Adding a 3rd ski to a two place trailer

[jim_ii]

Hello,

I currently have a two place trailer that hauls our SXi Pro and WB1. It has a large plastic box on the front bolted to the "V" section that eventually turns into the trailer tongue.

I would like to remove the box and add another set of rails to carry a 550SX. The 550 would sit perpendicular to the other two skis.

Wondering if anyone has done this and has pictures I could use as a reference for the conversion?

The rails are super easy, but I'm struggling with how I want to secure the ski in place. Would like to have a permanent attachment point for the bow of the ski to anchor to and be able to lock it in place.

Any thoughts or pictures would be appreciated!

 

[Big Kahuna]

you will need to slide the other two ski's backwards to off set the weight, you do not want to just throw on 250 lbs of extra tongue weight.

 

[Harbor]

^^^^agreed, you nay want to measure your tongue weight now @ ball height with trailer loaded before you mod it. Maybe a bathroom scale and a plastic milk crate to mimic ball height and get you current tongue weight, Then during the mod use tongue weight measurements to determine how far back the skis need to go to remain balanced @ your previously taken tongue weight, adding just a little tongue weight would be ok, just dont want less tongue weight or the trailer will fish tail behind you during towing

 

[N3vrSat1sfied]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/towing/towing-capacity/information/tongue-weight1.htm

here is a good link for tongue weight, But id assume you would want to measure with the trailer loaded?

 

[Harbor]

^^^^ Yes, all measurements with trailer loaded

 

[swapmeet]

I've done this with a trailer built for a couch. Our Blaster was on the back, I had my FX1 perpendicular in front of it.
I never cared for it how it was set up but it got me by.

Later I put two skis perpendicular on a single place trailer with a tray in the middle for fuel, chairs, beach stands.

I can't find pics of any of them... well, here is the double parallel trailer hauling a pair of axles.... I called it the Beverly Hillbilly trailer.

 

[OCD Solutions]

I added bunks to a double couch trailer once. I had previously covered the tongue area with treated plywood so adding bunks was as easy as bolting a couple lengths of PVC tube to the plywood. The tongue weight was a bit higher than desirable but I lived at the lake so I was only driving a mile or two, plus I was driving a one ton dually so tongue weight was irrelevant. Even still, it was light enough that i was able to tow the whole rig with my ATV.

 

[LimitedSlip7]

I built a wooden rack on a two place aluminum trailer last year for a B1 and two stand ups. This is the only pic I have ATM but it worked out pretty good. I carpeted the bunks, added stop posts on the front with winches, and a large plastic container for jackets/helmets.

 

[jim_ii]

All good info, thanks guys. I need to check the tongue weight. My gut tells me that with the current 2 ski setup my tongue weight is too light as I can easily pick up the tongue with one hand with very little effort. Maybe adding the third ski up front will even things out nicely.

For those who have carried a third ski perpendicular to the back of the tow vehicle, how did you secure the nose and tail of the ski in place? Just ratchet straps?

 

[Harbor]

On the perpendicular ski and once your bunks are placed, every thing is where you want it tongue weight wise I'd fabricate out from the trailers frame to the nose of the ski with maybe 2in box and make an upright with a pin style bow stop. Attach a long piece of box first below your frame, attach to multiple frame rails with it extending out to just beyond the nose of the ski. Attach another 2in box piece to this and go straight up right in front of the ski, attach the pin style bow stop to this. Use a ratchet strap on the tail around the tray and bunks.
Blowsion sells a nice pin style bow stop that uses u bolts to clamp to your upright. Ebay has a bunch of different bow stops as well

 

[jim_ii]

Great suggestion. Easy to fab the nose piece that way. Thanks

 

[mindless]

On my double couch Triton trailer, I moved the outside bunks all the way out, and put a pair of 2x6 in the middle for the third ski. I carried 2 superjets and a blaster with this combo. I've also carried a superjet, a GP1200, and a Blaster with this combo.

 

[Harbor]

They also have 1x2 and this might work good too