omatty
nashville, tn
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My question is: if doing a short pull (10 - 15 miles), is it ok to leave the hitch all the way back, 4" or so behind the axle? I have a 16k hijacker slider hitch and i tried it this weekend and didn't notice any difference in the way it pulled or stopped.
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chuggs
Florida
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Joined: 06/16/2010
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Just realize what the hazard is so that you can mitigate any bad consequences...
When you move the hitch back...it applys the weight aft of the rear axle...this acts like a lever to take weight off your steering axle...which can lead to control issues...primarily in a turn.
Turning is the operative word... As you go into a turn...imagine your truck goes one direction...and the camper wants to continue on it's original path... This will use that same lever arm to exert a sideways force on the rear of your truck... Say a left turn...the camper pushes the tail of your truck to the right...the lever action tries to push the nose of your truck to the left more...giving you an oversteer condition. If allowed to go unchecked...it will become unstable to the point of jack knifing if you let it. With less weight on the front.. You will have less steering effectiveness to counter with.
The main thing to remember...go straight...slow down and approach turns cautiously...you"ll be fine going 10 or 15 miles... Just realize what your opponent is...and don't give him the chance of getting one over on you. Very very cautious on loose gravel.
If you think about it...bumper towed trailers exert this type of unstabilizing force all the time. You just have a bit more weight on a kingpin...so be a bit more cautious. I was highlighting worst case...you may not even notice a difference when traveling at conservative speeds.
Btw...4" isn't very much...when you consider a bumper towed trailer the weight would be aroun 30" aft ... Having the hitch directly over the axle lets us get passed by 18 wheelers on the highway, or gusty crosswinds and not feel that undesired steering input. You might feel the bow wave of a passing freight truck a bit more with the hitch 4" aft.
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omatty
nashville, tn
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thanks! The 10(actually 4.7) mile trip is 4 lanes without semis. I just looked it up and i live exactly 4.7 miles from montgomery bell state park in tn. We'll probably go there more than any other place and i hated to move that hitch back and forth. Top speed will be around 50.
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bpounds
Whittier CA
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There are people that do that routinely, for much longer distances. I guess it works for them. But as noted, be aware of the possible sway issue. It really is not as bad as it seems, because even though the pin is behind the axle a few inches, it is no where near as bad as a pull behind trailer. Just be aware.
2006 F250 Diesel
2011 Keystone Cougar 278RKSWE Fiver
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filthy beast
New Mexico
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How hard is it to move the hitch back to the tow position? I wouldn't tow that way because it only takes a minute to move mine back to the tow position and put the locking pin in.
Goody Two Shoes and the Filthy Beast
2008 Silverado 2500HD
2012 Wildcat 282RKX
1 Damnatian!
You cannot make things idiot proof, you can only make them idiot resistant.
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omatty
nashville, tn
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it only takes a min to move it with nothing attached. i would rather not mess with moving it back with the camper attached. 9 times out of 10 i'll be setting it up alone.
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WeBeFulltimers
Here & There
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Joined: 04/01/2008
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I thought Hijackers are auto-sliders, but I have been wrong a couple of times.
2007 DODGE RAM 2500 4x4 QC CTD 5.9 4SPD AUTO TIMBRENS PRODIGY REESE 16K KWIK-SLIDE***PACBRAKE PRXB 2012 MONTANA 3585SA
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Mile High
Denver, CO
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Joined: 02/05/2008
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Don't sweat it. Everyonce in a great while I have mine in a maneuver position at a gas station, and there is no room to get it back into tow before you get on the highway. I'll end up towing it through town before I find a place to pull over and slide it back forward. I even have the electric release which means I don't have to get out, but still there are times you just have to do it.
2006 Ford F350 4X4 SB CC SRW Powerstroke 6.0
2013 Redwood 36RL - full paint - disk brakes
"Comparison is the thief of joy! - Theodore Roosevelt"
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dubdub07
Colorado Springs
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I have done it, seen people do it and have read on here a lot of people that have had no problems doing it! I wouldn't worry about it.
2012 Montana High Country 333DB
*NEW* 2012 Dodge 3500MEGA 6.7 CTD, 2012 Jeep JK Rubicon, 2012 Durango Citadel, 2010 Harley Heritage Softail....American STEEL = American profits.
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ABinOK
oklahoma
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I do it every time I pull mine from storage to the house or vice versa. No issues at all.
Alan Brown
2001 Ford super duty 4x4 CC SB 7.3 powerstroke Tymar Performance Intake/Muffler deleted/Reese 16k slider
2001 KZ Sportsman 25 foot 5th wheel,axles flipped,low profile,10,000 GVWR/2006 RMZ450/2003 RM125 double towed on a 5x8 3 rail trailer
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