Cargo trailers with tongue extensions

[zcookiemonstar]

I know many of you have said in the past you have trailers with tongue extensions instead of a hitch extension. So those of you who do this how long is your tongue and how much does your camper overhang. What is your setup?

[zcookiemonstar]

Grit dog wrote:
^Truck is short and loaded with a camper. Looks like the right hitch offset from the pic.

I didn't notice anyone saying it was wrong

[burningman]

adamis wrote:
I undertook this project for my cargo trailer. I asked a welding shop to make the tongue extendable so that I could eliminate the hitch extension. The result is a tongue that can be extended ~3ft to reach my hitch under the camper. All I have to do is pull a pin on the trailer, slide the tongue out the 3ft and then put the pin back in.

Granted... This idea works only on campers like my Bigfoot where the bottom of the camper is flush with the bed of the truck. Other extended campers tend to have lower overhangs which would prevent this from working. I have been very happy with this setup and I have hundreds if not thousands of miles with it so far. If you have a trailer that you are going to be towing on a regular basis with the truck and camper combination, this is certainly worth considering if your setup allows for it.

[/be quote]

That is fantastic. That’s how dump truck trailers work, except they do it just to increase their bridge when loaded.

[Grit_dog]

^Truck is short and loaded with a camper. Looks like the right hitch offset from the pic.

[adamis]

My truck is 2WD so it doesn't have a lift which would require the drop ball mount.

[zcookiemonstar]

adamis wrote:
I undertook this project for my cargo trailer. I asked a welding shop to make the tongue extendable so that I could eliminate the hitch extension. The result is a tongue that can be extended ~3ft to reach my hitch under the camper. All I have to do is pull a pin on the trailer, slide the tongue out the 3ft and then put the pin back in.

Granted... This idea works only on campers like my Bigfoot where the bottom of the camper is flush with the bed of the truck. Other extended campers tend to have lower overhangs which would prevent this from working. I have been very happy with this setup and I have hundreds if not thousands of miles with it so far. If you have a trailer that you are going to be towing on a regular basis with the truck and camper combination, this is certainly worth considering if your setup allows for it.

Interesting setup. I am surprised to see that your ball mount is set up in a rise position. Most trucks that I have noticed always have a drop ball mount. You must have a tall trailer.

[adamis]

I undertook this project for my cargo trailer. I asked a welding shop to make the tongue extendable so that I could eliminate the hitch extension. The result is a tongue that can be extended ~3ft to reach my hitch under the camper. All I have to do is pull a pin on the trailer, slide the tongue out the 3ft and then put the pin back in.

Granted... This idea works only on campers like my Bigfoot where the bottom of the camper is flush with the bed of the truck. Other extended campers tend to have lower overhangs which would prevent this from working. I have been very happy with this setup and I have hundreds if not thousands of miles with it so far. If you have a trailer that you are going to be towing on a regular basis with the truck and camper combination, this is certainly worth considering if your setup allows for it.

[noteven]

In class 8 trucks when you increase wheelbase or axle to hitch point on a trailer weight distribution from one end to the other is “quicker” as cargo is moved. With a short vehicle the effect is less. Something to do with lever and beam math which is above my pay grade.

I’m not sure if rv’s is the same....

[Bedlam]

Euro trailers are typically centered single axle with the greatest weight over the axle. They are very well balanced teeter totters that require much more care in how you load them with personal gear. Trailer shocks are not going to help fishtailing. You may want take your ideas about trailers to the appropriate forum section for additional feedback.

[Kayteg1]

noteven wrote:


It’s the rv world that like a great long wind vane of body work stuck out behind the axles so the trailer sways and tries to steer the tow vehicle.

There is much more in engineering than just rear overhang.
Why 25' TT in Europe can be towed by 3000 lb sedan, when they need 3/4 tons pickup and WD bars in America?
European trailers are build lower and usually have some kind of shock absorbing systems.
Lack of shock absorbers make for easy fishtailing.

[noteven]

My 40” Canadian tape measure engineered extension is 2-1/2” x 1/4” that fits the 2-1/2” receiver and accepts 2” hitch draw bars. It is sleeved inside with 2” x 1/4”. It is steadied by horizontal sway chains and turnbuckles to fittings on the end of the 20K receiver hitch on the truck. It is carrying approx 400lbs of tongue load/approx 3600lbs tandem enclosed trailer. I haven’t weighed it but is not anywheres near 200lbs when you pick it up to rig for towing.

Yes extending a trailer wheelbase hitch point to axle(s) centerline makes it more stable - that’s why boat trailers and goose neck stock / cargo trailers tow so nice.

It’s the rv world that like a great long wind vane of body work stuck out behind the axles so the trailer sways and tries to steer the tow vehicle.

[stevenal]

Tongue weight? Assuming the weight of the added metal is negligible in relation to the overall weight, the added lever length will work to decrease tongue weight. If the trailer in question isn't flipping end over end, the sum of the moments is always equal to zero. If it should decrease too much, you may be able to adjust the axle(s) position(s) to compensate.

[time2retire]

I made a 30", 3/16" thk. 2"x 2" piece of square steel tube with a hole for the ball and one for the pin. It fits right in the factory hitch. It was less than $30 and is stronger than the trailer tongue. My camper sticks 16" out of the bed of the truck. It works great albeit I'm only pulling a 14' aluminum boat. It was an "engineering marvel" LOL.

[zcookiemonstar]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

[zcookiemonstar]

burningman wrote:
Seems many who replied misunderstood the question. This isn't about hitch extensions.

No, a longer trailer tongue will not make the trailer tow "wonky', it'll make it tow straighter and more stable.
A longer tongue will not increase tongue weight. And depending on your setup, it takes a pretty extreme angle to hit the camper.

I stretched my trailer tongue four feet. It has plenty of clearance below the camper. It works great, and is much safer and better than putting the hitch four feet behind the truck.
You don't have to install and remove any heavy junk every time you load or unload the camper.

Nobody pulls heavy trailers on four foot hitch extensions without a camper on their truck, ever. It's obvious why not. Its no different when you do have a camper on. People do it because its the store-bought, bolt-on solution and stretching a trailer tongue is custom work.

Wow I am so glad I asked this question. I didn't even think about my sewer line under the rear of the camper. In the right or wrong situation I think that tongue would hit. Thanks Burningman you always seem to be able to understand my poor writing and answer my questions.