swing away boat trailer hitch (must read)

[davvoe]

This is a true story and I am telling it so that this doesn't happen to you.

A friend of mine has a swing away hitch on his Shorelander boat trailer. The other day he was coming back from the lake and when he stopped at a red light, the boat trailer swung around and hit his truck. He got out to check what happened and found that the bolt holding the hinge part of the swing away hitch had broken completely in two about a third of the way down. Luckily, only minor damage was done to his truck and bent the hitch and broke the crank down jack on his trailer. It would have been a lot worse had that happened while travelling down the highway.

After hearing that, I checked the bolt on my Shorelander trailer and found that it was cracked as well. Another trip or two would have been all it would have taken to have the same thing happen to me. When I went to Bolt Supply to get a replacement, the guy told me these were only grade 5 bolts and should have been at least a grade 8 bolt.

This really did happen, and I am just warning you to check the bolt in your swing away boat trailer hitch before this happens to anyone else.

[Lefty-Canuck]

That sounds bad......BUT I am trying to visualize how this could even happen....on dry roads???

LC

[davvoe]

It was actually at the hinge part were the bolt holds the hinge of the swing away hitch together, I am guessing over time and the odd rough road the bolt becomes weak and eventially breaks, leaving nothing in the hinge to hold it together, and when the bolt is not there the hinge comes apart, leaving only a small pin holding everything together after the hinge has been pulled apart. all I am asking is to take a few minutes and take the bolt out and check it for cracks,as mine was cracked over 3/4 through and I am sure a few more trips to the lake and mine would have broke as well, I pull mine behind my 5th wheel trailer and cant imagine what would happen if it did break.

[Lefty-Canuck]

I was reading on the internet...this seems to be a common thing with trailer manufacturers to use too low a grade of bolt in these things....Ranger Trailers have the same issue.

LC

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

OH wow , Ill have to take a look . but mine isnt a bolt its a pin with red handle then you put a key in the bottom . Interesting .

[Kim473]

We use grade 8 on everything at work. Only a few cents more.

While your checking that pin, worth a quick check on everything. Like wheel nuts, winch strap and stuff. Check your motor bolts for tightness etc. Well worth the 30 mins to check every month or so. Could save you hundreds or even thousands of bucks.

I lost a sled trailer tire once, cost me a few hundred dollars to replace tire and hub. Not to mention that it ruined my day.

[liar]

this is very good info . thanks for posting .

[Kokanee9]

I don't have a swing away on the current trailer but will keep this in mind if I do get one, thanks.

[Sooner]

As an appraiser I have done two different boat trailers with swing away hitches that have broke at the pivot point while going down the highway. Both boats went at highway speed into the rt side ditches thankfully but boy were the boats beat up. I dont remember the make of the trailers as it was more then 5 yrs ago but I have always thought the design just asked for trouble. Seems its quite a flex point. Best to keep your eye on the area for signs of stress and fatige if you have a trailer with a swing away hitch. Check it often imo.

[dragon]

Switching to grade 8 bolts does not necessarily mean it is better than a grade 5 bolt so do not go out and start switching all your hardware.
If you guys remember when the mind bender derailed at West ed and killed a person it was because the mechanic had replaced several wheel bolts on the cars with a higher grade bolt because that was all he had. The specification was not followed and it cost someone their life.

Bottom line if you are concerned about your bolt breaking,contact the manufacturer as to the grade of bolt that should be used.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Switching to grade 8 bolts does not necessarily mean it is better than a grade 5 bolt so do not go out and start switching all your hardware.

Bottom line if you are concerned about your bolt breaking,contact the manufacturer as to the grade of bolt that should be used.

Good point! Reminder to follow manufacturers specs...

LC

[billie]

Switching to grade 8 bolts does not necessarily mean it is better than a grade 5 bolt so do not go out and start switching all your hardware.
If you guys remember when the mind bender derailed at West ed and killed a person it was because the mechanic had replaced several wheel bolts on the cars with a higher grade bolt because that was all he had. The specification was not followed and it cost someone their life.

Bottom line if you are concerned about your bolt breaking,contact the manufacturer as to the grade of bolt that should be used.

Good advice.

In simple terms, a grade 5 bolt are designed to stretch under stress as opposed to snapping, and a grade 8, although harder steel, will snap before stretching. BC will not accept grade 8 on hitches and you can be towed if you do not meet proper specifications for the application.

If a factory hitch bolt was cracked it is likely that you have a different problem such as slack from wear and a resulting dynamic movement.

Inspection is a major part of regular maintenance.

Glad no one was hurt.

[Mayhem]

I pull mine behind my 5th wheel trailer and cant imagine what would happen if it did break.

I recall reading somewhere that this type of towing is hard on swing tounges as they are subjected to much harsher and violent up and down movement than when hooked directly to the tow vehicle.

Do you know what brand of swing away it is? There are a few types out there and I'm wondering if it is just a poor design? From what I have seen the EZ Loader trailers tend to have better quality hardware on them. I just took a look at my Fulton swing tounge and the bolt it came with is a grade 5. I can only see the hex on top and nut on the bottom, the rest is encased in the hinge so the only way to inspect it would be removal. For the cost of a nut and bolt it would be good practice to replace every so often.

[Mariko's Rod]

Good post. Doubt I would have never thought to check it. thanks.

[davvoe]

sorry for taking so long to get a picture on here, first timer so this is all new to me. This is a picture of my buddies hitch with bolt shown, My bolt was cracked just about right through in exactly the same place where his broke. I replaced my bolt with a new one and figure for the price of a new bolt I would replace it every couple of years just to be safe.
All I am trying to do is make everyone aware of this potential problem and hopefully save someone $$$$ down the road.

[Traps]

Good advice.

In simple terms, a grade 5 bolt are designed to stretch under stress as opposed to snapping, and a grade 8, although harder steel, will snap before stretching. BC will not accept grade 8 on hitches and you can be towed if you do not meet proper specifications for the application.

If a factory hitch bolt was cracked it is likely that you have a different problem such as slack from wear and a resulting dynamic movement.

Inspection is a major part of regular maintenance.

Glad no one was hurt.

I agree 100% about inspection. I'd take a set of calipers and measure the width of the holes (from left side of boat to right side) and then repeat the measurement from front to back to check the hole for how oblong it is. Compare this with the diameter of the bolt.

The intent of this design is to put the bolts into shear which it doesn't do well to begin with, but over time wear allows bending. Wear of the holes allows deflection and puts the bolt into bending. Bending stress accelerates fatigue failure. Unfortunately the people that put these things together should realize that pins are better suited in these applications than bolts. Bolts are made to clamp not pin. The reason for this is bolts have stress risers called threads which compromise them when in bending. They select bolts because they are much cheaper than manufacturing pins.

If it were mine I'd inspect it first and compare the measurements to start off with.

[billie]

Also good points Traps. Any reason not to go with pins on both sides? That would seem like the best answer. And alot easier to inspect regularily.

[Traps]

Also good points Traps. Any reason not to go with pins on both sides? That would seem like the best answer. And alot easier to inspect regularily.

I agree, pins on both sides would be better just as long as the pin can be sufficiently retained by a positive locking industrial clip or safety pin. With pins your selection of material can be had that is better than what a grade 5 bolt would give you on all levels.

This type of design should have larger lugs to accomodate a softer bushing. The bushings wear out, the pin doesn't wear cause its harder. To bring it back to new you pop out the bushing reinsert the old pin.

A better design would be to fold downward instead of to the side as long as the tongue doesn't touch the ground. The pins would be working off of shear in the direction of the load path as the boat bumps along down the road.

I was at Martin Motorsports yesterday, their folding hitches were a gimmick, the fold saved maybe a foot of length.

[Kim473]

Sounds like they are not eng. properly. Too small diameter of bolt or pin.

[Freedom55]

Seems to me that the folding tongue is a gimmick designed to get some more of our money. Not sure why such a thing is necessary in the first place. Inherently unsafe designed not found on other types of trailers (that I know of).

Free

[model12]

Bringing this back to the top as it just happened to me yesterday. In my case the swing pin snapped about an inch from the top, you could see where it had been cracked due to fatigue over time. Lucky it held until I got home and noticed the lower portion of the pin dangling down by the wire lanyard.
My trailer is an E-Z Loader, 11 years old pulling a 17.5 ft Crestliner.

Worth an inspection every so often.

[barbless]

Had that happen to a friend of mine bolt snapped while driving on the highway. He has a 40ft. motor home and could here a clunking noise and pulled over. Walked around and found the the bolt broke on hitch. No major damage, some bent pieces was able to fix on highway ( he carries all kinds of stuff). What he did when he got home was attach some chain to the hitch (between the solid trailer and the swing arm, fixed on one side and removable on the other) so if bolt breaks again the chain is suppose to keep it from separating (safety chain). Oh and by the way Freedom55, the foldaway tongue is so you can put it in your garage if the solid tongue is too long. If he changes trailers will never own another foldaway. That was a long story short. Keep extra bolts and pins. Kinda like keep an extra boat plug. Just my thoughts on this matter

[MooseRiverTrapper]

Swap the pins out to a higher quality one or a nut and bolt.

[PerchBuster]

Seems to me that the folding tongue is a gimmick designed to get some more of our money. Not sure why such a thing is necessary in the first place. Inherently unsafe designed not found on other types of trailers (that I know of).

Free

I think the original idea behind these maybe were so people could garage their boat, fold the tongue back and be able to close the garage door. They seem to be most common on boats sort of in the 16’/19’ range from what I’ve seen

[briangeorge]

After reading this I was concerned so I looked at mine my trailer is the Lund carrying my 1775 crossover 2015 model. It is completely different and has two short bolts and they are big I would like to attach pictures but I haven’t figured out how to do that yet maybe someone can help me.
Appears to be a much better set up than a single bolt .

[nimrod]

Why would guys not put a*more solid pin system, like weld a 2 inch square piece on each side of the swing point, on the top side of the hitch, then slip a 1 3/4 square piece to connect each side, and pin that in, so now a 2 point pin system, just saying

[briangeorge]

Hopefully the pictures are attached. I think this is a much better system than one single bolt. These bolts are quite big as well.

[Sask Bearman]

I will check mine. I have had this hitch on a couple of these trailers and never had an issue but it doesn't hurt to inspect these things on a regular basis.

[-JR-]

Was told the other day that Grade 8 bolds are stronger for stretching ,but is not a good bolt for side movement as they are so hard, they will shear off or crack Where a lower grade bolt will rub thew slowly.
Not sure where I stand on this info.

[curtz]

I broke a bolt a couple times, I didn't trust it anymore so I cut it off and welded it together.

[kouleerunner]

I have the exact same thing happen this year bolts broke on my shorelander trailer. Lucky I noticed it in the yard and not on the road. Needless to say I replace both bolts this year and will keep a very close eye on them from now on. I have considered even changing them out every year just to be safe.

[kouleerunner]

Hopefully the pictures are attached. I think this is a much better system than one single bolt. These bolts are quite big as well.

I have the exact same setup as this and they still broke.

[pikeman06]

Got the shorelander too but it's an excellent trailer with the pin instead of the bolts and maybe the previous owner upgraded already because I got hex head bolts in mine. I love the idea of the foldaway and haven't had an issue and my rig has been to hell and back. Knock on wood. Nothing sadder than a boat skidding down the highway.