Mar-06-2020 01:55 PM
Mar-10-2020 11:01 AM
Mar-10-2020 09:46 AM
Mar-09-2020 10:07 PM
Mar-09-2020 06:50 AM
Mar-09-2020 06:31 AM
Mar-09-2020 05:44 AM
Huntindog wrote:
Years ago when this was discussed, Ron Gratz weighed in with the following comment.
" A first year engineering student would think that the longer drawbar would reduce capacity due to more leverage on the reciever. A second year student would know that the WD bar force is increased by this leaverage"Ron Gratz comment
Old thread on this with some manufacturer quotes
Mar-09-2020 01:13 AM
Huntindog wrote:Huntindog wrote:
Years ago when this was discussed, Ron Gratz weighed in withthe following comment.
" A first year enfgineering student would think that the longer drawbar would reduce capacity due to more leverage on the reciever. A second year student would know that the WD bar force is increased by this leaverage"
Ron Gratz comment
Mar-09-2020 12:36 AM
Mar-08-2020 10:38 PM
CaLBaR wrote:HawkTX wrote:
I have a 23ft trailer and I recently went from a GMC Yukon to a Ford F150/Raptor. The shank and old hitch works fine after some adjustments, but I noticed today I can't open the tailgate without it hitting my tongue jack. The fix would be to go from a 12 inch shank to a 18 inch shank. Not a huge difference, but was curious if others have done this and does it compromise ride, etc.? I've always had motorhomes and 5th wheels so I'm sorry for the NEWB question and thanks in advance for your thoughts. Here is a picture of it with the 12 inch and it rides great. Hate to compromise that, but I would like to be able to open the tailgate while hooked up.
You could try to go to an 18" shank so you can open the tailgate. It might not tow as nice because now the trailer is another 6" further from the truck's rear axle.
I have always had that problem too so I just lived with it and it never bothered me. I always wanted to get the trailer tongue as close to the rear axle as possible for towing stability.
Try it if it doesn't tow as nice you will only be out the price of the shank.
Rob
Mar-08-2020 10:36 PM
CaLBaR wrote:HawkTX wrote:
I have a 23ft trailer and I recently went from a GMC Yukon to a Ford F150/Raptor. The shank and old hitch works fine after some adjustments, but I noticed today I can't open the tailgate without it hitting my tongue jack. The fix would be to go from a 12 inch shank to a 18 inch shank. Not a huge difference, but was curious if others have done this and does it compromise ride, etc.? I've always had motorhomes and 5th wheels so I'm sorry for the NEWB question and thanks in advance for your thoughts. Here is a picture of it with the 12 inch and it rides great. Hate to compromise that, but I would like to be able to open the tailgate while hooked up.
You could try to go to an 18" shank so you can open the tailgate. It might not tow as nice because now the trailer is another 6" further from the truck's rear axle.
I have always had that problem too so I just lived with it and it never bothered me. I always wanted to get the trailer tongue as close to the rear axle as possible for towing stability.
Try it if it doesn't tow as nice you will only be out the price of the shank.
Rob
Mar-08-2020 08:36 PM
Mar-08-2020 05:53 PM
LarryJM wrote:TomG2 wrote:
Basic physics will demonstrate that the farther the load is from the rear axle, the less desirable it is. One reason that fifth wheel trailers tow so well is that the "tongue weight" is right over the axle. Reese says to reduce ratings by fifty percent when using a eight inch extension. I relocated the jack four inches rearward in order to open the tailgate and not affect the leverage that the tongue weight has on the tow vehicle. Six inches may not seem like much, but to understand the forces involved,imagine moving it back six feet.
IMO there is a TON of BUM and/or misleading info in the above post and would strongly recommend for folks to basically ignore the entire post. That 50% reduction is for a receiver extension NOT A LONGER DRAWBAR. As Hunting mentioned having the dreawbar longer actual increasing the leverage that the WDH can exert which is just the opposite of what most are mistakenly assuming.
I have been using an 16/18 in drawbar for almost 40 years w/o any issues or lack of stability/ride quality. I have the longer draw bar so I can open the rear doors on my Van while hooked up.
Larry
Mar-08-2020 03:52 PM
TomG2 wrote:
Basic physics will demonstrate that the farther the load is from the rear axle, the less desirable it is. One reason that fifth wheel trailers tow so well is that the "tongue weight" is right over the axle. Reese says to reduce ratings by fifty percent when using a eight inch extension. I relocated the jack four inches rearward in order to open the tailgate and not affect the leverage that the tongue weight has on the tow vehicle. Six inches may not seem like much, but to understand the forces involved,imagine moving it back six feet.
Mar-08-2020 09:52 AM