57 Panhead
Central Valley Calif.
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Joined: 08/19/2010
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I'm in the process of setting up our "new to us" 14ft Fischer Grizzly aluminum fishing boat to pull behind our 34' 5er. The question I have is about high centering the bottom of the drawbar. Since the distance from the rear axle is so far from the rear bumper I know that dragging the back end is a possibility on severe dips and driveway entrances and exits. On my trailer the back bumper is quite high and the receiver is right under it, the bottom of the receiver is 25" from the ground and with an 11" drop draw bar the ball height is 20" with the nut on the bottom of the ball at 16". How likely am I to have issues either dragging the nut on the ground on high spots or dips in the road?
Those of you who tow this way how high is your hitch ball at the bottom of the nut holding the ball in the draw bar? Tips and advice in this area is welcome and appreciated.
Steve
Retired Teamster
2012 Jayco Eagle Superlite 31.5RLTS
07 F250 PowerStroke
U Y B
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path1
seattle
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Don't have answer to your question. But have you looked into over the cab type boat carrier? Don't have hassles of "doubles". Quite a few on market, you can put up far enough to clear front of 5th wheel.
check out
http://www.loadit.com/front-boat-loader.html
There are many others, just found this link first.
I liked the set up I had. A Edie loader or something like that. What I didn't like was finding a way to keep stuff in boat when upside down. After finding answers to that (mostly rubber clamps) it sure came in handy. Left up on top most of year. If possible go with manual type, elec motors go out at the worst of times. And mine found a tree sort of DOA.
* This post was
edited 07/28/12 11:27pm by path1 *
(To cheap to buy new)
1990 37 ft 5th wheel that hasn't moved since 1996 (our best home)
1997 33 ft trailer (winter home in much warmer climate)
2005 25 ft M/H (our "stand up B" for traveling)
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57 Panhead
Central Valley Calif.
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Joined: 08/19/2010
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path1 wrote:Don't have answer to your question. But have you looked into over the cab type boat carrier? Don't have hassles of "doubles". Quite a few on market, you can put up far enough to clear front of 5th wheel.
This boat has console steering and a 25hp motor so putting it on top of the truck is not possible. I don't mind pulling double as I did it for many years as a commercial truck driver and it really is no big deal, you just need to be aware of your surroundings and drive accordingly.
Steve
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Pete_k
Stantonville Tn
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Joined: 03/18/2004
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Not sure if they still make them. But used to be able to get balls that did not have the bolt sticking below them. But you screwed the bolt into the ball. Thus you only have the head of the bolt below the hitch.
But to make it easy, some just have the ball welded to the drop hitch. Thus smooth at the bottom and does not leave extra bolt sticking below. These drop hitches are not that high so you weld one up for this use only.
Pete
2004 Duramax/allison Trans C/C 4x4
2012 Landmark Key Largo
2008 Lund 1825 Pro Guide Tiller, With a Evinrude 90 HP E-Tec
Live near Pickwick Dam and the Tn river
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Denny & Jami
Home Base Nebraska
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You will be running about the same height I am, I think it's bottomed out a few times but nothing major, I wouldn't leave it in the receiver when you aren't pulling your boat.
Denny
2000 F350 SC DRW V10 4.30 gears, Banks Cat Back, BrakeSmart, Air Lifts
2003 HitchHiker Premier 35FKTG 215/75/17.5 Sumitomo tires
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path1
seattle
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Quote:This boat has console steering and a 25hp motor so putting it on top of the truck is not possible. I don't mind pulling double as I did it for many years as a commercial truck driver and it really is no big deal, you just need to be aware of your surroundings and drive accordingly.
Ya I saw "retired Teamster" on your sig. I'm also retired teamster. You won't find me putting a foot on a running board ever again
There is another type that you load up the hole boat and trailer but runs about $5,000.
Doubles: Did some research some time ago. In my state I could, but requires "all" brakes to be air. Maybe it has changed, this was some time ago and cost and hassle of changing over would be a lot more than I thought it would be. In Oregon I see people with a converter gear type thing, but not many. Last year going cross country to Conn we saw only one "double" RV going both ways.
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Mile High
Denver, CO
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Joined: 02/05/2008
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Be careful if you decide to go the other way and raise the hitch height. On a road heave or dip, by the time it got back to the outdrive on the boat it was scary. I'd rather have it hit the hitch.
I actually never hit anything on mine and my 5er was a little longer but the boat riding height was probably taller than yours, so my experience won't mean much.
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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57 Panhead
Central Valley Calif.
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OK, I hooked everything up this morning and I am 67'3". This means I have to lose 2'3". The photo below shows how much overhang there is on the back end of the trailer, about 18", which I think is to much. You can also see the long tongue, nice for launching and retrieving but I need to get 2' shorter. What I'm doing is moving the bunks, bow support/wench, and front roller forward 12" and I will shorten the tongue by another 12". This will get me within 3" of legal. the back end of the bunks are tapered out and if I square up the ends that gives me the 3" to hit the magic number, 65' on the dot.
The photo shows the boat hooked up with a 6"drop draw bar, I have an 11" drop but that is a little close to the ground for me. I'm going to try an 8" drop and see what that looks like. Just worried that with the tongue shortened 12" that the 6" drop will be to high.
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johnthecamper
Grapevine, TX
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That picture looks good to me. I pull a trailer with motorcycles on it with the same set up. So far no problems dragging the ball mount and pulls fine but your right about the overall length.
08 F250, 2012 Wildcat 293REX
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transamz9
Lawrenceburg Ky
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I wouldn't change a thing. Looks as good as my set-up and I'm way longer.
2005 RAM 2500 Cummins/2011 Sandpiper 345 RET/2008 Nitro Z9 Mecury 250 PRO XS
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