Heavy duty hitch extension??

8wj2r5w wrote:
I have a Mega Cab dually Ram that I use to tow a 15K race trailer. I want to get a camper for the truck, but the highest capacity hitch/extension setup I can find is the Torklift. Their extension is only rated at 12K and worse, only 1200 lbs tongue weight. My trailer is over 2000 lbs tongue weight. Has anyone on here had anything custom built to tow heavy trailers? Thanks!

What about this...

https://www.truckcamperadventure.com/new-tag-axle-improves-truck-camper-hauling-options/

I’ve pulled a 23 ft TT behind my truck. It was no issue at all. I couldn’t even feel it was there. YMMV, but not all trucks are created equal. I’ve also pulled a smaller TT on a 1000 mile trip, it was a smaller one, but again, the only way I knew it was there is that I kept looking to make sure it was still there. It was fully loaded for a week long trip.

The point is with the proper gearing and truck, pulling a trailer isn’t much of an issue for trucks that are rated for 24K loads even if some of the weight is a TC.

Pete_k wrote:
Here you go and this guy is doing it Commercial. 3500 ram with the trailer extended to the factory hitch..

I would bet that trailer has nowhere near 2000lbs of tongue weight.

I had the smallest Arctic Fox truck camper, the 811.

I also have an 8.5x20 race trailer with a 10k GVWR. My first trip with the trailer, I loaded my well built Jeep TJ in it. The trailer was a little over 10k.
It was not a pleasant experiencing hauling nearly 4k lbs in the truck bed and towing that much weight.

I never hauled the Jeep in the trailer again.

If I had a need to haul that much or more trailer weight again, I wouldn't be doing it with a truck and camper. I'd get a Renegade toterhome.

Pete_k wrote:
Here you go and this guy is doing it Commercial. 3500 ram with the trailer extended to the factory hitch.

Looks like he needs a weight distribution hitch, air bags, or both.

Here you go and this guy is doing it Commercial. 3500 ram with the trailer extended to the factory hitch.

Click For Full-Size Image.


Click For Full-Size Image.

NRALIFR wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
It looks like the safety hitch floats up/down in relation to to TV. If the camper overhangs the back of bed the tongue would hit.

It does, and it could. Depends on the camper and the truck it’s on. Not every 10-12 ft camper hangs down as much as mine does. Fitment is the operators responsibility just like with an extended hitch. I’d sooner tow a heavy race trailer with the Automated Safety Hitch than any extended hitch though.

Even if the bottom of camper does not drop below bed level, but extends 2 feet behind the bed clearance could be nothing pulling in a drive off a crowned street. 4 feet? Might hear a bang crossing a bridge. Now I do agree, more axles are better, and a long extension on hitch is a bad idea.
Extended tongue, still need to worry about bottom of camper, but less weight on drive axle, less increase in OAL

noteven wrote:
What part of how an Automated Safety Hitch or an Idaho Tote works don’t folks understand?

They attach in 2 places so they don’t pivot like a trailer. The axle has brakes. They self steer. They carry a load or hitch load...

This concept is not new or physics defying... see concrete mixers with booster axles or dump trucks with flying tag axles.

Small simple versions were found under whatchamacallit truck campers back 30 or 40 year ago.

If you look at trucks with a axle made like that, there is nothing to stop upward travel of that axle. With the thing pushed in this thread, it must have a hinge so it can float up/down, or the vehicle could not be controlled on uneven ground.

Noted OP says not really interested in product, but question about if Automated Safety Hitch still available prompted me to send email and ask. Below is note I received from them.


{ sales/safetyhitch.com

We have been in business delivering Automated Safety Hitch since August, 2008 without interruption. Presently we are delivering 22 per month, soon to be 44 then 66 or 88 per month.

We expect to have ten production lines, (two shifts), open by years end with each production line producing an average 22 per month.

We are signing on dealers so that nobody in North America will have to travel more than 150 miles to see one and experience riding in a demonstration.

Thank you for asking,
Michele }

What part of how an Automated Safety Hitch or an Idaho Tote works don’t folks understand?

They attach in 2 places so they don’t pivot like a trailer. The axle has brakes. They self steer. They carry a load or hitch load...

This concept is not new or physics defying... see concrete mixers with booster axles or dump trucks with flying tag axles.

Small simple versions were found under whatchamacallit truck campers back 30 or 40 year ago.

JRscooby wrote:
It looks like the safety hitch floats up/down in relation to to TV. If the camper overhangs the back of bed the tongue would hit.

It does, and it could. Depends on the camper and the truck it’s on. Not every 10-12 ft camper hangs down as much as mine does. Fitment is the operators responsibility just like with an extended hitch. I’d sooner tow a heavy race trailer with the Automated Safety Hitch than any extended hitch though.

As far as the company is concerned, I have no idea if they’re still around or not. The website makes it appear that they’re still in business, and it has a 2021 copyright on it, if that means anything.

:):)