Thanks for the input guys!!! It sounds like the rods with magnets or a variation of that will work. I guess I had an "ah ha" moment when I kept jumping out of the truck. Kind of like when I decided to get garage door openers,, why didnt I do this earlier? And yeah, I can open the door on the Lance and see the rods. I appreciate reading about all of our inventive ideas to meet our special needs. The McGiver forum!!
Duramax/Lance 835
KTM/Arctic Cats
Motorized advocate in Colo. CMTRA, our local club. www.cmtrail.org come visit!
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Thedieselplace.com ( chevsforever)
KTMtalk.com (xrcrasher)
Pontoonboating.com (Lounge Lizard)
Arcticchat.com (400crasher)
I tried the ball-stick-magnet doohickeys and they didn't help with getting the coupler over the ball front-to-back. Total waste of time and money if you ask me.
The proper location for the ball is on the angled part of the shank, so that when the trailer coupler knocks it over, you're in perfect alignment. Unfortunately, the ball-stick-magnet things only work on flat surfaces. The nearest flat surface puts the coupler way too far ahead if you keep backing until the coupler knocks the ball over. If you stop early, you always stop TOO early, and you have to walk back to the cab to make adjustments anyway.
Since I have to walk either way, I just chucked the ball-stick-magnet gadgets as far as they would fly. Then I walked out, picked them up, and heaved them again.
2002 Chevy 3500 DRW 8.1L/Allison
2000 Palomino B1500
...and the reason why I need a DRW to haul a Palomino:
2004 United 7x14 tandem axle enclosed toy trailer
2011 PJ 8x20 7-ton deckover equipment trailer
Ball Sticks work for me. Harbor Fright and Tractor Supply both have them. I stick one on the top of the ball and one on top of the receiver above where the ball would set back till the one on the ball tips. I also use one to adjust the hight of the trailer receiver by sitting it beside the truck hitch telescoping till it is the same hight as the ball then move to the trailer and jack up tongue using the Ball Stick as a gage.
Thanks for that tip Jim. Kirsch, you`re crackin me up. I sense you got frustrated with the magnet poles. It reminds me of myself and wanting to start a campfire in the yard just to get rid of******that pissed me off,,,
Ok, I'm fessing up. Here is what I use to back up to any trailer with my camper. Once it is set up, it will work with any trailer.
To build:
Hook up your trailer. Build this device (IN PLACE) so pieces line up. Remove device.
To use:
Arrange device base using rope to determine distance. Insert pole in camper.
Back up until pole and base are lined up. The trailer coupler and the ball will now be lined up, one over the other.
THIS is the CRITICAL replacement of the stand. The rope returns the stand to the same distance from the trailer. It must be at a 90 degree angle from the coupler.
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