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SHANK question

HawkTX
Explorer
Explorer
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.

29 REPLIES 29

TomG2
Explorer
Explorer
One can tow with a two foot long stinger, be 1000 pounds over ratings, and not use a brake controller. Until that bus load of school kids pulls out in front of you. Relatively easy to relocate the jack and keep the trailer snugged up to the tow vehicle.

hawkeye-08
Explorer II
Explorer II
Perhaps you don't need one 6" longer (from 12" to 18"), maybe you could figure out how much longer you need, add a little bit, then drill a hole in shank so it sticks out far enough for tailgate to clear jack, but not to far.

Blazing_Zippers
Explorer II
Explorer II
I've used a longer hitch shank on two trailers and two different tow vehicles with no problem. Works fine. Both trailers weighed right at 10,000 lbs and have been towed maybe 18,000 miles combined.

TomG2
Explorer
Explorer
As in most things, "Follow the money". Dealers love selling a hundred dollars worth of iron for six hundred dollars at the closing. There is a time and place for WD hitches. I own and use one when required. I have owned several. Their popularity was promoted and needed more when we towed with sedans and station wagons. Ever see Grandpa's 58 Buick hitched to his Airstream with the back end six inches lower than the front? Modern pickups with payloads of 2,000-4,000 pounds are entirely different animals. But the myths linger on.

Hannibal
Explorer
Explorer
Which begs the question. Some engineers say use WD when towing a trailer above half the weight of the TV. In 2010, engineers decided I needed to use WD when towing a trailer above the total weight of my truck at 6k~ lbs. Now, the engineers at Ford have decided, with a 2020 duplicate of my truck, I can tow a trailer weighing over twice the truck’s weight without WD. What changed as far as physics goes? Leverage is leverage. Weight off the front is the same. Upgrading the hitch does not change the rating of the truck they say. Yet Ford has effectively done exactly that.
My hitch is rated for 600 lbs dead weight. Apparently, that includes a 500 lb motorcycle on a 100 lb carrier 24 inches out from the pin. This puts 1200 lbs of downward torque on the receiver. All peachy! If I tow our travel trailer on a short 6” drawbar, it’s 1,100 lb tongue weight would put 550 lb/ft of downward torque on the receiver. This, according to the engineers, would be way above the receiver’s weight rating.
Countless contractors tow dump trailers with often over 2,000 lbs of tongue weight on receivers rated to tow far less than half that weight with no trouble. Where do these arbitrary ratings numbers come from? Engineers? Lawyers? Marketing departments?
2020 F250 STX CC SB 7.3L 10spd 3.55 4x4
2010 F250 XLT CC SB 5.4L 5spdTS 3.73
ex '95 Cummins,'98 12v Cummins,'01.5 Cummins,'03 Cummins; '05 Hemi
2017 Jayco 28RLS TT 32.5'

Hannibal
Explorer
Explorer
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


Me thinks perhaps the engineers at Reese realize not everyone uses WD when it’s not needed. Even still, side forces aren’t reduced with WD. A shorter draw bar will reduce side forces. In my humble opinion, WD is a crutch for not enough truck. Mine included.
2020 F250 STX CC SB 7.3L 10spd 3.55 4x4
2010 F250 XLT CC SB 5.4L 5spdTS 3.73
ex '95 Cummins,'98 12v Cummins,'01.5 Cummins,'03 Cummins; '05 Hemi
2017 Jayco 28RLS TT 32.5'

TomG2
Explorer
Explorer
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


Here is what you are missing. It is not only about WD hitches. Many people don't use them, for one thing. The other is the effect on emergency handling. Imagine which is more stable in a hard swerve to avoid an accident. Moving the ball farther from the rear axle increases the chance of the "tail wagging the dog". A five foot lever will have more effect than a four footer. Pretty simple. Just because some people get by with their setup doesn't prove anything, Some people tow without brake controllers for years. Ron had some good ideas but missed the effect on lateral stability not just weight distribution. The closer one can keep the ball to the rear axle, the better. Move the jack if it interferes with tailgate.

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
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
Huntindog
100% boondocking
2021 Grand Design Momentum 398M
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104 gal grey, 104 black,158 fresh
FullBodyPaint, 3,8Kaxles, DiscBrakes
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2020 Silverado HighCountry CC DA 4X4 DRW

OleManOleCan
Explorer
Explorer
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


A longer Shank will mess with the Tongue Weight.
I had that problem with my last trailer and vehicle.
I lived with it. I don't like the idea of making towing and backing up a little different. Why make it more difficult?
My simple hack was to put things in my F-150 before I hitched up, and to unload my truck after I unhitch.

OleManOleCan
Explorer
Explorer
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


A longer Shank will mess with the Tongue Weight.
I had that problem with my last trailer and vehicle.
I lived with it. I don't like the idea of making towing and backing up a little different. Why make it more difficult?
My simple hack was to put things in my F-150 before I hitched up, and to unload my truck after I unhitch.

TurnThePage
Explorer
Explorer
I replaced my 12" drawbar with an 18" for just the same reasons listed. I can now lower my tailgate without worry. I was able to notice some difference, but it was negligible. I can't tell anymore at all.
2015 Ram 1500
2022 Grand Design Imagine XLS 22RBE

TomG2
Explorer
Explorer
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


I specifically said EXTENSION. If you don't understand engineering, don't read my stuff.

Pretty easy to fabricate a rearward jack mount for those of us capable of such things.

LarryJM
Explorer
Explorer
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
2001 standard box 7.3L E-350 PSD Van with 4.10 rear and 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite 8306S Been RV'ing since 1974.
RAINKAP INSTALL////ETERNABOND INSTALL

HawkTX
Explorer
Explorer
After much deliberation I think I'm going to stay with my current shank. If opening the tailgate becomes an issue I will look at it again. I appreciate everyone's thoughts and input. Good feedback!