Will Use of Brophy Hitch Extender # HE12 Improve Handling of 16-ft Travel Trailer When Towed

Updated 08/02/2013 | Published 08/01/2013

Question:

Hello, So nice of you to offer help. I recently purchased a small travel trailer see photo. It is only 16 feet long and weighs 1640 Lbs. Im pulling it with a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500, 2 wheel drive vehicle with the 4.7L V-8. It has the factory trailer package. I believe that it has a towing capacity of at least 3500 lbs and possibly 5000 lbs. I have towed all sorts of boats around the country for 30 years and Im used to the longer trailers in general. I have a small 16 foot boat that Ive had for 10 years and Im very used to pulling and maneuvering it, but it also has a very long tongue on it. The new travel trailer we bought has a very short tongue, very much shorter than Im used to. I just figured that Id just have to adapt. However, the trailer reacts to wheel input remarkably faster with the short tongue and reduced distance between the trailer wheels and turning wheels. I am worried about jack-knifing the trailer and causing damage also. So ... I have three questions .... 1 will adding this hitch extender slow the trailer reaction time ? 2 will my vehicle handle the reduced tongue weight capacity ? and 3 will the extension contribute to or cause the trailer to sway at all ? currently, it tracks beautifully.

asked by: Neil M

Expert Reply:

As you noted, using any hitch extender or adapter will have the negative side-effect of reducing the tongue weight capacity of your hitch. In your case your specified factory hitch rating will be cut in half by use of an extender. The hitches we offer for your Ram 1500 (please see link provided) include both Class III and Class IV types. These vary in their tongue weight and gross towing weight capacities and even if your trailer weight is within the reduced hitch capacity (if used with an extender) we do not recommend this practice.

The small increase in distance provided by an extender will not make a significant difference in the handling characteristics of your trailer. It is not likely to substantially increase the sway you experience but may make the overall system noisier due to the additional coupling point introduced by the extender.

Tandem axle trailers will generally exhibit slower reaction to steering changes in the tow vehicle than single-axle trailers such as your camper. I suspect that your similarly-sized boat trailer, in addition to having a longer tongue, may have its axle(s) positioned closer to the rear of the trailer, since most of a boats weight tends to be toward the aft. This differing geometry would account for much of the variance in handling response time.

In your case I suggest you apply your towing experience to additional time with the new trailer to get accustomed to its characteristics.

expert reply by: Adam R