Hitch extensions - good or bad?

[jeeperman]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

On another forum site, a pontoon owner extended his tongue by taking a square steel tube that would slide inside of the existing trailer tongue tube. He then drilled a couple of holes to insert a hitch pin. He towed the boat with the tongue retracted. Then when he gets to the prep area, he would pull the pins, pull the vehicle forward to extend the tongue, then put the pins back in to lock it in place. I want to say that he had about 6 foot of extension. Obviously, after retrieval, he would push the extension back in for the road.

I like this one better than either of the above alteratives.
No need to un-hitch and re-hitch at the ramp. Add some strategically placed steel rollers inside along with stops in the right places would make it all very easy.

Might be tricky getting the trailer brake lines to work with all of that.

 

[iop]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

On another forum site, a pontoon owner extended his tongue by taking a square steel tube that would slide inside of the existing trailer tongue tube. He then drilled a couple of holes to insert a hitch pin. He towed the boat with the tongue retracted. Then when he gets to the prep area, he would pull the pins, pull the vehicle forward to extend the tongue, then put the pins back in to lock it in place. I want to say that he had about 6 foot of extension. Obviously, after retrieval, he would push the extension back in for the road.

I still dont get why do this??
Was his tailpipe underwater??

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

The OP says to get the pontoon into deeper water at the ramp. Which on the flip side means the tow vehicle does not have to go so far down the ramp.

At the ramp we launch from, sometimes the tailpipe IS blowing bubbles.
On a 1999 Tahoe 2wd.
I would love another three feet between the Tahoe and the boat at that point.

 

[MM3Canuck]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

It seems that two feet of hitch extension would get pontoons out into deeper water to make loading & unloading a bit easier. My thought is to just slip the extension in at the ramp, not to haul the boat down the road with the extension in.

Any opinions? Voice of experience?

I actually just extended our trailer. - Cut out the old tilt mechanism, and welded in a straight 75x75mm tube. It is just a 5.5m trailer, but it was so close to the rear windshield/hatch, that I couldn't even open the hatch when the boat was on the trailer.

We added an extra 100-120cm to it. Now we have all the space we need. Backing up is a piece of cake, and we don?t have to get as far into the water until the boat starts to float.

The straight weld also got rid of all the wobble and clinking and clocking noise you get from flip out/tilt trailers.

 

[MM3Canuck]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

On another forum site, a pontoon owner extended his tongue by taking a square steel tube that would slide inside of the existing trailer tongue tube. He then drilled a couple of holes to insert a hitch pin. He towed the boat with the tongue retracted. Then when he gets to the prep area, he would pull the pins, pull the vehicle forward to extend the tongue, then put the pins back in to lock it in place. I want to say that he had about 6 foot of extension. Obviously, after retrieval, he would push the extension back in for the road.

The tube extension will also create a lot of noise inside the towing vehicle. Everytime you come to a stop, or get going. - It makes for a good scare when you have friends in the car.

 

[geeco1]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

I actually just extended our trailer. - Cut out the old tilt mechanism, and welded in a straight 2'x2'. It is just a 16' trailer, but it was so close to the rear windshield/hatch, that I couldn't even open the hatch when the boat was on the trailer.

We added an extra 100-120cm to it. Now we have all the space we need. Backing up is a piece of cake, and we don?t have to get as far into the water until the boat starts to float.

The straight weld also got rid of all the wobble and clinking and clocking noise you get from flip out/tilt trailers.

OK... not trying to be mean, but just curious... I see this on other posts.... Why do you reference the trailer in Feet/Inches, but then you turn around and mention cm? I realize that that your in Canada, but I would think that you would say that it is a 5.5 meter trailer, etc...again, I am not faulting YOU in particular, just using your post as the example and curious as to the custom.

 

[MM3Canuck]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

OK... not trying to be mean, but just curious... I see this on other posts.... Why do you reference the trailer in Feet/Inches, but then you turn around and mention cm? I realize that that your in Canada, but I would think that you would say that it is a 5.5 meter trailer, etc...again, I am not faulting YOU in particular, just using your post as the example and curious as to the custom.

Good question
I lived in germany for 17 years, and everything is taught in metric over there.
I prefer to use metric, but since I am slowly adopting the imperial system, I throw out some imperial measurements here and there!

Sorry, I'll try to keep it consistend.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

Good question
I lived in germany for 17 years, and everything is taught in metric over there.
I prefer to use metric, but since I am slowly adopting the imperial system, I throw out some imperial measurements here and there!

Sorry, I'll try to keep it consistend.

Okay but where did you put that 2 foot x 2 foot square tube again?

 

[MM3Canuck]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

Okay but where did you put that 2 foot x 2 foot square tube again?

So before I confuse EVERYONE, I corrected my #'s in the first post!

It should read "75x75mm tube"

Basically, just replaced and extended the tube from the main trailer frame, to the hitch.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

So before I confuse EVERYONE, I corrected my #'s in the first post!

It should read "75x75mm tube"

Basically, just replaced and extended the tube from the main trailer frame, to the hitch.

LOL, I was just ribbing ya.

This site dont have the poke-poke icon.

 

[Titanium48]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

On another forum site, a pontoon owner extended his tongue by taking a square steel tube that would slide inside of the existing trailer tongue tube. He then drilled a couple of holes to insert a hitch pin. He towed the boat with the tongue retracted. Then when he gets to the prep area, he would pull the pins, pull the vehicle forward to extend the tongue, then put the pins back in to lock it in place. I want to say that he had about 6 foot of extension. Obviously, after retrieval, he would push the extension back in for the road.

I did pretty much the same thing to avoid having to back my entire car into the lake when using shallow launch ramps. See this thread. I do unhitch when extending or retracting the extension as found it too difficult to pull the car ahead or back by exactly the right amount to enable me to reinsert the pin. I've had no problems with funny noises and I use electric brakes so no issues with brake lines.

 

[iop]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

Sometimes its take's me a little while to see the light...

Someone that launches at multiple sites may be challenged at the shallower ramps with a short tounge. I realize now I would be.
I'm thinking of getting the 48" box extension and keeping it in the back of the truck.
Even though I loose 30% of hitch capacity I'm still well over the load at 7000#. Boat and trailer are 5500# , thruck can haul 10500#. I figure if I need it I can just throw it in the line real quick.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

Any real reason to mess around with just a 2' extension, besides cost?

If you want an extendable tongue for launch and load, get one.

http://www.xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com/

 

[ralphl]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

I cobbled one together at about 3 ft. If I need more i can weld on an extension and double it. Maiden launch on Mon. Will report (if I don't sink it) next post.. WML....

 

[iop]

Re: Hitch extensions - good or bad?

I cobbled one together at about 3 ft. If I need more i can weld on an extension and double it. Maiden launch on Mon. Will report (if I don't sink it) next post.. WML....

I guess one can put together those 18" extensions forever!! LOL