mvillanueva wrote:Distance towing is not a good thing to do regularly
- unless another axle is added,
- better brakes are installed,
- fenders ought not be drilled and remounted,
- and slightly larger wheels are used.
Is that a correct distillation?
Not quite .... in agreeing with both comments above, I'd say that you've compounded the safety additions that you found in archives here. A full explanation of Mac's trailers is lengthy, but maybe useful. First, ninety-five percent of the archived discussions relate to the 26X trailer, which had a 3,500# axle and tire capacity (actually 1,870# per tire for later models):
- - Adding an axle can improve tracking on the highway;
- and it definitely doubles the tires on the ground;
- and it improves all other trailer capacities (axles, spindles, bearings, springs);
- but it impairs trailer maneuverability in close quarters;
- and it might over-spring the boat;
- regardless, you would NOT be increasing tire size if you're adding an axle.
By contrast, upsizing to 15" wheels and tires is a capacity-alternative that markedly improves on the factory's original tire capacity (14-inch for the 26X) and retains close-quarters maneuverability, but does nothing for the trailer's inate weight capacity. Comments about re-drilling the trailer frame related to lifting the fenders, but there are other, and better solutions for clearance between fenders and 15" tires.
The basic problem being addressed by the above upgrades was excess weight. According to the factory the 26X bare boat weighed 2,350 and the trailer 710, placing 3,060 pounds on the trailer, BEFORE adding an outboard or fuel. Since many were adding 400 to 500 pounds in large outboards and fuel, the trailer was nearing axle capacity before adding anchor, food, ice, tools, bedding and clothing ... you get the idea.
In reality, there's another 7 to 10 percent of spare "system capacity," since the tow vehicle carries that percentage of gross trailer weight at the tongue. Assuming that your tow vehicle is adequate, one can accomplish a sweet confluence of discretionary towing improvement:
- improve the safety margin at the tires & axle (very slightly),
- and simultaneously much-improve the trailer's tracking,
simply by shifting a bias toward more tongue weight. (Inadequate tongue weight is widely attributed as the primary cause of trailer tail-wagging).
So anyhow ... some 26X owners were experiencing blow-outs of trailer tires and/or tail-wagging trailers. particularly those who would tow for hours at freeway speeds, forgetting to stop for an hourly walk-around to check the temps of tires and hubs, and to look for grease-fling or any other signs of heat problems. Heat is the tire's worst enemy - low air pressure and excess weight contribute to tire heating. And extreme heat can cause grease to run, resulting in bearing failure. A simple walk-around can reveal these problems, but many of us are pushing to arrive - and ignoring these basics. Accordingly, maintenance failures, tire failures and tail-wagging have induced years of debate over exactly the best ways to improve the 26X trailer.
I had no tracking difficulties behind any of my several tow vehicles, and I valued maneuverability. Further, I was always very leery of the slim safety margin between tire capacity and net axle weight. I elected to simply upsize my wheels and tires instead of adding another axle. The 15-inch tires provide either 4,300 or 5,000 pounds of tire capacity (C-range or D-range), the focal point of inadequate safety margin, for me. Besides retaining maneuverability, it's considerably quicker and less costly to implement, since there's no welding required, and you don't even need to float the boat. You also avoid the cost doubling factors (and benefits) of fenders, axles, springs, etc. - saying nothing of the brakes.
All above ignored the question of brakes. Brake problems are probably more related to salt versus fresh water dunkings, and regular maintenance, rather than towing distances. But brake maintenance is dirty, messy and easily procrastinated ... I never bothered. When one of my drum brakes dragged (during a short, half-hour tow) it heated the drum, boiled the grease, toasted the bearing and actually warped the wheel and cooked the tire. Fanatical maintenance is the answer. But disk brakes are easier to flush and less prone to maintenance issues ... so it's a nice upgrade regardless of your towing scenarios, and regardless of the number of tires on the ground. IMO, just two brakes are plenty (for both stopping and regular maintenance) even if I had elected to add another axle - but Chip can provide good arguments for having twin axles and all four brakes.
Due in no small part to the record of consumer criticism available on this website (IMO), Macgregor Yachts finally upgraded the 26M trailer to include 15-inch wheels and tires, plus disk brakes. In the 3+ years it has been marketed, I've yet to hear of a 26M trailer tire blow-out, or any other towing failure, even though the 26M is a heavier boat. If you're buying a new boat - the question's moot. Whichever way you go, it doesn't justify nearly the degree of concern that you've described, especially if you have a beefy tow vehicle, like a standard pickup (which is a completely different topic).
Fair winds, and smooth roads!
