Using the front Bumper to park a TT vs the Rear Bumper?

[Blanco1]

Will it make that much of a different in making a tight 90 degree turn with walls & stuff in the way.
Of where I need to park my Trailer?

[mikestock]

Huntindog wrote:
The point I am making is that it is not necessary to see both sides. Certainly if it is your usual parking place at home.
If the side you can see is where it needs to be, then the blind side will be were it needs to be as well.

I was not thinking about always parking in the same spot. Sometime I can get by with only seeing one side. Sometime I can't.

[Bumpyroad]

it sort of seems to me that once you get turned a little bit, mirrors on the TV will not see the one side anyway?
bumpy

[Huntindog]

mikestock wrote:

K Charles wrote:
You can see both sides of the TT in the mirrors when backing. You won't see anything with the TT blocking your view.

I have a 2' receiver (normally for my bike rack) on the front as well as the one on the back of my truck. The front works easier with a double wide Seadoo trailer or small boat, but I think Charles has a point when it comes to backing a travel trailer. You can't see the right side if you can't use a mirror.

I get to watch a lot of truck drivers back into our dock at work. It has a reputation a s a difficult dock. There is not much room, and there is a trailer permanently docked in the next bay. That parked trailer is on the blind side. Drivers that know how to dock have no trouble as they understand that if the left side of their trailer lines up with the left side of the dock, that they cannot hit the parked trailer. Those that have a hard time always complain about not being able to see the parked trailer.

The point I am making is that it is not necessary to see both sides. Certainly if it is your usual parking place at home.
If the side you can see is where it needs to be, then the blind side will be were it needs to be as well.

[mikestock]

K Charles wrote:
You can see both sides of the TT in the mirrors when backing. You won't see anything with the TT blocking your view.

I have a 2' receiver (normally for my bike rack) on the front as well as the one on the back of my truck. The front works easier with a double wide Seadoo trailer or small boat, but I think Charles has a point when it comes to backing a travel trailer. You can't see the right side if you can't use a mirror.

[wa8yxm]

Like others I have no expierence to use.. HOWEVER I do have an observation.

For a period of time my Dad worked in a "Mobile Home" factory.. now a Mobile home is a lot like a TT only not designed to drive down the road OFTEN, just once or twice..

The vehicle they used to jockey completed units and yet to be built upon chassises in their lot had a front mounted hitch.

The result is my advice;;;;;; Try it and report back.

[Huntindog]

Horizon170 wrote:
I guess I have too much experience to ever need to have a front ball. That is double work IMO.
Marvin

Don't be so quick to pat yourself on the back.
With a front mounted hitch, you can park things in difficult places wayyyy easier and faster. In fact I'd wager that you can do some things that are pretty much impossible with a rear hitch. Take a look at how dealers jockey trailers around. They use some sort of front mounted hitch. These guys move trailers all day, every day for a living. They KNOW what they are doing.

[Blanco1]

Huntindog wrote:
I have done this many times... It works great. As for the visability... In my case I knew where my obstacles were, and knew that so long as I kept the side I could see in certain places, then the other side would clear.
The first time just go slow, stop get out and look a lot. Once you get it down, it is a snap.
as for the weight rating of the hitch... It needs to be strong,
but being over is not a big deal at the slow speed and short distance you will be going.

Yeah I'd likely never be moving it more than 30 feet.

[Butch50]

I thought you were going to use your Ram. There is no way I would try it with the Samurai. The front end just doesn't have the capacity to handle that kind of weight on it. What is the GAWR on it and how much does the front axle weigh. You are already using up some the axle rating with the big tires and wheels unless you upgraded from the stock axles. Also what is the trailer weight and tongue weight?

[Horizon170]

I guess I have too much experience to ever need to have a front ball. That is double work IMO.
Marvin

[pnichols]

I have no problem launching our boat using the rear hitch of our motorhome: Before launching I just bungee-cord the boat rod across the rear of the boat with a red flag tied onto each end of the rod ... then I just back down by watching the two red flags in the rear view mirrors. A piece of cake.

[Huntindog]

I have done this many times... It works great. As for the visability... In my case I knew where my obstacles were, and knew that so long as I kept the side I could see in certain places, then the other side would clear.
The first time just go slow, stop get out and look a lot. Once you get it down, it is a snap.
as for the weight rating of the hitch... It needs to be strong,
but being over is not a big deal at the slow speed and short distance you will be going.

[Blanco1]

Bumpyroad wrote:

Mandalay Parr wrote:
Seems to me it would be easier to navigate with a front hitch. My H2 Hummer had one front and rear.

yep, lots of boats launched that way.
bumpy

As does my Dodge Dually.
But I worry about the limited room to move around with such a big truck?

[Blanco1]

Ivylog wrote:
There is a big difference in what you can see with a boat on the front. IF the 90 degree turn is to the left with the TT on the front then you should be able to see what's going on...to the right you will not be able to see anything.

I would never do it alone, My wife would always be there to be my eyes for me as she has done with my car trailer I back in there.

& yes I understand what your saying I've been a Truck driver most of my life.

[2oldman]

Blanco1 wrote:
Will it make that much of a difference in making a tight 90 degree turn with walls & stuff in the way.

Yes. As said, the front end turns a lot faster than the rear, but I wouldn't recommend any 90° turns.