enough by hand, which makes me wonder if they even need to pivot at all?
The bracket itself is basically the same material as the main frame, bolted through the centre and through the frame, pivoting on the bolt.

110945


110946



Terrible explanation - hope it makes sense to someone.

Thanks,
Scott.

[scottar]

If your brackets aren't moving it simply means you are sinking the trailer to the point that the hull is not putting any weight on them as it comes off. Mine move freely and do move from when they catch the hull through to when everything is lined up as the hull comes on but only the rear meter or so of my frame is in the water due to the fact I use a power winch. Do they need to move - depends how deep you go with the trailer for launch and retrieve. Not sure that you could actually do them up to the point that a tonne or so of boat won't move them if it needs to.

[Scott79]

Really good point Scott, I do sink the trailer quite deep.
I guess what I really want to know is if they were looser and automatically took the low position, would it assist the drive on process? Perhaps with them looser I could sink less of the trailer and still have the boat line up properly?

[scottar]

I guess what I really want to know is if they were looser and automatically took the low position, would it assist the drive on process? Perhaps with them looser I could sink less of the trailer and still have the boat line up properly?

It will only assist if you don't sink the trailer to the point they are no longer effective. If you can move them easily by hand the boats weight will move them if it has to. You may well be able to sink less of the trailer but be mindful of coming too shallow to the point that the boats angle as it comes onto the trailer increases to the point that the skeg contacts the ramp.