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Originally Posted by RockyMtnRay
Out of curiousity, do you ever swing the tongue with the weight of the trailer on it?
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Ray makes a really good point here - one that I hadn't even considered. I haven't talked to the factory about it, but after some reflection it seems obvious that no weight should be put on the tongue (as, for example, with the tongue jack) when the tongue is unlatched and swung open. Not only does
ALL of the tongue weight (rather than half) come down on one side of the frame. But it twists the frame member sideways, in a direction that it is not designed to resist.
I have to admit I have done this myself, without even thinking. Pull the pin on the swing tongue and swing it around to the side. Then put the bogey wheel on the jackstem, crank the jack down to take the weight off the stabilizers, and move the trailer with the entire tongue weight on this out-of-position support. BAD BAD BOY! I won't do it again.
New rule, folks! If you have a swing tongue, NO WEIGHT ON IT unless the tongue is swung closed and pinned in travelling position! I just reviewed the Owners Manual, and it doesn't seem to say anything about this. But I bet it will ...
Having said all that, I have no idea whether this was the cause of PopBeaver's failure.
Bill