towing from either direction

[arwenmark]

Just curious, anyone know if it is possible to put a hitch on the back of a trailer and pull it backwards?

What technical problems would that cause?

[chuckster57]

Thinking out loud: the placement of the axles make the trailer "tongue" heavy, and I'm not sure how you would overcome that. Then a tongue assembly would have to be welded on the rear of the frame. Add to that the wiring if your plan on navigating any public roads, adding brake lights to the front of the trailer, the list goes on...I wont say it CAN'T be done, I wouldn't do it.

[PARAPTOR]

As I read a post on HOW I seem stuck on WHY. :confused:
Have a trailer with a front bedroom and want to convert to back :banghead:

[Festus2]

As I read a post on HOW I seem stuck on WHY. :confused:
Have a trailer with a front bedroom and want to convert to back :banghead:

Paraptor:
I think the OP is asking about this because he may be worried about backing it into his driveway - at least that is the impression I got when I read his post from a couple of days ago. In it, he did mention about "pulling" the TT up and into the driveway rather than backing it in. For him, it seems like adding a hitch on the back and pulling it might be the easiest way to go.

[So Cal CPA]

I agree with Festus.

But then you'd have to worry about a wheel on the tongue and keeping it from swinging about while pulling the TT into its storage spot.

[chuckster57]

If the goal is getting it into the driveway, maybe a receiver on the front of the TV would be easier, that way a person can watch out the windshield instead of mirrors. I've seen a few people do it.

[GaryWT]

I know you said that you would be pulling into your driveway but was not sure if it was a backing issue or a parking issue. Backing a trailer is actually easier than one would think as long as you take your time. Of course if you live on a very busy street you might feel that you have to rush. I would go along with Chuck and think about putting a hitch on the TV and push it into the driveway if there is an issue of backing.

[sourdough]

I remember the original post...I think. There was a question/concern about clearance and getting in etc. from the street.

To me it would take the same amount of time and space to try to push a TT into a spot with a vehicle as trying to back it in. Backing would be a lot easier in all respects IMO. No front hitch to install and deal with etc. Not knowing the specifics of the location and what circumstances there are it just seems pulling it up and backing it in would be the way to go.

[Ken / Claudia]

Putting a hitch on the rear of trailer, to push the trailer any where, NO. It may work with many hours and lots of dollars spend to get it to work. Than still problem of seeing around the trailer?. Putting a hitch on the front of a truck, I have done that to 2 trucks. My reason was to launch boats at night by myself on unlit ramps and sometimes launching with a truck camper on the truck.
2 points, The front truck hitch works great to see and having the steering axle close to the pivot point of trailer/truck it is easy to move the trailer. Doing it that way is always a one trip down the ramp since you are adjusting the steering the whole time and seeing what you doing face on. Bad points, the front of any truck is not made to carry the heavy weight of a RV trailer. I was using it with light weight boats compared to any RV. I would think a powered, walk behind dolly attached to the trailer hitch would work, again costly.

[cabinfever]

As for the weight on the front. I think any truck will handle it, especially for just the time it takes to park. My 1/2 ton has a plow hanging on it for 4-5 months every year that weighs about 800LBS. My HD has a plow on it for about the same amount of time and it weighs at least 1000lbs. The only adjustment was made to the HD, the torsion bars were turned up to maximum allowed for factory bars,

[JRTJH]

I would have to question how you're going to get the "back hitch" mounted on the trailer to put weight on the ball of the tow vehicle so you can hitch it up. If you think about it, the axles are located near the rear of the trailer so there is weight on the front hitch. You can't suddenly "shift" this weight to the rear so it will "sit down onto the ball". If you do, as soon as you uncouple the tow vehicle, the front of the trailer would rise into the air as the rear coupler sat down onto the ground. Then, how are you going to "shift that weight on the axles so you can then hitch to the front coupler to tow normally? You'll be relying on "negative gravity" and the ball coupler to hold the rig together. I don't think any coupler is designed to support that much weight pulling up against the ball. Questionably, will you potentially lift the rear wheels of the tow vehicle off the ground?

Additionally, with the rear bumper being so light and unable to support any significant weight, even if you weld a receiver onto the back of the trailer chassis, you still would have to manufacture some sort of coupler to insert into the receiver that would support "negative weight" just to get the tow vehicle hitched.

I won't say it is impossible, but certainly impractical. Remember the fifth wheel being pulled backwards in the pictures posted on the forum about 4 months ago? This is essentially the same thing.

[ImTravis]

Or save the hassle and get so ething like http://parkit360.ca/shop/p360xl-11000lbs-4989kgs


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[Way Of Life]

Here is a video link to the parkit360.

Parkit360 Movie: http://youtu.be/qOWHNYa80y8

[GMcKenzie]

I'm thinking about this. I could see where it would be useful. There are a couple of campsites where my dad drive his motor home in, and I back my trailer in, so we have our units door-to-door. I could see wanting to do that with someone else with a trailer so, really, it would be trying to get a trailer in backwards.

You'd have to mount a receiver to the frame (very solidly), then put a hitch onto a 2" post to put in the receiver and hook up like normal. As you took the wight off the front of the trailer, it would pull up on the hitch ball but should stay on. It would lift the rear of the truck some, but should still keep the wheels on the ground so you could back in.

Sure wouldn't go any distance with the setup so not having the brakes working wouldn't be a big deal. I would make sure there were chains or something to hols everything together should the ball pop out.

What ImTravis posted may make more sense though.

[sourdough]

The parkit looks pretty cool but I'm thinking I like cutting the wheels and backing/pulling in. If it's so tight that I need a 105degree back in then I'm looking at something else. Besides, I assume the parkit has some sort of brakes (it mentioned them) but it, and they, are tiny. Can you imagine; just pulled up to my lakeside space, beautiful. Get out my parkit and hook it up and begin to maneuver it into my "space". I'm in front holding the handle, can't see squat but the front of the camper, then suddenly, unexpectedly I feel the little parkit begin to pull....pulling me toward the lake! Suddenly I realize I'd not seen the small berm where the terrain began its descent into the lake. As I watch helplessly, my new parkit, and my camper roll slowly, unimpeded, into the lake; it bubbles a few times and sinks:eek: Or, what if you were in front of it and it did the same thing??

Sounds cool, but........I think I'll back in - I just lost one camper in the lake:D

[ImTravis]

I think the Parkit plugs into the trailer brakes.. at least from what ive read.


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[sourdough]

Plugging into the camper brakes would be much better.....but then again it's awful small. I wonder if it requires the "transformer" or whatever it was called at the bottom of the web page for 4 grand to have the battery power to last very long? Oh well, I just pushed my trailer into the lake:( ; I'll have to regroup"bouncey:

[bobbecky]

There are others, but this company uses 120 volt motors on theirs, and instead of using the ball, it uses the tube of the crank up jack to drop onto the pin on the dolly. It looks like there are several different sizes, with various attachments. http://www.powercaster.com/Products.html

[arwenmark]

Thanks for the replies. By the way I am a woman not a man.

I am not seriously thinking of doing this, but I saw a picture of a fifth wheel that someone had added a tow bar to the back of and they pulled it around like a trailer.

So it just made me wonder about the problems of doing that.

As for my driveway, it has an incline plus it is a fairly sharp turn going into it and the road itself if a hill.
I am certain that if I tried to back in that the back of the trailer WOULD hit the drive and that would be that.
because it is so long it MAY hit the ground pulling in but it may not so pulling in is the way to go.
Can't do anything with it till these several feet of snow here melts.

[sourdough]

A sharp incline poses a problem for most trailers, especially long ones. If it is as sharp as it sounds the trailer will drag whether you pull it or push it.

What is your driveway made of? If it's something that's not permanent like gravel or dirt you could have the incline bladed down. If not, you might want to look at storing it off site.

[chuckster57]

If the drive is asphalt or concrete, you can add rollers to the rear of the trailer so it doesn't drag.

[sourdough]

If the drive is steep and very long wouldn't that put a lot of weight on the rollers? I've never seen them so just curious.

[chuckster57]

Yeah, but they are attached to the frame, and very stout. I've put them on the back end of a 23,000 pound motor home.

[sourdough]

Thanks. That does sound like a viable option.

[arwenmark]

My Drive is pink Cobblestone, and the drive is an incline but not a terribly steep one. But the road itself is higher in the middle and slightly sloped to the sides, wish it were flat.

I did consider rollers, but not sure if they will work. Anyway I have to try once we pick it up and hopefully it will get in the yard ok. If not then we scramble to find a place to put it.

[chuckster57]

alot of us will be curious what the final outcome is. looking forward to your post. Best advise I can give for this and your other thread, Take your time and don't worry about those that may honk and yell. I live on a busy street and every time I start to back my trailer in, some rude driver expresses his disdain that I have slowed his rushed life for more than 2 minutes.

I have at that time gotten out of my truck and surveyed the situation and told him/her that there are other streets available for his passage.

[sourdough]

Not knowing what the landscape looks like or where your trailer will ultimately end up on your property it's hard to offer specific advice but something to remember; if the drive is at an incline and you're worried about either the front of back dragging, many times you can reduce the effect of the incline by going across it at an angle instead of hitting it straight on. If you're trying to get the trailer in the yard vs sitting in the drive back it in at an angle thru the drive opening to try to get it where you want. Just thinking...