Author Topic: Pulling a 20 or 24 foot trailer  (Read 20120 times)

Offline yeeolde48

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Re: Pulling a 20 or 24 foot trailer
« Reply #45 on: March 19, 2014, 06:29:11 PM »
Hi Scott, the hitch is mounted to the rear bumper and then extends forward under the main engine and rear suspension cradle, so it has multiple tie in points for both pull strength.   It then has a second bar under the first also tied forward to the frame and providing some degree of lift support.  I then made pre-tensioned bars that ran each side of the motor from the upper rear end cradle to the bumper.  I loosen them during normal running then add a few turns of pretension when I hook up the trailer.   The hitch is a home made 5th wheel and also has 1000lb load compensating bars.  I will try to attach a picture it will show it better than I can describe it.
I couldn't find any pictures of the bars, and have them taken off now getting ready to do the repower.
I can send high resolution pictures to your email if theye are of any use.
Cheers,
Dave
1955 GMC Scenicruiser  PD4501-304

Offline Jeremy

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Re: Pulling a 20 or 24 foot trailer
« Reply #46 on: March 20, 2014, 02:17:52 AM »
Coincidental that this thread should re-surface because just yesterday I took the photo below which shows something similar to what was being discussed earlier - ie., solving the tongue-weight issue, and in this case also providing a means by which a conventional box-truck can tow a 5th-wheel trailer. I spotted this amongst the vehicles belonging to a circus which has just arrived in my home town.




Jeremy

PS. Yeeolde48 - interesting hitch, never seen anything like that before.
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Offline harleyman_1000

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Re: Pulling a 20 or 24 foot trailer
« Reply #47 on: March 20, 2014, 08:50:01 AM »
Whenever these threads evolve into a discussion about tongue weights, someone eventually mentions the option of a drawbar trailer. Here's one with bizarrely-small wheels (built by a company about a mile from my house as it happens):




...And then after that someone else will mention devices which effectively turn regular trailers into drawbar trailers:




...And now we're ready for some posts about the expense and difficulties of reversing such trailers...


Jeremy


 Does anyone know who makes the small 2 wheel one that eliminates tongue weight?   
Scott 
St.Louis Missouri

1958 GM 4104 Extended 2 feet, with a 6v92 and 5 speed automatic

http://s783.photobucket.com/user/harleyman_1000/library/Gm4104%20bus?sort=3&page=1

Offline yeeolde48

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Re: Pulling a 20 or 24 foot trailer
« Reply #48 on: March 20, 2014, 05:26:06 PM »
There are a few different makes, but Trailer Toad appears to be the most popular, this is the one I am basing my design off.

http://www.trailertoad.com/index.html

Dave
1955 GMC Scenicruiser  PD4501-304

Offline yeeolde48

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Re: Pulling a 20 or 24 foot trailer
« Reply #49 on: March 20, 2014, 06:00:03 PM »
"PS. Yeeolde48 - interesting hitch, never seen anything like that before."

Hi Jeremy,  I picked up a small 5th wheel hitch plate from my local trailer supply house, then built the rest of the hitch.  I needed to create a stinger steer configuration to allow me to go to 78 feet in total length.  It is pretty strong, but I still have concerns about shock loads so am building a 2 wheel dolly for this summer.
Dave

1955 GMC Scenicruiser  PD4501-304

 

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