dguisinger
New Member
- Sep 23, 2017
- 5
- Boat Info
- 2017 SPX210
- Engines
- Mercruiser
Hey guys, I bought a 2017 SeaRay SPX 210 earlier this year. At the same time I bought a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder for towing this boat because I wanted something that wasn't a truck, and they advertised a 6,000lbs towing capacity which was a good match for this boat.
I've been having issues when I cross 60-mph on the highway pretty much since the day i picked the boat up. I can only describe it as to how I feel it, since I'm looking forward, not backwards. Looking forward, my vehicle seems to be staying aligned in the road.
It feels like the boat is oscillating forward and backward (from the mirror, I can't see side to side sway, but maybe it is sway?). If I try to accelerate past, the oscillation gets worse and pretty much won't let the vehicle get any faster than 65mph, while at the same time my RPMs are staying low in the 2000rpm range, so it's not an engine performance issue.
After reading the Nissan trailering guide, it appears they want a weight distribution system on any trailer over 5,000lbs.... I don't have an exact weight on mine, but I would estimate 3300lbs for the boat, 400lbs of fuel, 100lbs of gear, and 1200lbs of trailer takes me right up to that 5,000lb limit without weight distribution. However when I look at weight distribution systems, the location of where the pole tongue adapter has to be installed is right where the bow stop is installed, so I feel like this is a dead end.
Any good suggestions on how I can rule out problems or solve this that aren't going to cost me thousands of dollars? My SeaRay dealer wants $150 just to measure tongue weight (shouldn't they already know this, they sold it to me 5 months ago), check the axles and do a highway test. Is this a sway issue, a weight distribution issue, a wheel alignment / axle issue, etc?
Thanks
Dan
I've been having issues when I cross 60-mph on the highway pretty much since the day i picked the boat up. I can only describe it as to how I feel it, since I'm looking forward, not backwards. Looking forward, my vehicle seems to be staying aligned in the road.
It feels like the boat is oscillating forward and backward (from the mirror, I can't see side to side sway, but maybe it is sway?). If I try to accelerate past, the oscillation gets worse and pretty much won't let the vehicle get any faster than 65mph, while at the same time my RPMs are staying low in the 2000rpm range, so it's not an engine performance issue.
After reading the Nissan trailering guide, it appears they want a weight distribution system on any trailer over 5,000lbs.... I don't have an exact weight on mine, but I would estimate 3300lbs for the boat, 400lbs of fuel, 100lbs of gear, and 1200lbs of trailer takes me right up to that 5,000lb limit without weight distribution. However when I look at weight distribution systems, the location of where the pole tongue adapter has to be installed is right where the bow stop is installed, so I feel like this is a dead end.
Any good suggestions on how I can rule out problems or solve this that aren't going to cost me thousands of dollars? My SeaRay dealer wants $150 just to measure tongue weight (shouldn't they already know this, they sold it to me 5 months ago), check the axles and do a highway test. Is this a sway issue, a weight distribution issue, a wheel alignment / axle issue, etc?
Thanks
Dan