ctann wrote:
Hi all,
I have a fairly steep (~=20%, but 25% in one place) dirt road, and I want to "back" a 30' 6000lb travel trailer down it. It is relatively straight and 12' wide - but there are a couple of points where some slight maneuvering is required. length is about 600'. My tow vehicle is a 2001 F350 4x4 diesel (SRW).
I did a practice run with just the truck - and there is a point where the road transitions to the sloping dirt road, that I can see very little behind. I was considering getting backup cameras to attach to the trailer to make sure I get it headed in the right direction. Once I get past the transition I think backing will be relatively easy, but getting started exactly right will be tough.
Then a thought came to me - why not get a front-mounted receiver, and "push" the trailer down the hill. Sure would make the maneuvering part a lot easier. The front hitches are rated at 5000 lb weight carrying, but 9000lb "straight line pull" - which is essentially what I would be doing - just driving forward and letting the trailer roll back down the hill. Coming back up the hill, I would of course tow in the normal direction with the rear receiver.
So, any comments? Crazy talk, or best solution? Actually I think the hardest bit would be unhitching from the rear and re-hitching at the front, at the transition point to the dirt road.
Thanks,
Chris.
when i went looking for a front mount reciever to handle my motorcyle, I couldn't find one rated for more than 500lbs tongue weight. so kinda out of the solutions for a 35' trailer. seriously, you can't even find a rear reciever rated at 5000 lbls weight carrying, maybe 1800-2000 lbs if it is a class V. in most cases even 1000 additional lbs on the fornt axle of a tv would overload the front axle.
