CUSTOM FABRICATED BALL MOUNT?

[Dragonfly]

I had a previous post about pushing my 19ft Airstream back enough to drop my tailgate. I thought I had it solved with a 13 ¼ inch (pin hole to middle of ball) hitch. After turning my jack sideways I was A FEW FRACTIONS OF AN INCH SHORT of being able to drop the tailgate!

Now I find that the next size up I can find (with out a huge rise or drop) is 16 inches. The 13 ¼ inch length worked well, ride and handling wise. Ideally I would like a 14 inch length but 16 worries me.

The only solution I see is this 14" "raw" ball mount bar from e-trailer, to which I would have to weld a ball mount platform. I wonder about its capacity but, in that it is solid steel I would think that it would handle my 4,800 lb max Airstream with a 550 lb hitch weight.

Any thoughts? Here is the raw bar. http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessories/Curt/D31.html

[Dragonfly]

CONCLUSION TO A CUSTOM FABRICATED BALL MOUNT

Thanks for all of your input. I concluded that since I am so far under the tow and tongue weight, as well as payload, that I would go ahead with the 16 inch, pin hole to ball center, ball carrier and turning my jack sideways to get my tailgate down. It could have worked with a 1 to 2 inches shorter ball carrier but actually, I think I might have run into problems if the trailer and truck weren't aligned perfectly straight. When the truck and trailer are at a slight angle, the tailgate nestles up pretty close to the jack column with the 16 incher. Anything less and I think it might hit.

Cutting the ball carrier shorter and drilling a new hole might have worked also. I suspect all the warnings not to do that related to liability. And, it certainly would have voided any warranty.

In any case, my first trail run was smooth, with no sway or jerking both on bumpy, pot holed roads as well as at highway speed. My first trial with a shorter 13 ¼ hitch didn't have any sway but I did feel a very slight bit of bounce and probably a little jerkiness than with the shorter ball mount. HOWEVER, I quickly discovered that the trailer was at or just below level. By turning the ball mount over and getting a ¾ inch rise, enough of the weight was pushed back that the smooth, effortless, Airstream ride returned. Right now I am just barely above level and have that Airstream ride so far. If I need to lift it just a bit more I could use an extended ball to gain a small increment of height but, I think it will be OK as is.

My last task is to weigh all three axels and make sure that I am OK with weight distribution. With my truck specs and the weight of the Airstream I don't think I need a weight distribution hitch. It feels balanced but I will confirm with a trip to the scales.

I have jerked on the steering wheel pretty hard to check sway and the truck's built in sway control along with Airstream's torsion bar axel doesn't allow more than two shakes of the trailer before straightening out. Someday I may add both weight distribution and sway control just as an extra margin of safety but there is no immediate indication of the need.

Thanks again for all of the GREAT input. Photos of the setup are included.

[jaycocamprs]

The 16" drawbar should give you enough room to redrill the hole and still have a 1 3/8" of metal between the holes. Then keep a watch for any deformation of the new hole. With a trailer that light I would not expect any problems. I have done this with no problem.

[Sport45]

You could get a gooseneck tailgate that has the cutout in the middle. Then you'd be able to bring the ball up closer to the truck.

[Sport45]

Dragonfly wrote:

Sport45 wrote:
Or buy the 16" and drill a hole 2" further out. Cut off anything that that sticks too far out the back side of the receiver.

I really wanted to do that although I figured it might be problematic. Sure enough I have had MANY warnings NOT to do that.

What problems do they say you will have? Unless the thing has some special heat treatment I can't imagine a problem with shortening the reach by drilling a hole.

Maybe you can drill a hole in your receiver 2" further back. 🙂

[Bedlam]

Torklift makes double truss extensions up to 5' long and receivers that can handle the leverage exerted with that length. A lighter duty setup would be a Class V hitch with single truss extension. Ideally you will want chains triangulating the extension to the outside corners of the receiver to reduce side forces. Check out the truck camper section where this is common.

[Dragonfly]

Sport45 wrote:
Or buy the 16" and drill a hole 2" further out. Cut off anything that that sticks too far out the back side of the receiver.

I really wanted to do that although I figured it might be problematic. Sure enough I have had MANY warnings NOT to do that.

[Dragonfly]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

Dragonfly wrote:

DSteiner51 wrote:
I'd be more concerned about the receiver being able to take the extra leverage. The bar I wouldn't worry about.

It is a class IV receiver, part of the truck's HD payload and towing package. Others have pushed their TT or boats of similar weight (3800-4500 lbs) back even further and done OK. I am only pushing back about 4.5 inches over the 9.5" triple ball I was using. I am well under the max towing and tongue weight and, I know better than to do it with a hitch extension. But I will investigate the impact to be sure.

Actually, my worry is about a strong enough plate to hold the ball and the weld from our local welding shop.

If it's a solid shank regular hitch why not just take it to a machine shop and have them redrill the pin hole 1" closer to the end?

The existing hole is the pin hole. The shank needs a small plate with a one inch hole welded on the other end to hold the ball. Plate on top = ¾ inch or so rise. Flip it and plate on bottom = about a two inch drop. Then it needs to be painted. Unfortunately it won't be powder coated but that is OK.

Also, I thought about cutting down the manufactured 16 inch a few inches and drilling a new pin hole. I worried about the wisdom of that and sure enough have had MANY warnings about not doing that.

[Sport45]

Or buy the 16" and drill a hole 2" further out. Cut off anything that that sticks too far out the back side of the receiver.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Dragonfly wrote:

DSteiner51 wrote:
I'd be more concerned about the receiver being able to take the extra leverage. The bar I wouldn't worry about.

It is a class IV receiver, part of the truck's HD payload and towing package. Others have pushed their TT or boats of similar weight (3800-4500 lbs) back even further and done OK. I am only pushing back about 4.5 inches over the 9.5" triple ball I was using. I am well under the max towing and tongue weight and, I know better than to do it with a hitch extension. But I will investigate the impact to be sure.

Actually, my worry is about a strong enough plate to hold the ball and the weld from our local welding shop.

If it's a solid shank regular hitch why not just take it to a machine shop and have them redrill the pin hole 1" closer to the end?

[Dragonfly]

DSteiner51 wrote:
I'd be more concerned about the receiver being able to take the extra leverage. The bar I wouldn't worry about.

It is a class IV receiver, part of the truck's HD payload and towing package. Others have pushed their TT or boats of similar weight (3800-4500 lbs) back even further and done OK. I am only pushing back about 4.5 inches over the 9.5" triple ball I was using. I am well under the max towing and tongue weight and, I know better than to do it with a hitch extension. But I will investigate the impact to be sure.

Actually, my worry is about a strong enough plate to hold the ball and the weld from our local welding shop.

[DSteiner51]

I'd be more concerned about the receiver being able to take the extra leverage. The bar I wouldn't worry about.

[boogie_4wheel]

Dragonfly wrote:
I wonder about its capacity but, in that it is solid steel I would think that it would handle my 4,800 lb max Airstream with a 550 lb hitch weight.

Oh yeah, that is adequate for your trailer weight. Easily adequate.