Unsafe At Any Speed With Pics

I can't help but wonder how many miles that guy in the OP has successfully towed that lash-up.
As for the Ford Van, I towed Jeeps with that identical towbar for many thousands of miles, with the baseplates bolted to the bumpers. Actually, you have no idea what back-up plates are behind that bumper! Mine were 2 inches by 6 inches, 1/4 inch hot rolled steel plate when using the stock bumpers! Nothing bent, nothing broke, nobody was injured or died!
Sometimes it is truly amazing what works in spite of the doomsayers.

" Physics might design a good strong trailer, but common sense will have a break away system installed."
Not only common sense, but here it is required by law. Plus the system must hold the brakes applied for 15 minutes!

barmcd wrote:

45Ricochet wrote:
Wow that one ranks right up there in the stupid people list.
And if that breaks loose some innocent person could be harmed.
I guess they don't teach common sense nowadays.

I don't think this is a lack of common sense as much as it is ignorance of towing and physics.

I remember a group of people in Florida who were swinging themselves off bridges with a steel cable. One of their jumps resulted in a broken cable, one death and several injuries. Turns out they didn't understand physics. They made sure the cable would support their weight, but didn't understand how their weight was multiplied through the swing of the cable.

Naw, I still go with common sense. Physics might design a good strong trailer, but common sense will have a break away system installed. From the pictures I sure can't see one.

45Ricochet wrote:
Wow that one ranks right up there in the stupid people list.
And if that breaks loose some innocent person could be harmed.
I guess they don't teach common sense nowadays.

I don't think this is a lack of common sense as much as it is ignorance of towing and physics.

I remember a group of people in Florida who were swinging themselves off bridges with a steel cable. One of their jumps resulted in a broken cable, one death and several injuries. Turns out they didn't understand physics. They made sure the cable would support their weight, but didn't understand how their weight was multiplied through the swing of the cable.

Brian in Michigan wrote:
Timmac, how do you get your boat down? The boat weights nothing but the outboard is another story.

Goes up and down by a pulley/cable winch system, the motor is a new Suzuki 30 hp only weights about 175 lbs, total weight of boat/motor is about 650 lbs, I even sat in boat and went up and down with lift system and it worked fine.

Winch is 2500 lbs rated, 6000 lb main cable connected to four 2000 lb cables under trailer to lift and lower boat.

Ivylog wrote:
TimMac, I would double up the channel on the outside of the hitch V up to your step plate. Does not look like a trailer designed as a car hauler... lots of up force on the tongue when load/unloading the Jeep. I like the T iron you added to the sides of the trailer. I would NOT have run the two front pipes to the outside of the trailer... a couple feet in would stop the top from rocking side to side. How does the winch lower the boat down... I do not see any pulleys.

PS: I did sleep at a Holiday Inn recently.:B

The trailer was a custom build to carry a Jeep and small boat, the iron is very thick, 8 gauge I think not the thin stuff you see on other trailers, axels were even upgraded to carry more than needed, welded in many spots throughout, the pipe was added by me when I went to a heavier boat for fast emergency stops and help stable the lift bars, the pipes have to go to the top above the lift system, the boat goes up and down by a built in winch and cable/pulley system, you can see the pulleys at the top of the lift bars and the winch in the front under the diamond plate cover, when the Jeep is removed and the boat comes down the trailer becomes a boat trailer for launching the boat in water.

The trailer can carry 8000 lbs easy but yet I only carry about 4250 lbs, Jeep weight is 3600 lbs and boat weight is 650 lbs.

Even the hitch on RV was reinforced and steel added to chassis for more support.

The reason I started this thread was to show how others do not setup the towing safely and don't even know how its done, I posted my setup on here about a year ago and some weight police let me have it, I worked hard to make sure I am safe as possible and my carrying weight is half what the trailer can handle with back up 4 brakes, brake away switch, heavy duty tires and 10,000 lb safety chains.

:C

Hope you at least left the guy a note.

The maximum tow rating on that Allegro un modified hitch receiver would be 5000 pounds. The trailer and load look to far exceed that rating. But WORSE, I have never seen a long hitch extension like the one in the picture that did not DECREASE the maximum tow rating. My Curt 18" hitch extension derates my tow capacity to 3500 pounds!

Wow that one ranks right up there in the stupid people list.
And if that breaks loose some innocent person could be harmed.
I guess they don't teach common sense nowadays.

it looks like you are not consistent in where you place k the jeep on the trailer. doesn't that affect the tongue weight considerably?
bumpy

TimMac, I would double up the channel on the outside of the hitch V up to your step plate. Does not look like a trailer designed as a car hauler... lots of up force on the tongue when load/unloading the Jeep. I like the T iron you added to the sides of the trailer. I would NOT have run the two front pipes to the outside of the trailer... a couple feet in would stop the top from rocking side to side. How does the winch lower the boat down... I do not see any pulleys.

PS: I did sleep at a Holiday Inn recently.:B