Lengthening trailer tongue

[BIGdaddy]

What material is best to lengthen the tongue of a trailer in everyone's experience?

Normal 2" hitch steel tubing?

I just want to get about 2-3' of distance away from the back of my truck... Need to be able to open the rear hatch un-encumbered.

Trying to gather materials. Have the welder and the skills.

I'd like to do a spring-over, as well, but trying to decide if I'm going to use the stock mini-springs and go that route, or simply get some longer autosprings and keep it spring under. The trailer is pretty perfect as it is, I just want to get the trailer a bit more even to my Jeep as far as ride height.

 

[DR BrianO]

I am curious about this also, I need to lengthing mine about 3'. I am going to add an old truck box to it but don't have the distance right now.

 

[Javelinadave]

$49 solution:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/HitchMate-Hitch-Extension-with-Anti-Wobble-Lock/16318385

 

[cowboy4x4]

depends on how strong you want/need it. my trailer came with a ball hitch, so I cut it off added a length of hitch material between the "A" frame and ran it back to the crossmember. The end I use is the "reciever" end so I can remove the hitch and have security as well.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Design guide lines the Aussie way only because I could not find any US guide lines anywhere. So far so good

http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/teardrop/tear84.htm

 

[BIGdaddy]

depends on how strong you want/need it. my trailer came with a ball hitch, so I cut it off added a length of hitch material between the "A" frame and ran it back to the crossmember. The end I use is the "reciever" end so I can remove the hitch and have security as well.

Thank you for posting cowboy!

This is exactly my current setup, and your fix is exactly what I had in my head as far as a retrofit...

Love to hear yours and others comments on this fabrication. I've got the power tools, welder and skills to do it, and my setup is fairly light duty. Probably less than a 1k is ever demanded of my trailer as far as capacity...

 

[BIGdaddy]

$49 solution:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/HitchMate-Hitch-Extension-with-Anti-Wobble-Lock/16318385

That's interesting.

Do folks think that this would place undo leverage on the hitch or vehicle?

 

[GI Grandpa]

Hitch Mate is not rated for towing, I use one for my bike rack and receiver basket. Since I was going to a Max Coupler I added in a section of 2" receiver tube so when the trailer was 90 degrees from the Jeep the two tubs would not meet. Trailer tows better on the road too.