Tongue Weight question

Question

I have a 12' slide in camper that hangs 48" off the back of my 2004 Deisel Ford F350 Super Duty Dually truck. I want to carry my motorcycle on a bike carrier on the tongue of the 48" extension.  The bike and carrier weigh 700 lbs.  I know I will need a good Class V hitch (TorkLift) and Super Truss.  The 48" Super Truss is rated at 600 lbs.  Can anyone tell me if there is any tolerances in tongue weights?  Would it be safe for me to do this?   I really don't want to have to pull a trailer with my bike in it if I can avoid it.

trackrig · Answer

That's a lot of weight leveraged that far behind the hitch. If the camper is 48" past the end of the truck, doesn't the motorcycle carrier have to be even further out, maybe 60" to take into account the handlebars?

Have you considered carrying it on the front end?

Bill

bedlam · Answer

For that size bike, I think you need to go with a trailer or at least a motorcycle front wheel dolly. I don't think I've seen any front receivers with that much weight capacity, so that is not an option (even if you have sufficient axle capacity). Although the SuperTruss can handle more equalized weight, you would be exceeding design limitations by 100 lbs dead hitch weight. What's your rear axle weight and tire capacity now without the bike on the rear? You may not even have the rear axle capacity.

_dj_1 · Answer

I carry my bike with a 48" Super Truss but the bike and carrier are only 300#. Plus my bake carrier is welded to the top of the end of the truss so it doesn't have that additional 18" from the hitch. That is 66" from the hitch which should further downgrade the SH rating.

Don't know what your bike weighs but front frame mounted receivers are usually rated at 500#.

Sounds like you need a lighter bike or a trailer.

sugarhillctd · Answer

Even if the truck, hitch and extension could handle that weight, I can imagine that the bike would be bouncing around quite a bit as various bumps are encountered as you went down the road.

I would be wondering if the bike and/or carrier would be in one piece when you arrive. I can see hitch or carrier welds breaking.

I ride a BMW K100RS4V that is about 600# full of gas and wouldn't put it on a carrier without an extension

raften · Answer

Plus the fact that with a 48 inch extension the ball can move up and down 2 or 3 inches  when hitting a bump.

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