Towing noises

mbalbritton

mbalbritton

#@$%!
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Lakeland, FL
So, I’ve done minimal towing, and yesterday I went and bought a boat. I’ve heard clunking noises before, but the timing of this clunking noise is odd to me and I’m not sure where to look.

It’s not every time, but often. After accelerating and I’m already under tension and moving anywhere from 5-10 seconds I’ll get a clunk and it feels like something is shifting and settling into tension. The same in reverse on braking.

If it was right when taking off and braking, I’d expect that. The delay is just weird.

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#humblebrag #imonaboat

Turn the radio up. You won't hear it


🤣 It's a boat. The few I've towed are very different than towing a car or equipment. That's all I got 🤷🏿‍♂️
 
My boat trailers do this too. There's some slop in the surge brake piston housing thing on the trailer. I can stomp on it and get the thud all at once leaving a stop but I usually just roll into, the time trailer brakes release and then the friction within the tongue mechanism eventually is overcome and it goes thud against the stops or whatever is in there.

Now if you don't have surge brakes then I have no idea what's going on with your mess... Hook up the safety chains and roll with it.
 
Clubbs said:
There's some slop in the surge brake piston housing thing on the trailer.
Click to expand...
I was thinking surge brakes too. Can't tell what sort of tongue or brakes are on it from the picture, though.
 
Another vote for surge brakes.
I’d also ask the obvious and make sure hall and trailer coupler match.
Finally make sure the pin isn’t overly worn in the receiver.

If none of these I’d be closely inspecting trailer axles and bunk and side boards
 
That tongue doesn't look like it has surge brakes from that pic.

Boats are usually rear heavy right? Maybe there's slop in the draw bar inside the hitch that's clunking, that you wouldn't hear towing something with more tongue weight. I've seen people put load bolts on their receiver hitch to tighten the draw bar to alleviate that kind of noise.
 
No trailer brakes.

Hitch pin, receiver, Ball, all new. Hitch is factory installed (Second hand 2014 GMC), but worth an inspection. I've been towing a much lighter Aluminium Bass Tracker with no noises or concerns. Trailer has torsion bar axles which I've never towed before. Maybe something in that? Probably worth a really good inspection of everything on the trailer. Then again, maybe all of it is my nerves from towing a heavier load than I'm used to and it's all normal.
 
mbalbritton said:
No trailer brakes.

Hitch pin, receiver, Ball, all new. Hitch is factory installed (Second hand 2014 GMC), but worth an inspection. I've been towing a much lighter Aluminium Bass Tracker with no noises or concerns. Trailer has torsion bar axles which I've never towed before. Maybe something in that? Probably worth a really good inspection of everything on the trailer. Then again, maybe all of it is my nerves from towing a heavier load than I'm used to and it's all normal.
Click to expand...
are you 100% certain both are 2" balls?
 
mbalbritton said:
No trailer brakes.

Hitch pin, receiver, Ball, all new. Hitch is factory installed (Second hand 2014 GMC), but worth an inspection. I've been towing a much lighter Aluminium Bass Tracker with no noises or concerns. Trailer has torsion bar axles which I've never towed before. Maybe something in that? Probably worth a really good inspection of everything on the trailer. Then again, maybe all of it is my nerves from towing a heavier load than I'm used to and it's all normal.
Click to expand...

Doesnt matter if the parts are new. Brand new receiver and a brand new sized correctly draw bar will have some amount of slop.
 
mbalbritton said:
I'm really leaning to typical slop in the receiver and me just not being used to it.
Click to expand...
Seems the most likely and should be easy to confirm.

Another thought... have you confirmed the bilge is dry/drained? Even 20 gallons (an inch deep over that footprint) sloshing would cause those symptoms...
 
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