leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

[bluebrownie]

thx for looking... leaving tomorrow on a fishing trip...buddies truck gonna pull my boat...he has a toyota tacoma 4x4... no trailer hitch, just a ball... the ball appears to be too high... for the trailer... how safe is it to trailer with the boat sort of tilted back...? is there a trailer bar of some kind that would bolt in where the ball bolts in on the bumper with a drop down of 2 inches or so...that i could put a ball on...

my boat is a 12 footer, not big, pretty light... i could empty most of the contents out and lighten the load... so that if the boat is perched (higher towards the bow) an lower i the stern... think thatd'' be ok?

not much time...diddn't anticipate this problem....thanks again

 

[dlngr]

Re: leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

It should be OK. If the boat wants to wander,or 'wag the tail' move some weight to the front of the boat.[I'd try to pack most of the equipment forward in the boat to begin with.]

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

wont hurt it the only time it really matters if the trailer is tilted up or down is if your have tandom or triple axle trailers in which your putting all the wieght on 1 axle with a single axle 12 foot trailer i wouldn't worry at all

 

[bluebrownie]

Re: leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

thanks... my van that i usually pull the boat with is about 14 inches from top of the ball to the ground... his tacoma is about 26 inches from top of ball to ground... 1 foot higher... the boat will be perched quite a bit

 

[oldjeep]

Re: leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

Problem with having it that high is that the coupler doesn't want to rotate as easily and may smack his bumper on turns. If you do need a drop, this might work. Older pickup bumpers always had the 3 holes you would need to mount one of these.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...=X&ei=SdXJTbGXMcjZgQe07tHwBQ&ved=0CFYQ8wIwAg#

 

[lncoop]

Re: leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

You should be fine, but if your buddy ever tows anything you might persuade him to have a hitch installed. It's not prohibitively expensive and he should have no trouble getting it done before tomorrow unless you are in a very rural area. Heck, U-haul will install one while you wait. If that's not an option I wouldn't worry about it too much as long as you don't exceed the Taco's weight limit.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

Just make sure that your buddies ball is the same size as yours is.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

since it's just a 12' you can do anything. But watch the low stern; you may want to remove the motor and stow it in the boat over the axle.
Might also consider sliding the boat into the bed of the truck, if it's not a good fit on the bumper. Take a close look at how you latch onto the ball, and double the safety chains.
I pull a 13' on the bumper of my tahoe and it's close, especially on the turns, but in my case it's level.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

Just make sure that your buddies ball is the same size as yours is.

LOL - buddy of mine lost a tailgate while loading a car on a trailer he borrowed from me. 2" ball with a 2 5/16 hitch wasn't real secure.

 

[lncoop]

Re: leaving on the fishing trip tomorrow, got a trailer hitch problem...HELP!

Just make sure that your buddies ball is the same size as yours is.

No double entendres please.