Will Hitch Extender Help with Turning Clearance of 31 Foot Eclipse Toy Hauler

Question:

I have a 31foot Eclipse toy haler that is 4 feet longer than my previous one. It also has a fiberglass front cap the extends the front of the trailer over the batteries and towards the tow vehicle reducing the ability to turn my trailer around in our cul de sac ask me how I learned this interesting fact. In order to increase the distance between the trailer and tow vehicle I have been looking at a hitch extension. I realize it will make the overall length longer and thus possible harder to turn in that area, but it would also allow me to turn further without contacting the trailer with my tow vehicle. It wouldnt be used to tow the vehicle any great distance, just when I move it from the storage facility to mu house to load and unload. Am I on the right track, or should I continue to use the side walk to get the extra space to turn. Its still crazy close.

asked by: Wes J

Expert Reply:

So a hitch extender could work for you but you have to keep in mind that using one cuts the hitch capacity by 50 percent which might be fine or might not depending on your trailer weight and the capacity of your tow vehicle due to the added movement and leverage that the extension creates. If you only need a few more inches a better solution would be a longer ball mount like the Brophy part # BM20 which is 13-1/4 inches in length from pin hole to ball hole, has a10,000 lb towing capacity and has a 2 inch drop.

For a shorter hitch extension, the part # C45791 provides an additional 8 inches of clearance and might work depending on your capacities and weights like I mentioned earlier.

I feel like I already know the answer to how you know you need more turning clearance haha...

expert reply by: Jameson C