Tongue weight increase?

emr

Cheesehead Treehouser
Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
2,193
Location
Neenah, Wisconsin
We have a camper that we pull behind our Grand Caravan and I was wondering what this hitch extension might do to the rear suspension of our van. I want to get something like this so we can also haul my kids bikes along when we go camping. I welded a receiver hitch to the back bumper of the pop-up but the trailer sways really bad when we are driving at highway speeds if the bikes are on there. I'm thinking a dual hitch extension might do the trick but I am concerned that it will do some weird leverage thing to the van. Any thoughts??


TMS RECEIVER-HITCH-EXTENSION 4000-Pound Double Hitch 2-Inch Receiver Adapter Extension Extender Tow Boat RV Motorcycle Rack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004DEBBPM/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_6T2FvbEECC6T0

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  • #3
Pretty close to level. I just got a riser hitch today and that should get it level. It's just a small pop-up..... Nothing huge.

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Bikes on top of the trailer. On trailer tongue. On a rack on the rear door.

That will increase effective tongue weight a pertains to your axle. Compare your real tongue weight to your rated capacity before increasing it.
 
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  • #5
I guess I was wondering about the camper tongue weight only. The 4 bikes I have are not really heavy being that they are all kids bikes, but I guess I should consider that as well since they would be right over the tounge if I got that dual hitch thing.

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  • #6
Maybe there isn't a good solution for hailing all this on our van. I just hate to bring my truck just to haul the bikes.

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I am not so sure the longer tongue will help. It sounds to me that the weight is more aft of the axel pulling up on the ball move some more weight forward of the axel and see if that helps at highway speed.
 
Rajan, are you meaning with the bikes on the rear of the trailer, making the tail way the dog?

Maybe mount some extra tongue weights, with bikes on back, to balance it out, maintaining approximately 10% tongue weight.

My chipper had almost no tongue weight, I could flip it over if I tried. Tows fine. 100 pounds tongue weight I'd guess on a 4400 pound chipper.
 
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  • #10
I don't think that extended tongue is good at all. In fact I'm wondering if it will make things worse. I usually have more weight up front because that's where the storage compartment is and I usually bring a fair amount of fire wood with me. Shhhh, don't tell the DNR that. ;-)

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Rajan, are you meaning with the bikes on the rear of the trailer, making the tail way the dog?

Maybe mount some extra tongue weights, with bikes on back, to balance it out, maintaining approximately 10% tongue weight.

My chipper had almost no tongue weight, I could flip it over if I tried. Tows fine. 100 pounds tongue weight I'd guess on a 4400 pound chipper.
Yes those pop up deals are pretty even as far as weight forward and rear of the axel so any car can pull it.
I don't think that extended tongue is good at all. In fact I'm wondering if it will make things worse. I usually have more weight up front because that's where the storage compartment is and I usually bring a fair amount of fire wood with me. Shhhh, don't tell the DNR that. ;-)

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I'm telling!
 
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  • #12
How do you think EAB got down by you? :-P

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Extending the hitch will add more leverage as Sean said. It will cause more sag in the rear of the van. Having a single axle trailer makes the balance ratio a bit touchy. I hauled a tracked stump grinder on a single axle once and six inches to far back was uncontrollable at 45 mph. Being that the bikes are on the back even though they don't wiegh much could be the problem.
 
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  • #16
Glad I could help flushcut. We just had EAB confirmed in our city and nothing has changed as far as business goes. I am noticing many more thin Ash tree this year tho.

I think I'm going to try is again with the different hitch. I'm also going to weld one more support on the Hitch to see if that helps any. There is a little more sway in the rack when the bikes are in than I like. I think one more piece of metal supporting it won't hurt.

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