Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodsy
IMHO... you leave yourself open to serious litigation should an accident occur. The burden of proof would be on you to prove your modification of the existing trailer (shortening the tongue by 14.00") was not a factor in the accident. The reason trailers are the length they are is because of balance vs load weight. Where the weight sits on a trailer is beyond critical. Shortening the OAL of the trailer by 14" effects the weight the trailer can carry safely. I could co on an on about the engineering behind it.
If it were me, I would keep the hinge but add the 14" back in.
Woodsy
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I will respectfully disagree.
Someone would have to notice the change in length and that is highly unlikely. Even if it were noticed by police at the scene of an accident in the state I am most familiar with there is no chapter and section of the law that a police officer can cite you for as it relates strictly to the modifications. Homemade trailers are allowed in every state in the country and while there are requirements such as fenders and tire tread depth, and brakes over a certain weight, there are not regulations that apply to altering the length of a trailer.
As for: " The reason trailers are the length they are is because of balance vs load weight." That is simply not true. Every boat trailer I have owned (I currently have four trailers) has adjustments for the end user. The winch stand is adjustable forward and back and the axle location is also adjustable. The bunks and rollers are usually in slotted channels so that they may be set for the shape of the hull or pontoons of the vessel to be carried.
The manufacturer has no idea (unless it is a trailer that comes with a boat) what size and weight boat you will be transporting. The manufacturer only specifies (by law) the maximum weight the trailer can carry. Boats come is all sizes and weight distributions, some with one engine and even some with as many as four engines. It is up to the end user to make the specific adjustments that will enable their use of the trailer to transport their boat.