Extending trailer tongue for place to haul motorcycle

[workshoprat]

Really because it doesn't take much research to see this is a really common failure and every one of them have a load leveler installed! The load leveler puts a stress and bending moment on that tongue it was never designed to take!

[workshoprat]

Found an alternative option that does not require modification to my trailer!


https://youtu.be/1G1uqo06ASA

[amosnandy]

I think this is a perfect example of “just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should.”

I’ve built and modified trailers and equipment of all types and to do what you want SAFELY will require re-engineering the entire trailer frame front to back, new heavier axels and some way to balance it.

Make sure you have at least a $5,000,000 umbrella policy on your insurance for when it fails.

[vroom_vroom]

Originally Posted by amosnandy

I think this is a perfect example of “just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should.”

I’ve built and modified trailers and equipment of all types and to do what you want SAFELY will require re-engineering the entire trailer frame front to back, new heavier axels and some way to balance it.

Make sure you have at least a $5,000,000 umbrella policy on your insurance for when it fails.

Careful with a big policy, had one and got into a fender bender with one of our cars. Ambulance chaser attorney sued the insurance for the full amount of our coverage and typical the company paid [emoji2357] people suck!

[Tomahawk]

Why not just put the Harley in the back of the F350? There are some nice loaders made to slide the bike onto the truck after being setup and secured on the ground.
The bending moment thing made me think about my setup. I already have some estimates so I checked the change in bending moment at the end of the A-Frame, with and without the WDH. in my case it goes from about 26,000 inch pounds (wo/WDH) to 36,000 inch pounds (w/WDH). Not trivial. I changed my numbers so the WDH was really over cooked and it doubled the bending moment to 52,000 inch pounds. The overall max bending moment, near the TT Center of Gravity doesn't change much.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by workshoprat

Found an alternative option that does not require modification to my trailer!


https://youtu.be/1G1uqo06ASA

Link is incorrect. I opened several listed videos none are for a TT.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by tderonne

Buy the 18' camper you want. Remove the axles. Drop it on a 24' open trailer. Voila, 6' of open space for toys. And axles and frame that are up to the task.

(Somewhat common thing to do in the off road toy world. Often pickup campers are dropped onto the front of a long gooseneck trailer, leaving a large rear deck for an off road truck or buggy.)

Bingo!

[Jay D.]

Build it right and enjoy it. i wish i had the same setup, but i don't have the truck to do it. with that 4x6 or so and 300# for the sportster the added tongue weight is minimal for a f350. only problem i could see is trailer tires. but your still not adding that much weight, what maybe 500 for the extension and the cargo.
Jay D.

[Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by workshoprat

Found an alternative option that does not require modification to my trailer!


https://youtu.be/1G1uqo06ASA

I should have looked t the link. This one is better and similar to one I have seen in action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5plj0r2MM_Q

[Bill Gail]

Originally Posted by workshoprat

Went ahead and bought the trailer today. Ita a new to me 2011 eclipse milan. The f350 didnt even know it was back there. Solid as a brick at highway speeds with no load leveler! When i hooked it up it squated an inch at the most! I really don't think a 4-6 foot extension is gona be an issue with my tow rig! That ford is a beast of a towing machine!

It's not a matter of if you can build it , or if your truck can tow it , it's can you engineer it for the new weight distribution , the forces that will be applied at the connection point on an existing trailer frame that was engineered and built to the " minimum" required strength necessary. Including axles , suspension and tires being marginally capable of handling the weight of the original trailer configuration.

Now consider adding 800 to 1000 lbs for the extension and load on the front of a 4500 lb trailer .

You might consider having the trailer weighed to determine actual total weight , tongue weight and axle weight distribution.

It would be good to know before putting an increase in the trailers overall weight of nearly 25% in front of the axles.

An overweight tongue will produce instability while towing , as will to little tongue weight.

Whether you build it is your decision , I just want everyone to be safe .

[Bill Gail]

Originally Posted by Jay D.

Build it right and enjoy it. i wish i had the same setup, but i don't have the truck to do it. with that 4x6 or so and 300# for the sportster the added tongue weight is minimal for a f350. only problem i could see is trailer tires. but your still not adding that much weight, what maybe 500 for the extension and the cargo.
Jay D.

300# would be a 350 Honda ( 328 #)

My calcs show ,

Frame extension and additional reinforcing =500 #

Harley Sportster = 590 #

Total = 1,090 #

4900 # trailer / 15% tongue weight = 735 #

Figuring an 50/50 split of the additional weight , that's 1280 # tongue / 4710 # on the axles.

These are all dry weights , figure additional 1000# for load .

That's another 150 # on tongue and 850 # on axles .

Total Tongue 1430 # / trailer axles 5,560 #

These are the numbers I would use to check tongue and axle capacities .

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by tderonne

Buy the 18' camper you want. Remove the axles. Drop it on a 24' open trailer. Voila, 6' of open space for toys. And axles and frame that are up to the task.

(Somewhat common thing to do in the off road toy world. Often pickup campers are dropped onto the front of a long gooseneck trailer, leaving a large rear deck for an off road truck or buggy.)

Other than just putting the bike, etc. in the back of the truck, THIS is the answer......positioning of the trailer body and it's effect on tongue weight would be critical. I'd use a car trailer with a much higher GVWR than the TT. I've built several trailers from scratch (I own a metal fabrication company) but this would be what I'd do if I wanted to do what the OP suggests.


Dave

[workshoprat]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk

I should have looked t the link. This one is better and similar to one I have seen in action.

I think im pretty well committed to building one like I posted on you tube. All the other types are just to motorcycle specific. The one like I posted is a nice wide platform that can be used for a wide array of stuff. Gives it far more functionality than the units that are motorcycle specific! With the other units when your not hauling a bike the bed is totally useless!

[charliez]

I think this is not a bad idea at all. I see many times others are quick to scold you for things and drop the your gonna get sued line, when it's something they wouldn't do or wouldn't have any idea how to do it. Just because you didn't go to a fancy college and get expensive papers and you don't have a fancy job title, doesn't mean you don't have the brains to figure something out. I've been trying to figure out how to take my bike and camper along at the same time. I looked a toy haulers and they are way overpriced for what you get. Many, the camper part isn't that accommodating and they won't hold two large bikes. As far as putting a large bike in the back of a truck, if you don't have one you won't understand. There's no way I would attempt that unless there was easy access to a correct height loading dock.



The biggest drawback to this idea I can see is resale later. After owning a few TT's, they don't last forever and you might want to upgrade to something bigger one day. If I were the OP, I would take it on a few trips and see how I liked it before I went for this mod. If it's something that really fits you then go for it.