Swing or removable tongue conversion

Turns out my neighbors aren't too thrilled with the slot I cut in my garage door for the trailer tongue to stick out... actually, I think it's the tongue sticking out they're not happy with.<br /><br />So, does anyone have any good ideas on converting this trailer to a swing or removable? Trailer is an EZ Loader, double axle, with brakes. And, I'm the Portland OR area, so you have any suggestions for who would be a good person to do the job, let me know.<br /><br />Thanks! I'll miss the antler sticking out my door, but my neighbors will like me again ;-)

Re: Swing or removable tongue conversion

maybe you could go to a local boat dealer and take some pictures of the diff tongue setups, and then take them to a welding shop to see if they could do it? just a thought<br /><br />but you would probably have to move the jack & winch tower. and you'd want to repaint it to match. i have a neighbor who gets his big boat in the garage by angling it from one corner diagonally to the other...<br /><br />it would be nice if you could post a pic of the garage door with the slot

Re: Swing or removable tongue conversion

Leave the trailer the way it is. Get the neighbors fixed!

Re: Swing or removable tongue conversion

I had a neighbor that once bought a car longer than the garage and he added a one foot 'bump-out' to the width of the garage door and painted it to match the door. From the street it looked like a shelf on the door, no appearance issue.<br /><br />On the other hand, leaving the boat in the driveway would probably raise a few eyebrows too.

Re: Swing or removable tongue conversion

Phamly man,<br /><br />I have had two trailers modified for the very reason you state.<br /><br />One I had cut off and a sleeve made for the inside of the channel. That made it removable by pulling just one pin. I just slid it under the boat when it was in the garage. Cost $150.00 The trailer was a 1989 Haul Rite 3" channel.<br /><br />The second I had modified into a swing a way. A local trailer builder was happy to adapt their own design swing away asembly to my trailer tongue. Cost $340.00 The trailer was a 1997 Karavan 4" channel galvanized.

Re: Swing or removable tongue conversion

How much trailer tongue is sticking out? EZ Loader sells a swing tongue that you can add to most of their trailers. I think they save you a foot and a half.<br /><br /> http://estore.ezloader.com/subcat.asp?0=221

Re: Swing or removable tongue conversion

Well thanks to all who replied! I especially liked the “fix the neighbor” suggestion <br />I’ve solved the problem by doing exactly what Jersey Jim suggested. Now all I have to do is install it. Good vacation project.<br /><br />Posting a picture of the “antler” sticking out of the door – pretty comical. It actually didn’t look that bad, but I’ve since taken the fixed tongue off the trailer and fixed the slot in the door. Now my boat is inside and happy, but the two cats were really getting use to coming and going thru that handy slot!<br /><br />Looks like a pretty easy job of install the swing tongue, and I’ll be sure to post a follow up.<br /><br /> http://home.comcast.net/~binduni/Antler.jpg