I don't know if I am a trailer guru, but I will try to answer your question.
I have towed many sail and power boats in my time. The only time I got in
trouble towing a boat was with a Ford Bronco. The trailer tongue weight was
less than it should have been and the length from the tow ball to the axle
was not enough. I just about lost the whole thing on I 35 when it started to
sway. The remedy was to move the axle back which of course added to the
tongue weight. I never had trouble again. The short wheel base of the
Bronco also added to the problem. Since the I have towed mostly with
Suburbans. I have always left the length from the ball to the axle as long
as I could, and have carried plenty of tongue weight. One advantage that I
have is that the Suburban can handle a lot of tongue weight. In my opinion it
is to your advantage to carry as much tongue weight as you can for your tow
vehicle. This in turn keeps the distance from the ball to the axle at a
greater distance which also adds to the stability of the rig. I guess what
I'm trying to say is that if your tow vehicle can handle the weight, and it
is towing ok the way it is, I'd leave it just the way it is. There is no
rule saying that you cannot go above the 5 to 10%. I have always believed
this to be a minimum. Any other ideas out there?
Dale Place
Farmington, Mn
P19 #769 Maggie May