Drawbar question - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Bob Thomas · 05-07-2006, 06:33 PM

Figured I'd try the towing experts in this forum for this one...

I fish the canal quite a bit. When I go down, I tow my tent trailer and put the bikes on a carrier. what I used to do was use a dual drawbar system. Let me try to explain. Into the hitch of the truck goes a "drawbar" It has 2 receivers, top and bottom. In the top goes the bike rack. The bottom goes the drawbar for the ball. I used to be able to carry 2 bikes with the old trailer as it had a long tounge. Now, the new trailer has a shorter tounge so when I make a turn, say out of the driveway, the bikes now hit the camper itself. I had a receiver welded to the back of the trailer but upon trying it for the first time, it appears that the added weight behind the tires of the trailer is causing extreme fishtailing.

My question is this: Is there a ball mount receiver that is longer than the average one to give me the added length I need to clear the bikes?

If not, can I do this:

Truck --> dual receiver system for bike/ball --> extension bar --> then the normal ball mount?

Basically, I'd have 3 hitch pins holding the bars together.

Is this going to pose a problem trailering? Will the bars hold? The weight of the trailer is 1250 lbs dry...about 1500 loaded. Not sure on the tounge weight though.

Thanks for any help! Sorry if this is confusing

Bob Thomas · 05-07-2006, 06:36 PM

This is the existing bike-carrier/hitch holder thingy

Bob Thomas · 05-07-2006, 06:37 PM

I want to know if I can SAFELY add this to the bottom, then to the end of this, the ball bar:

Van · 05-08-2006, 07:35 AM

I can't answer directly if you will be OK, its not the connections I would worry about, 1500 lbs is nothing for the pins.
But you know how leverage works, with the extension and the length of the double receiver thingy, the stress on the system will be pretty high, you might get bending which can lead to failure.

There is nowwhere else to hang those bikes? Sometime I see trailers/campers with a receiver on the back and bikes hanging there. Would that work for your set up?

Bob Thomas · 05-08-2006, 09:02 AM

Van,

I tried the back of the trailer but the added weight made the trailer fishtail around....I think. It is a little deceiving with the bikes there swinging around but I believe the weight caused it to fishtail a little too much for my liking

ScottC · 05-08-2006, 09:07 AM

You should confirm your toungue weight, it should be no more than 300 pounds. Sounds like your set at your max. If so, adjust it back and it should help compensate the changed fulcrum point.
Do you know how to adjust your tounge weight?

Van · 05-08-2006, 10:21 AM

Yes weight too far back caused fish tailing. A good tongue weight prevents it. Still bikes dont weigh very much so it s a bit confusing.

When I had a small trailer boat, we always packed extra weight forward to up the tongue weight, never fish tailed doing that. But then you have extra weight on that long extension.

Quite a problem !!!!!!

ScottC · 05-08-2006, 10:27 AM

You changed the pivot point correct? This will intensify and magnify any wobble. This is all very grey area stuff, yo u have to just experiment untill you get it right.

tynan19 · 05-08-2006, 10:37 AM

What about putting the bike racks that lock the wheels in, on top of the trailer. Like the Thule ones that go on top of cars. Is it a pop-up tent trailer? What about putting a standard bike rack on the back of the tow vehicle and not one that needs a hitch?

When I tow my snowmobiles or trailer if the weight over the axle is moved even inches it makes a significant difference. Try adding a little weight in front of the axle to even out the distribution of weight.