www.iFourWinns.com

Hi, OK question,
I have a H200 Frenzy with a FW trailer. As it is make by FW for a four winns boat is the tongue weight set correct in the design, as there is no adjustment that can be made. I have the single axle trailer and have the biggest step down reversed tow ball to get it to sit straight well almost behind my Toyota Highlander, although the truck drops one and a half inches at the back when the boats hooked up. I don't have much luggage crap in the boat to adjust the weight distribution either. I am sure there's someone out there that can put me right. The truck pulls ok and it feels fine towing down the I-90 at 55mph I am just concerned about the Tongue Weight overall

Thanks Ray
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You may not have too much tongue weight as far as trailer stability goes but it may be too much for the rear suspension to support without significant sag. Is there any way to add air bags in the rear coil springs? I have them on my older Jeep and they work great for reducing both rear end sag and the bouncing motion from the tongue weight of the trailer. If you can't do that (and if it has a strut type rear suspension design you can't, the bags work with conventional coil springs and leaf springs), then I'd investigate a weight distributing hitch, one that works with surge brakes like the Equalizer. When adjusted properly, that will make the trailer sit level and improve stability while still allowing the surge brakes to work.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Or Timbrens...

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Your setup weighs about 3500 pounds, and tongue weight is usually about 10% of that or in this case 350 pounds. Do you have the 4 cylinder or the 6? I know the 4 is rated to tow 3500 so if thats what you have you are at or over the vehicle's limit.

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2008 FW F204 - 5.0 VP "Stand On It"
Former Boat: Larson 186 LXI - 4.3 VP

I bet it weighs more than that, the single axle trailer for the 200 Horizon comes with six lug hubs so it's probably a 5200 lb capacity axle. The boat alone is probably 3500 plus the trailer, more like 4500 all together.
I know that Toyota does rate the Highlander as being able to tow that load if it's a 6 cylinder but one thing I do not like about many crossover SUVs is the use of strut style independent rear suspensions. Yes they ride and handle better than a old style live axle but in most cases there is no way to add load leveling, so if you have a sag problem (and the pic above does show that) then the WD hitch is the only option. Ones that work with surge brakes tend to be expensive but they work very well when set up right.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thanks guys, It is the V6 Toyota rated at 5000lb tow capacity, I dont actually tow the boat much , but I want the option to take it to the Finger lakes bout 100miles away as it will be only a couple of time a year I think I should be OK. I dont get trailer bounce now that I bought I deeper tow ball reversed to it raises the hitch as its quite low on the highlander.

Ray

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Hi

What most boaters don't understand in towing, that you need to add everthing up. Boat, trailer, food, fuel, gear, including your self and anything else with you. PLUS, most car dealers will tell you the max towing number!!!! In other words, with the bigger engine, a 2 door pick-up can tow more than a 4 door pick up and more....................

Good luck
Paul

Just be careful going to the finger lakes, if you would get in an accident and found to be overweight you will get screwed, especially if someone gets hurt. Even if you didn't cause the accident.

This is slightly off topic but people just amaze me. This past summer when I pulled my boat out of the water there was a couple who just got there boat out and the boat was about 28-30ft being pulled by a mercury SUV with about 22" rims. The rear suspension was completely compressed and the front was up about 4"-6" and the trailer tounge was about 6"-8" off the ground. That just amazed me.

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2008 F450 TOW VEHICLE
2001 Four Winns 215 Sundowner

I have the V6 4WD and keep the loads to a minimum just myself and partner in the truck and we tend not to fill the boat with gas till we are near our destination and we dont carry much in the way of accessories just a tube thats kept in the bottom of the boat

I will get the rig weighed next spring to make sure I am within the total limits

Thanks for the input Ray

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Hi Ray, I have the exact same setup, 2010 Highlander towing a 2005 Fourwinns 190 which is the H200 now. Mine is on a Fourwinns tandem trailer. I have the same saging issue. Did you eveer find a solution to this issue.

Luc

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2005 Four Winns Horizon 190
2010 Toyota Highlander

Hi Luc,
No I just used a high step hitch ball, I dont get trailer bounce with the high step up hitch ball. Also I dont pull the boat on a regular basis as I keep in docked for 3 months at a time, I just pull it out to clean it every 2 weeks or so. I have had no problems towing last year. I do intend to tow it to Lake Chautauqua this summer. If the shocks or springs get week then I will just have to have them replaced.

Ray

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Ray what size high step hitch did you go to?

Luc

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2005 Four Winns Horizon 190
2010 Toyota Highlander

I recently got a new tow vehicle (Holden Commodore SV6 = Pontiac G8 in the US) and use load levellers on mine. Had to weld up and fit an adapter to fit them to the tongue of the trailer as it is not an A-frame draw bar, but they work great and keep everything on an even keel. No rear end sag, and no bottoming out over dips in the road.

I should take some pics and post them...

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

I have the wrong one to start with. I think is was the 3inch drop , but it was too low and I got trailer bounce , so I bought the highest available its a 5 1/2 drop and turned over I think it 4 inch rise and now no bounce. I have seen even higher rises since buying it available in wal-mart. but I am happy with what I got so far.

Ray

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luc , I got my tow hitch installed at U Haul with the heavy duty tranny cooler too. have you got the toyota tow kit?

Ray

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