Telescoping Trailer Tongue Extension Question
I currently have a 12 foot cargo trailer and I'm looking at purchasing a 26 foot travel trailer both of which will be towed by my truck with camper for business purposes (one at a time of course). I'v...
Forum Discussion
Of course this can be done.
There is very little difference in engineering the extension on the trailer vs. the truck. There is no difference in safety, if equally engineered - as mentioned above, a receiver hitch is already a telescoping joint, and telescoping joints are common on trailers with surge brakes. The geometry of trailer towing is improved the closer to the rear axle the ball gets which will improve safety and handling. Interference between trailer box and camper will be less likely with an extended tongue than an extended hitch. If the tongue hits the bottom of a Bigfoot you are way further off road than you should be with that rig. The only negative in the idea is you have to do it for each trailer rather than once for the truck, and it is not the well worn path so you will have to deal with all the nay sayers.
One negative not mentioned is it makes hitching and unhitching a bit more difficult, you have to crawl in the dirt to get to the hitch, chains, plugs, etc.
There is very little difference in engineering the extension on the trailer vs. the truck. There is no difference in safety, if equally engineered - as mentioned above, a receiver hitch is already a telescoping joint, and telescoping joints are common on trailers with surge brakes. The geometry of trailer towing is improved the closer to the rear axle the ball gets which will improve safety and handling. Interference between trailer box and camper will be less likely with an extended tongue than an extended hitch. If the tongue hits the bottom of a Bigfoot you are way further off road than you should be with that rig. The only negative in the idea is you have to do it for each trailer rather than once for the truck, and it is not the well worn path so you will have to deal with all the nay sayers.
One negative not mentioned is it makes hitching and unhitching a bit more difficult, you have to crawl in the dirt to get to the hitch, chains, plugs, etc.
