Trailer hitch

[danh63]

I'm in the process of building a new drop hitch. My other one hangs way out there. Is there a certain distance that it should stick out of the receiver?

[cigdaze]

Just far enough that your trailer coupler won't interfere with anything.
The shorter the distance the better - the smaller the moment arm, the less induced stress.

What do you mean by building? Are there not any available load-certified ones out there?
I'd hate to find myself in an accident situation with a home-made hitch.

[Chris]

If it broke, you'd probably have an issue with your insurance. If it was a few grand, they'd pay it and move on. If it were a big accident or a serious injury/fatality they'd most likely look to avoid writing a big check.

[danh63]

I have a 6" lift and 37's and can't really find one that will adjust low enough. The one I have now is close but not far enough down. My Uncle is doing most of the fab work and it is almost the same as the one that I bought except for a few more holes to adjust it down lower. It is almost down and I'll post up some pictures when finished. I have towed some heavy equipment and it bent my receiver down a little and we thing that my current hitch sticking out so far was the reason for this and wanted to shorten the new one. So far we have come up with about 5"inches from the receiver

[Chris]

There's a reason you can't find one low enough. Your truck is too high for what you want to do. But I know that doesn't help you. So you have two choices beyond a lower truck and the right hitch. The first would be to consult an engineer. The second would be to do some "Amish Engineering". By that, I mean build it so heavy that it has no potential for failure. if you're concerned about receiver horizontal length, it's not heavy enough.

I know this isn't what you started asking, but we don't wantto read about you in the obits. Ask Jeremy- he posted about a "custom" drawbar for his 46 Cig a few monts ago. Built for him by a professional. Frightening. I'm just glad he posted a pic.

[cigdaze]

The simple fact is that there are prescribed DOT limits on drawbars and hitches, and that's the limiting factor in your search.

Even if you build the ultimate, indestructible receiver that's low enough, you have now increased the moment arm such that you could potentially be past the limits of your hitch and its mounting bolts.

[danh63]

My Uncle goes WAY overboard on everything. Thanks for the input guys and I will post up the finished product when finished. I'll probably need a couple of you to help lift it! :)

[Trim'd Up]

The simple fact is that there are prescribed DOT limits on drawbars and hitches, and that's the limiting factor in your search.

Even if you build the ultimate, indestructible receiver that's low enough, you have now increased the moment arm such that you could potentially be past the limits of your hitch and its mounting bolts.

There's the issue. You said you already bent your reciever from tongue weight on a long draw bar. Now your gonna extend the draw bar and have an even greater bending moment, but this time it will be from braking and accelerating ILO of tongue weight. I think you need to do something with your receiver least at the very.

I have no problem making a home made hitch if it is done right. I have built several myself, but I used to build the coupler pockets for locomotives (basically a locomotive receiver hitch) and I am an engineer. ;)

[danh63]

No Im not making it stick out farther I am going the other way, shortening it. The drop is what I am making longer and it will have a better gusset to make up for the longer drop. I bent it I believe hell for all I know it could have been that way from the factory, I think the arm coming out of the receiver is too long. I have never seen one sticking out his far. My thinking is that gives the trailer too much leverage so that is why I want it shorter

[cigdaze]

You're thinking is along the right lines for sure. Shorter (in both directions) is preferred.

The distance out from the hitch affects how much load is transferred from toungue weight.

But more importantly, the distance down affects how much load is transferred from acceleration and braking - which will be at least an order of magnitude more than tongue weight will ever be and is the typical failure mode in hitch-related failures.

[wannabe]

Dan63- Your truck is still to tall. Your entire hitch will rip off if the bar doesn't break. I know you don't want to go back to a lower truck but with a 6 inch lift and 37 inch tires you are a good 8-10 inches higher than stock. If 5 inches doesn't do it than your asking for trouble.

What kind of truck and how big a boat?

Wannabe

[glassdave]

hey just jack up the trailer an put 37's on that to . . . . back to a standard hitch . . . problem solved :D

[MattBMiller]

Your trailer must be extremely low. Even with my 8.5" lift and 38's I only had about 3" drop from the factory hitch for my trailer to sit level.

[danh63]

The boat trailer is fine at the lowest setting I have now, it my enclosed trailer that is nose high, but not by alot.

The bar shouldn't break it is solid 2x2. It's only a 25 Outlaw. The truck is a Dodge 2500 CTD

The gusset I am making is going all the way down instead of just a couple inches down like the current one

[danh63]

Not the best picture but you can see i'm not far off

[MattBMiller]

How much vertical drop do you need? How heavy is the trailer?

[PlumCrazy]

Check out the Diversi-tech adjustable billet hitchs. They have as much as 10" of drop. I have one and it's a great product. Not mine, but here's a pic...

http://www.diversi-tech.net/Site%20Pics/Aluminum-Hitch-Installed.jpg

[danh63]

The one I have is 10" I was thinking another couple of inches so I made it 12. Not sure on the the trailer weight, it's not to awful heavy though

[Chris]

it's not to awful heavy though


It's at least 50% heavier than what you think. Everyone else's is. :)

Seriously, people grossly underestimate the total weight they're towing. It stems from the manufacturer's under-estimation of weight on the spec sheets. And goes downhill from there. Everyone should run their boat across a scale at least once. It's an eye-opener.

[Knot 4 Me]

Everyone should run their boat across a scale at least once. It's an eye-opener.Agree. I about pooped myself when I looked at the ticket.

[danh63]

here they are. the one on the left is my old one that I bought the one on the right is the one we made. from a 9 inch drop to a 12 inch drop

[Davidmnc]

Have you thought about redoing the toung on the enclosed trailer? Kind of meet it in the middle. I am not a big fan of huge drops. It puts a lot of pressure on the hitch. Another thing that could help would be a Torklift Superhitch.

http://www.hitchsource.com/trailer-hitches-torklift-superhitch-c-24_157.html

[danh63]

I figured with shortening how far it sticks out and the new gusset that it would be ok

[Davidmnc]

I figured with shortening how far it sticks out and the new gusset that it would be ok

Sure, the draw bar you built looks great, and strong. But if the receiver it self can not handle the additional load of such a long drop. You got nothing. IMHO

[MacGyver]

Take your old hitch and mount it in the receiver tube. Now measure from the center of the ball to the receiver tube. Now do the same thing with your custom hitch. If the distance is any longer with your custom hitch, you are asking for big troubles. Especially if your receiver tube is already bent.

[danh63]

The arm was so long with my original hitch and I hauled some heavy machinery with it and it did bend it slightly. We put the truck on a frame machine and got it back to good.

I will do that measurement but I am willing to bet it is going to be alot shorter distance with the custom hitch

[danh63]

OK did the measuring. Old hitch is 14" new one to same point is 11"

[DAREDEVIL]

I think thats ok , but i would NOT trusst that ball mount !!!!:confused:

[danh63]

That's the same mount that came with the one i bought. it's 1/2 " thick

[Throttle Fever]

Sure, the draw bar you built looks great, and strong. But if the receiver it self can not handle the additional load of such a long drop. You got nothing. IMHO

Agreed. Had a crew cab Ford with 8 inches of lift and 38"s. Have the same set up your uncle built (nice job). After a year of towing, was doing some maintance and found the two front mounting tabs broke free from the reciever frame and the middle set cracked (only 6 mounting points total). I up graded to a 16,000 lb 2" reciever. There is also a 3" reciever that is rated at 20,000 lbs. The standard class 5 10,000 lb reciever is not going to cut it for long, promise... I got lucky and didn't loose a load or worse off kill anyone.

[US1Fountain]

Why not make a couple of bars to go diagonally from the bottom of the mount and up & outwards to the trucks frame? A 3 point hitch. That'll address the push/pull forces from the trailer and also prevent the sideways forces, which I haven't seen addressed here yet. Can't beat a triangle design. :)

[DAREDEVIL]

That's the same mount that came with the one i bought. it's 1/2 " thick

It just looks weak , Sorry !!

[MarylandMark]

Why not make a couple of bars to go diagonally from the bottom of the mount and up & outwards to the trucks frame? A 3 point hitch. That'll address the push/pull forces from the trailer and also prevent the sideways forces, which I haven't seen addressed here yet. Can't beat a triangle design. :)

Good info!

[insanity]

Why not make a couple of bars to go diagonally from the bottom of the mount and up & outwards to the trucks frame? A 3 point hitch. That'll address the push/pull forces from the trailer and also prevent the sideways forces, which I haven't seen addressed here yet. Can't beat a triangle design. :)

I did that when I raised my old truck. I added a cross-member with mounting tabs and two bars that went to the bottom of the drop hitch.

[danh63]

I don't want my hitch on all the time so that wouldn't work for me. I will have to crawl under there and inspect the receiver. Might have to come up with some ideas for adding a little strength to that. I rarely tow anything very heavy at all but would rather be safe than sorry

[US1Fountain]

Don't have to be mounted permamently, but with pins just like your reciever. I see this quit often on extreme lowered hitches.

[danh63]

I will have to look into doing something like that. The more strength the better!

[tcuda499]

looks good! is your uncle a cert. welder?

[danh63]

Thanks and yes he is