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.

And since you don't mention it there's no way to turn the rig around at the end of the road I suppose?

I may be a little dense here, but I would think hitching on the front of your truck and backing in the camper would be more difficult. How do you see around the camper? At least attached to the rear of your truck you can use your mirrors to navigate and see what's going on behind. You'd be pushing the trailer backwards, with truck facing forward.... pretty hard to see where the end of the trailer is going, wouldn't you think? I'm assuming you want the trailer "backed" down this road so the tongue is facing the road. It can be done, but I wouldn't want to do it that way. Make sure, however, if you do it, you have a good spotter at the back end of the camper, truck facing either direction!

Hi all, Thanks for the replies. Correct, no way to turn the trailer around at the end. Well, *maybe* a way, but it is pretty tricky - I did it with a 23' cargo trailer (empty), and the front end dragged a bit pulling a tight uphill turn. I don't want to get down there forwards and find out that I can't get out again! :)Point taken about visibility with the truck facing the trailer tongue. Hmm, maybe I could flip my towing mirrors around? I agree, the visibility is poorer, but maneuverability should be better. The problem with reversing is the wheelbase of the truck is long, and with only 12' of width, that doesn't leave much room for adjusting the direction of the trailer.Oh, and one other thing I thought of - I would need a 7-pin extension cord, so I could still plug the trailer in and use the electric brakes.Anyway, keep the feedback coming - still open to being talked out of my crazy scheme :)Cheers, Chris.

I think the camera (s) would be a better option. Get a monitor that clips on over your rear view mirror and accepts input from multiple cameras. Mount a camera on each of the back corners on the trailer and switch between camera views, with the remote control.Look at the hundreds of listings on ebay. Some of the cameras send a signal with built in distance indicators. When you're looking at something on the screen, you can also see how far it is. Most of them are measured in meters, but, it doesn't take long to get used to that.There are also listings for video / power cables, up to 100 ft long.I use one for hitching up my travel trailer. I can look at the monitor and back the hitch ball under the trailer coupler, on the first shot. No running back and forth from the cab, to see the coupler, No having to tell a spotter, "your other left", etc.I also have one mounted (wired it to be on all the time) on the back of the trailer, for watching traffic and backing up.This option would probably be cheaper than a front receiver.

Any way to mount a temporary receiver on the back of the travel trailer and pull it backwards and then rehitch to the front once you are close to where you want the trailer to be for the final maneuvering?

Front receiver hitch for 30' trailer and steep dirt road

15 Replies

RobWNY
Explorer
Mar 23, 2015
Any way to mount a temporary receiver on the back of the travel trailer and pull it backwards and then rehitch to the front once you are close to where you want the trailer to be for the final maneuvering?
handye9
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2015
I think the camera (s) would be a better option. Get a monitor that clips on over your rear view mirror and accepts input from multiple cameras. Mount a camera on each of the back corners on the trailer and switch between camera views, with the remote control.

Look at the hundreds of listings on ebay. Some of the cameras send a signal with built in distance indicators. When you're looking at something on the screen, you can also see how far it is. Most of them are measured in meters, but, it doesn't take long to get used to that.
There are also listings for video / power cables, up to 100 ft long.

I use one for hitching up my travel trailer. I can look at the monitor and back the hitch ball under the trailer coupler, on the first shot. No running back and forth from the cab, to see the coupler, No having to tell a spotter, "your other left", etc.

I also have one mounted (wired it to be on all the time) on the back of the trailer, for watching traffic and backing up.

This option would probably be cheaper than a front receiver.
ctann
Explorer
Mar 22, 2015
Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. Correct, no way to turn the trailer around at the end. Well, *maybe* a way, but it is pretty tricky - I did it with a 23' cargo trailer (empty), and the front end dragged a bit pulling a tight uphill turn. I don't want to get down there forwards and find out that I can't get out again! :)

Point taken about visibility with the truck facing the trailer tongue. Hmm, maybe I could flip my towing mirrors around? I agree, the visibility is poorer, but maneuverability should be better. The problem with reversing is the wheelbase of the truck is long, and with only 12' of width, that doesn't leave much room for adjusting the direction of the trailer.

Oh, and one other thing I thought of - I would need a 7-pin extension cord, so I could still plug the trailer in and use the electric brakes.

Anyway, keep the feedback coming - still open to being talked out of my crazy scheme :)

Cheers,
Chris.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Mar 22, 2015
I may be a little dense here, but I would think hitching on the front of your truck and backing in the camper would be more difficult. How do you see around the camper? At least attached to the rear of your truck you can use your mirrors to navigate and see what's going on behind. You'd be pushing the trailer backwards, with truck facing forward.... pretty hard to see where the end of the trailer is going, wouldn't you think? I'm assuming you want the trailer "backed" down this road so the tongue is facing the road.

It can be done, but I wouldn't want to do it that way. Make sure, however, if you do it, you have a good spotter at the back end of the camper, truck facing either direction!
sch911
Explorer
Mar 22, 2015
And since you don't mention it there's no way to turn the rig around at the end of the road I suppose?

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Front receiver hitch for 30' trailer and steep dirt road

15 Replies

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