Mike are you agreeing with me that the box is creating too much weight down on the draw bar.? Or is it so that car needs to come forward further?
OP-- you need accurate measure of the weight.200 LLBS is too high in my opinion .
The trailer hitch and the ball height match is the next point.
To illustrate that point--- with car loaded (as far aft as desired- it can go further back) my current tandem is about 20LLBS only on ball--- I load between 8-12 wheels on the trailer at about the nose of the car and that seems about right .It tows perfectly -- and at approx 200LLBs down.
The point being-- does not sound that different to what you have. Can you give us the measurements of your trailer?
O/A length,width, the bed length, draw bar to bed, distance from ball to c/line of front & rear axle.
Do that and we can all compare-- my guess is that others will have similar set ups without problems-let us see!

 

For a trailer that's well over 5000 lbs loaded, there's no opinion about it; 200 lbs is not enough tongue weight, especially for a 1/2 ton truck. Google trailer tongue weight for more info.

 

Another "expert" having a go at my opinion. Where did yours come from--Google! How do you think it got there-- someone expressing an opinion fgs.The first three I googled all expressed different "opinions"
The point here is this-- been lots of posts here that make suggestions about various things to do--all in the interests of getting more information about what the problem might be --all trying to help the OP.

 

The photos of car position relative to the rear of trailer and rear axle postion look about right--the OP trailer has the axles way forward by comparison-- I think that is the answer right there.
OP needs your measurements!
** just had another look at OP photos-- the rear part with the checkerplate running a different direction looks like an addition--it is about how far out the trailer axle position is.

 

Everyone can argue until they are blue in the face, the bottom line is the trailer is not suited to do the job and you would be better of selling it for something more safer and modern to carry the car... Surely this is peace of mind when towing your pride & joy!

 

Here is a manual for trailer setup from the California DMV:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl648/dl648pt12.htm#balance

 

Viprkilr...I just noticed in your pix that there is a front cross bar at the leading edge of the trailer so you can't push the nose beyond the bed. You didn't show the car on the trailer but my guess is that the rear wheels are right about the trialer lights or maybe even farther back? Probably not what you want to hear but I would sell the trailer and get another that is more suited for the 911.

Sorry dude...good luck.

 

Did any of the first 3, or 100 for that matter, recommend the 4% or less that you are suggesting?

How about an actual hitch manufacturer? Nope. http://www.drawtite-hitches.com/gtw-tw-capacities.htm
Trailer manufacturer? Nope. - http://www.haulmark.com/trailer-reso.../TRAILER-SWAY/
Sherline, the company that makes the most widely used tongue weight scale? Nope. - http://www.sherline.com/lmbook.htm#refrn9
California DMV? Nope.
Noticing a theme?


No, the posts here are pretty consistent with the exception of yours.
1. Measure the tongue weight.
2. Get it to around 10%
3. If you can't get it that high, sell the trailer and buy one that allows for proper tongue weight.

 

Give it a break-- I quoted a particular instance that I have- not advocating generally.BTW --what do you think his trailer weighs by itself? I doubt it would be 2000lbs. My trailer tows perfectly in this way-as have numerous others. So please-- look at all the posts in context and stop being a smart a........ --- I own 13 trailers, have towed on 3 continents across 15 countries and hundreds of thousands of miles, behind,small cars ,large cars,4w/d. , 16 tonne trucks( a real truck-not some pretend one), hold licence to ,race karts, cars( & do)and am licenced for car to semi trailers --so I have some real experience of towing and observing,building & buying purpose built trailers etc. I did not just discover the topic &google up some information after I saw this thread.
That all said -- my previous posts is the relevent one for the OP.

 

I went ahead & threw the trailer on craigslist night before last. I got a decent offer already & the fella is picking the trailer up on Tuesday. I'm seeing a new 24' enclosed trailer on the horizon that will fit the car better. I appreciate all of the advice given. I thought I could make this trailer work with a little fabrication.

 

Red9, I don't know where you've gotten your info, but i've been towing for a long long time and I'm pretty sure your numbers are way off, especially when dealing with a Porsche rear engine car. I agree with other comments here, and you're wrong, period. You're so wrong, I have no idea how you've been able to tow all you've claimed you have. Maybe you've been towing with "real trucks" so long you've forgotten what it takes to use a regular pickup truck and open trailer to carry a 911. I don't know, but you're wrong, Period. The links provided for manufacturers and other sources ALL agree with the positive info being provided here. YOUR guidance is the only desention on this topic. And your rudeness in this thread is not needed, or appreciated. But we'll deal with that offline.

On my enclosed trailer/car/tools combo, I stated I am WELL Over 1200# tongue weight with my 12,000 Dodge Cummins Megacab diesel pulling it. You MUST have LOTS of weight on that tongue in order to make the trailer pull straight with that TAIL HEAVY 996TT in it. Most 911s are 40/60 weight distributed. The weight needs to be placed further forward than on a traditional front engine, rear drive car.

These are FACTS, not guessing. I had to pull the car into the trailer far enough such that the rear wheels of the car sit between the twin axles on my car trailer. I believe that Viprklr's problem was due to the car not being pulled far enough forward to get the bulk of the weight distributed evenly over the twin rear axles.

I travel up and down the east coast with my rig, in mountainous terrain, on highways, and cruising at 78MPH without sway issues. I do NOT use sway control bars, and only use the hitch that came on the truck, along with a control box to control the trailers brakes. I've got well over 40K miles on my trailer without issues, once i figured out how to load the car properly into the trailer. Placement on or in a trailer is critical. I've had the issues viprklr described in the past with other open trailers, and they ALL take balancing the loads. Once you find that balance, you MUST mark the trailer where you want the center of your cars axles to sit when on the trailer. More importantly, You want to be able to repeat loading the trailer every time, predictably, so you don't have to stop on the side of the road and re-position the car... Nothing is more annoying than having to do this... Take the time the FIRST time to get the car positioned correctly with the trailer and all your gear... You might have a "full trailer" mark and an "empty trailer" mark for when transporting the car without all the extra tools/gas/tires/junk in it. You just have to be patient, load the car and work up to the proper speeds...

Here's something else you should know about your trailer, and strapping a car onto it... Straps need to be replaced over time. Don't be "THAT" guy who'se car comes off the trailer due to a failing strap, or three... I go thru AW Direct and use SNAP RING straps... I once opened my car trailer to find the car being held by two straps. Two of the straps had worked loose. Not good. I don't use the regular hooks on straps anymore. If it doesn't have a snap-ring, I don't use it. I also recommend straps to go thru the wheels and X the straps.

You should also consider checking your wheel bearings on your trailer regularly, and you should also grease those wheel bearings atleast twice per season.

Vprklr, you've got my number and we've spoken at length in the past. Don't hesitate to ring me for accurate advice on this subject.

Mike Kelly

 

Most of the towing I referred to here was aimed at the specific problem of the OP -- what became clear is that the fundamentals of his trailer were way out-- obvious in later photos posted-- not clear in the earlier ones. Good to see he has his answer.
To deal with your comments Mike -- the palable ridiculous notion that putting more and more weight on the draw bar was going to solve the problem was proved by the later photos--so that advice by you and others --that was what was wrong. Advocating getting more info -still sounds like a good idea to me.
To illustrate the point--- putting weight on the rear of the tow vehicle is going to lighten the front wheels load--put excessive weight there and you have a prescription for disaster. EG how often do you load all your 4/5 passengers in the trunk and drive down the road.It would make the car plain dangerous. Depending on the type of vehicle-- different degrees of that exact problem is what you are advocating .You must have seen vehicles with the front high in the air from too much draw bar weight.
You insulting comments in relation to my experience are just plain insulting -I only used that to illustrate the point I was making that I did not read it yesterday -it comes from practical experience.

 

I think selling and starting again is a very good decision.Good luck with it.

 

His placement of the vehicle on the trailer was clearly to far BACK. Although I do agree that you don't want to overload the tongue of the trailer and apply to much weight to the rear axle on the truck, and creating the situation you just described, you must get the weight forward and balanced, for which his car was not. Balance is what we're talking about and balance is NOT what he had. That's reality, based on the pics and what he described. He could have backed the car onto the trailer and gotten that balance. He chose not to.

If you were insulted by my comments, then I'll offer this up. I responded in kind after reading your insulting comments to the other members here...

Not unlike yourself, I and others go to the race track too. I have yet to attend a PCA event where Porsches are loaded on car trailers in such a way that the load is perfectly flat and not a little tongue heavy. so I guess I and all the other dopes who own and trailer these cars to the track have been doing it wrong for all these years...

Mike Kelly

 

Your ability to personalise and not read what was said or the point of it is incredible -- my example was specific and qualified and at no point did I say there was only one way to do it. As it turned out-- the OP decided he had the wrong trailer.
Topic closed.