trailer tongue

[wanderingbob]

Silly question ! If ya gonna pull a trailer behind your TC and need a one foot extension on the hitch ball , which is better structurally , geometrically or what ever , a one foot extension or a one foot longer tongue . I kinda think that weight on back of truck would be the same , what do ya think ?

[Super_Dave]

burningman wrote:
how many of you use a hitch extension when your camper isn't on and you don't have to? Why not?

My Rocktamers are secured to my extension and I often tow without the camper on so my extension is always on.

[Super_Dave]

I'm only replying as a point of reference with my experience for the last 10 years. I have a 15" hitch extension along with a 8" drop hitch to pull my 3,500 - 4,000 lbs. boat. My camper is an 850, so it takes about 18" overall to get the ball out from under the bumper. No problems whatsoever. One thing that happens when adding extensions of any kind, there is more slop in the connections. I installed a couple of hitch tighteners and all is rock solid.

[fpoole]

deserteagle56 wrote:


Absolutely correct.
Rather than modifying my trailers my solution was to sell the old trailers and custom order new ones with an extended tongue. The trailer manufacturers had no problem with that, and the added cost for the tongue extension was only about $100.

Hmmmm.. nice idea, I like it as I've been carrying around a 24" stinger/extender and was concerned on tongue weight on a simple 7x14' open trailer with a RZR... so I will look into that option..
Thanks..

[burningman]

Hmm. I seem to have stretched my own trailer tongue at home with a pretty cheap wire-feed mig.

I don't think the question was "what is easy to do with bolt on parts"', it was "which is structurally better".
If you aren't a good welder and able to figure out how to build something strong, you couid take the trailer to someone who is and have it made however you want for less than the $$ you spend on one of those Super Hitches and crazy extensions that decrease your safe capacity.

There's no way you can show that hanging the hitch further behind the axle is structurally better. It just isn't - and as indisputable "you guys prove it your own selves", how many of you use a hitch extension when your camper isn't on and you don't have to? Why not?

If you tow with a longer tongue and no camper on, the only ill effect is the trailer is a bit longer, which actually makes it tow straighter.

I rest my case.

[deserteagle56]

mkirsch wrote:
The problem with tongue extensions is you can't extend a trailer tongue with off the shelf, bolt on parts. To do it "right" you need to have the extension properly designed for the trailer and properly installed by someone skilled in the art and science of welding. It's not something you can just do in your garage with a $90 Harbor Freight flux core welder.

Absolutely correct.
Rather than modifying my trailers my solution was to sell the old trailers and custom order new ones with an extended tongue. The trailer manufacturers had no problem with that, and the added cost for the tongue extension was only about $100.

[mkirsch]

The problem with tongue extensions is you can't extend a trailer tongue with off the shelf, bolt on parts. To do it "right" you need to have the extension properly designed for the trailer and properly installed by someone skilled in the art and science of welding. It's not something you can just do in your garage with a $90 Harbor Freight flux core welder.

On the other hand, receiver extensions are somewhat widely available, and are a simple bolt-on solution.

If you have a 2-1/2" square receiver, I would get a Curt weldable receiver tube of the appropriate length, drill a 5/8" cross hole to secure it in the receiver at the proper length, and install your 2" shank in that.

That's what I did. It's very strong, secure, and slop free. I've towed as much as 800lbs of tongue weight, and easily 6000lbs of trailer, with it at 12" with no noticeable deflection.

[languiduck]

You're right, and that's good you haven't had any issues. It all depends on what the current tongue length is and the overhang and height of his camper as to if it's going to work. Too many variables to give the poster a proper answer. He has to see for himself.

[burningman]

languiduck wrote:
Depends on the load you are carrying. If it's a light load I'd use an extra long ball mount or fabricate one. Those extensions suck to use. Too much slop.
If you're towing heavy you could extend the tongue...maybe. It will make it a PITA to hook up because you'll be reaching under the camper. Then you have a good chance of jamming the tongue up in the camper at something like an uneven intersection or any ground with a drastic elevation change.

But I have been using a trailer with a four-foot extended tongue since 2003 and have never had that problem.
As for PITA, try having to install and remove a four foot extension every time you put your camper on/off.

I do this with a trailer that's often loaded to 10,000 pounds. I sure wouldn't want that hanging out on the end of a four foot extension.

For only one foot, either is fine.

[stevenal]

Hitch extensions reduce your hitch rating by 50%. Tongue lengthening reduces your tongue weight, unless other adjustments are made. I found the best option was an extra long draw bar.

[jaycocreek]

jmtandem wrote:

which is better structurally

Which is better for what? The truck or the trailer. I would go with a longer tongue for the trailer if all other things were equal. If you extend the tongue of the trailer be certain that the tongue extension can handle the trailer's weight. Otherwise there is always Torklift that makes a truck receiver and an extension that is strong and works.

I just went through this.With an extension you will lose approximately 50% of rated hitch numbers,with a hitch ball with a longer shank,you lose nothing in rated capacities..Example from e-trailer for a 12" hitch/ball
(4285 Draw-Tite Ball Mount for 2" Hitches - 3" Rise, 4" Drop - 12" Long - 12,000 lbs)..

I ended up getting an extension because My ATV trailer is only rated for 2,000 pounds and the hitch extension is rated at 350/3500 pounds which works for my application.If I got a larger trailer I would have to go with the hitch ball setup at 16" long for 6,000 pounds.

[languiduck]

Depends on the load you are carrying. If it's a light load I'd use an extra long ball mount or fabricate one. Those extensions suck to use. Too much slop.
If you're towing heavy you could extend the tongue...maybe. It will make it a PITA to hook up because you'll be reaching under the camper. Then you have a good chance of jamming the tongue up in the camper at something like an uneven intersection or any ground with a drastic elevation change.

[burningman]

I have an 11.5 on a pickup. It needs a four-foot extension. I choose to stretch my trailer tongue because the physics are so much better.
Lots of people say if you do that you'll hit the camper on a steep angle, but you'll bottom out on the ground in the same place with an extended hitch. Neither is well suited for extreme off-roarding but in many thousands of miles I've never had a problem like that.

With only a one-foot trailer tongue stretch needed to clear your camper I think it would take a pretty extreme angle before you had a clearance problem.

Another benefit of stretching your trailer tongue instead of using a hitch extension is it makes one less thing you have to do every time you load or unload your camper.

[Kayteg1]

You always gain here and loose there.
Shorter extension puts less stress on truck hitching and helps with truck weight distribution, but when trailer tongue goes under camper, crossing a ditch can bring a disaster even if corners clear on jack-knifing.

[HMS_Beagle]

One foot won't make a huge difference either way. But generally speaking, you will be better off with a longer trailer tongue than a a hitch extension. The tongue weight will be applied closer to the truck's axle which is better both structurally and dynamically.