Trailer Swing Tongue

[haroldkistner]

I’m the owner as of February 21, 2019 of a new Eyra and trailer and have a question about the swing away hinge on the tongue. I can move the tongue up and down by 1 to 1-1/4 inches in the hinge before putting the 2 pins in. When I swing the tongue to put the 2 pins in on the tongue, I must pick the tongue up and down to get the pins to slide in. Then after the pin are in place the tongue will move up and down at least a 1 to 1-1/4 inch at the ball until I hook up the boat to the winch and tighten the winch strap up pulling the slack out of the tongue. So, the winch is pulling the slack movement of the tongue up and being held by the winch strap to the boat. This just don’t seem right that the boat through the winch pulling on the boat to take-up the slack in the hinge. Most of the movement of the tongue is in the 1/2-13 bolt on the hinge like the bolt is too small for the holes in the hinge. I’ve read the BBC message threads on the hinge cracking and this loose fit on the hinge bolt could be a cause of the cracking. I think that once the 2 pins are in place there should no movement in the tongue at the hinge. This movement will occur while towing the boat down the road. My previous boat trailer had a swing away tongue and there was no slack in the hinge and it only had one pin. I did not have to jockey its tongue to get the pin in it and it had no slack movement in it. I’ve talked to my BC dealer and was told that all the trailer tongues move up and down but that does not make it right and I’ve had some comments on the BBC of no/very little movement of the tongue.  One commented that he had to grease the bolt so he could swing the tongue. I’ll guarantee that mine is so loose that it will never seize up with rust. The trailer tongue should not move in the hinge when pinned in place for towing. I’d like to take it to the factory and have it checked out because I plan to keep this boat for a while and I believe the loose slack will cause a problem down the road.

[Redngoo]

By 2 pins i assume your talking about the remaining side pin and the center safety pin. There will be a little slack with those out. Though imo the slack you are talking about seems excessive. If your dealer is far away take a viedo of this slack and present to him thru email. With that much slack not only could it and will cause issues down the road, it becomes a safety hazard. With that kinda slack the issue should be very obivous!

[Cajunhunter67]

I know this has been an ongoing issue with your trailer. I can tell you my swing away on my 2016 PII moves up and down  around 3/4 inch with all the pins installed. The strap does pull the tongue up, but in reality, once the jack is removed (boat loaded on the truck ball) the weight of the boat is doing the loading of the tongue more than the strap.

As Red said above, maybe put up a video. Your movement sounds excessive. Its moving up and down quite a bit. What about side to side? If you grab the tongue, can you move it side to side? ( Strap loose)

[Bass Cat Boats]

Communicate with your dealership and they would be able to provide the Service Tech inside Bass Cat with a video of the movement. They would communicate if that was normal or not and Bass Cat will advise them on the course of action, if needed.

BCB

[Redngoo]

Cajunhunter67:. I can tell you my swing away on my 2016 PII moves up and down  around 3/4 inch with all the pins installed. 

 

This seem excessive as well. Especially with the pins in. Seems being pinned just inertia of bouncing around on the great roads we have would cause trouble. Got my curiosity up. Im going to check mine. I have not noticed nothing like this

[haroldkistner]

I’ve provided videos to the dealer to start with showing the slack movement without the pins, one showing having to jockey the tongue to get the pins to slide in, and one showing the slack movement of the tongue with the pins in place. I really believe the amount of movement in the hinge on my trailer with the pins in place show poor workmanship and/or design in locating the hinge on the tongue to allow so much slop up and down in the hinge. I really expected better quality in a Bass Cat trailer.

[haroldkistner]

Cajunhunter67:

I know this has been an ongoing issue with your trailer. I can tell you my swing away on my 2016 PII moves up and down  around 3/4 inch with all the pins installed. The strap does pull the tongue up, but in reality, once the jack is removed (boat loaded on the truck ball) the weight of the boat is doing the loading of the tongue more than the strap.

As Red said above, maybe put up a video. Your movement sounds excessive. Its moving up and down quite a bit. What about side to side? If you grab the tongue, can you move it side to side? ( Strap loose)

Yes it is an issue, so yours has 3/4″ movement up and down. I don’t see any real movement side to side in my tongue. Okay with the winch strap loose and you are driving down the road and you hit a dip in the road the vehicle and the trailer will move up and down and the hinge will flex your 3/4 of an inch without the strap being tight. So with the strap tight hit the same dip in the road what is preventing the hinge movement if any? That potential movement could cause cracks in  the welds on the hinge from the stress of weight transfer to the hinge from the road surface. The more slop in the hinge more potential for damage to the hinge over time on the trailer.

[Bass Cat Boats]

A memo has been sent internally regarding this.

[Redngoo]

So my curiosity got the best of me. I loosened my strap with all 3 (2 pins 1 bolt) in place i measured  from the concrete up to the bottom of the hitch out at the farthest point from the hinges i have maybe a 1/8″. Though mine is a 13 model with some wear im sure.  Being a machinist i understand without everything being machined including  both mating surfaces their will be some slack. For a shop fabrication  i consider that real good!. Though i would consider anymore needing some attention. Im sure bcb is using a jig to fabricate the hinges and locate the placement. Several variables could cause the excessive slack.

[Cajunhunter67]

haroldkistner:

Cajunhunter67:

I know this has been an ongoing issue with your trailer. I can tell you my swing away on my 2016 PII moves up and down  around 3/4 inch with all the pins installed. The strap does pull the tongue up, but in reality, once the jack is removed (boat loaded on the truck ball) the weight of the boat is doing the loading of the tongue more than the strap.

As Red said above, maybe put up a video. Your movement sounds excessive. Its moving up and down quite a bit. What about side to side? If you grab the tongue, can you move it side to side? ( Strap loose)

Yes it is an issue, so yours has 3/4″ movement up and down. I don’t see any real movement side to side in my tongue. Okay with the winch strap loose and you are driving down the road and you hit a dip in the road the vehicle and the trailer will move up and down and the hinge will flex your 3/4 of an inch without the strap being tight. So with the strap tight hit the same dip in the road what is preventing the hinge movement if any? That potential movement could cause cracks in  the welds on the hinge from the stress of weight transfer to the hinge from the road surface. The more slop in the hinge more potential for damage to the hinge over time on the trailer.

I don’t find mine excessive at all. I really have to put quite a bit of pressure up and down to get that movement. The pins come out very easy. They are not stepped, chaffed or worn. and swinging the tongue requires effort. Its pretty much the same amount my Eyra and Sabre had.

[tsmakos]

I bought a 2009 Basscat Puma about a month ago and noticed my swing tongue had some slop in it when the strap was loose.  The pictures show the gap when the strap is loose.  Is this normal or is it something that needs to be looked at?

 

[thegoose64]

I hate to piggy-back on an old post but I am having the same issue as the above and was wondering whatever came of this post.  I have the vertical slack in my swing tongue and I believe this has caused cracks on the bolt side of the connection.  I posted about this on BBC but didn’t get any responses.  I am worried about only getting this welded but not fixing another issue that may have caused the cracks in the first place.  Appreciate any help.

[bassinman2002]

I have been having all the same issues, drove from PA to BCB in Oct 20, they repaired the aluminum trailer and built a new tongue for it shipped it to the dealer and I still have issues. The hitch pins bend so much that I have to beat them out with a hammer and driftpin. I purchased SS hitch pins and while they to have a bend to them they bend less than the Grade5 pins. As for movement up and down, the tongue still has over a 1.5 inch movement. The design of the tongue should have plates on the top and bottom to limit movement. The idea that the winch strap takes up the slack is foreign to me, why have any stress onto the bow eye. I also had the weld crack before the replacement, had my welder come to the house and weld it after sending Richard at BCB Service pics, and making sure it was OK to repair. I do not know how long this tongue is going to last. Keeping my eye out for a better swing tongue system.

[thegoose64]

Thanks for the info.  I also sent some pictures to Basscat Service dept, they are out for the week though.  I’m not even a fan of having a swing tongue, I don’t need the space. I’d rather have a solid tongue.

[VictoryGunner]

I’ve had major cracks in a previous swing away tongue before on older cat trailers. Just a couple of questions and again, just speaking from previous experience as I had to replace the pivot bracket 2 times, the last one being the biggest pivot bracket I’d ever seen them build.

When you store your trailer, do you keep it pinned and under tension?  Or pinned and strap loosened? Or swing away engaged and strap loosened?

With all of these scenarios, have you considered or do you support the tongue extension closest to the vehicle with any additional support?  With swing away engaged, and turned to the side, that weight may be twisting the single bolt ever so slightly.

Just some thoughts from someone who’s seen cracks like those before.  Good luck!

[Author]

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