smaller trailer

[Francesca Knowles]

What about a receiver on the front of the tug, again assuming there's any weight-carrying capacity left there. I've seen motorcycles carried that way....

Think something as squatty as a front-carrier would obstruct the view of the road?

Francesca

[Bob Miller]

"Modify the frame correctly" may be an understatement. There is only so much that you can do with the relatively light duty frames under most smaller eggs without actually starting out with an all new frame, especially for what the OP wants to do, which sounds like a better idea than several of those that weere mentioned.....

The Casita was mentioned only to point out that trailer frames are not impervious to damage from use, much less when overloaded..... The one I mentioned didn't roll nor was it involved in an accident, it snapped off just ahead of the front crossmember.
In fact I believe we have seen two like that, one a list members, the other one offered in the Govt. auction site.

[Brian B-P]

The hitch capacity will be for a load on a ball right behind the bumper, not for stuff a foot or two beyond it.

Originally Posted by Jared J

Agreed, but I've had several hundred pounds on a rack behind my little subaru (with no trailer).

That "little" Subaru (if we're talking about a current style Legacy) is only an inch shorter in wheelbase than the 2005 Grand Cherokee. Yes, the Jeep has a big engine, but that does nothing for stability. Yes, the Jeep probably has a relatively high rear axle capacity, but the cargo box extends the ball mount out so the trailer is much more of a problem to control than it normally would be.

It might work; I just see real concerns with it.

[Bob Miller]

Here is a good link to a swivel trailer builders site with lots of answers about pulling a swivel wheel trailer behind a non-5th wheel travel trailer.
http://cruiserlift.site.aplus.net/si...quirements.pdf

[knighth001]

A front mount hitch on the Cherokee may be the easiest and safest way if your box isn't so large as to block the headlights.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The hitch capacity will be for a load on a ball right behind the bumper, not for stuff a foot or two beyond it.


That "little" Subaru (if we're talking about a current style Legacy) is only an inch shorter in wheelbase than the 2005 Grand Cherokee. Yes, the Jeep has a big engine, but that does nothing for stability. Yes, the Jeep probably has a relatively high rear axle capacity, but the cargo box extends the ball mount out so the trailer is much more of a problem to control than it normally would be.

It might work; I just see real concerns with it.

Personally, I wouldn't use one of the those dual hitch things on anything, just on principle. It seems a leveraged, top heavy, wobbly affair just asking for trouble. Again, I say extend the frame and put it on front, assuming they have tongue weight under control.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by knighth001

A front mount hitch on the Cherokee may be the easiest and safest way if your box isn't so large as to block the headlights.

I made the mistake of mounting a spare tire on the front of my van and it lost a significant amount of cooling because the tire blocked air flow to the radiator.

[knighth001]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

I made the mistake of mounting a spare tire on the front of my van and it lost a significant amount of cooling because the tire blocked air flow to the radiator.

True. Something that needs to be taken into consideration. Though with all they're hauling they probably won't be going that fast anyways. Course depending on the distance between the grill and the box it might not be too bad.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Jared J

Personally, I wouldn't use one of the those dual hitch things on anything, just on principle. It seems a leveraged, top heavy, wobbly affair just asking for trouble. Again, I say extend the frame and put it on front, assuming they have tongue weight under control.

We have one and have used it a lot on the truck for carrying a motorcycle carrier and at the same time towing either the Trillium or a boat. The combination of hitch, rack, and motorcycle adds about 250 pounds at the hitch on the truck.

Absolutely no problems encountered at all, and many miles traveled.

But success depends on the tow vehicle...

Francesca

[ladonna i.]

the Aero box is too tall and wide for the front...couldn't see over it!

[Andrew Gibbens]

I'm not sure "lengthening the frame" is a realistic option either. Most eggs seem to be near the limit on tongue strength, so the frame would have to be reinforced significantly, as the putting the storage box on the front would roughly double the length of the tongue.

Doubling the length of the tongue doubles the bending load on it, so it would have to be a lot stronger - in round terms, it would need to be at least 50% deeper than the original. But the killer blow is that the bending load doesn't disappear until well under the front of the body, so that's how far back the reinforcement would have to go - as a rule of thumb at least as far as halfway from the front of the body to the axle.

Welding a second frame tube under the original one is the practical way to strengthen an existing tongue, but with adding the new tongue section as well, it's getting close to the point where making a whole new frame was easier.

[Donna D.]

How about a different solution to get the same results: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post329908

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by ladonna i.

we've already purchased the aero box so we plan to use it!

How well I know this sentiment/phrase! Known around here as "The Words of Doom", they immediately precede exhaustive and usually expensive efforts to make some object work because we bought it before working out such small details as exactly how it will work.

Or if it will work!

This thread is going exactly along that course- so far we've suggested modifications to the rig ranging in cost from, say, $300.00 for the double hitch setup all the way to a couple of thousand for a whole new frame! All for the gain of 34 cubic feet of cargo capacity, assuming you bought the bigger box and will fill every interior inch of it without so much as an airgap between objects.

"Floor space" gained by the box is less than fifteen square feet. Since the dogs occupy the entire rear of the tug, removal of the back seat and fitting in of a foot-or-so-tall platform for them would yield the same amount of storage beneath, and much better distributed for the setup.

Not that I expect you to give the smallest consideration to this suggestion...after all, you've "already purchased the Aero"!

Francesca

[Andrew Gibbens]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

This thread is going exactly along that course- so far we've suggested modifications to the rig ranging in cost from, say, $300.00 for the double hitch setup all the way to a couple of thousand for a whole new frame!

And I feel I should point out that we have left out another suggestion - of buying a 16ft trailer to get the extra space required...

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Andrew Gibbens

And I feel I should point out that we have left out another suggestion - of buying a 16ft trailer to get the extra space required...

Make it a 16 ft flatbed, put both Burro and box on it and I think we've solved both problems!

Francesca

[ladonna i.]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

How about a different solution to get the same results: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post329908

this is a good link...thanks

[ladonna i.]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

How well I know this sentiment/phrase! Known around here as "The Words of Doom", they immediately precede exhaustive and usually expensive efforts to make some object work because we bought it before working out such small details as exactly how it will work.

Or if it will work!

This thread is going exactly along that course- so far we've suggested modifications to the rig ranging in cost from, say, $300.00 for the double hitch setup all the way to a couple of thousand for a whole new frame! All for the gain of 34 cubic feet of cargo capacity, assuming you bought the bigger box and will fill every interior inch of it without so much as an airgap between objects.

"Floor space" gained by the box is less than fifteen square feet. Since the dogs occupy the entire rear of the tug, removal of the back seat and fitting in of a foot-or-so-tall platform for them would yield the same amount of storage beneath, and much better distributed for the setup.

Not that I expect you to give the smallest consideration to this suggestion...after all, you've "already purchased the Aero"!

Francesca

wow...just looking for ideas and brainstorming...not loving the snarky negativity...time to exit, stage left!

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by ladonna i.

wow...just looking for ideas and brainstorming...not loving the snarky negativity...time to exit, stage left!

Take it easy there, Girlfriend...

None of the solutions/opinions/advice offered by numerous experienced trailertoters so far has seemed to help with your dilemma, one with which I'm entirely in sympathy...as I think my (poorly received) post points out.

Best of luck to you!

Francesca

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by ladonna i.

this is a good link...thanks

You're welcome. Hope you find a solution that works well for you

[ladonna i.]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Take it easy there, Girlfriend...

None of the solutions/opinions/advice offered by numerous experienced trailertoters so far has seemed to help with your dilemma, one with which I'm entirely in sympathy...as I think my (poorly received) post points out.

Best of luck to you!

Francesca

oh my..on the contrary...there have been some very useful ideas and links posted on this thread for which I'm grateful! We have the Burro which we love, we have the Aero box and we will make it work... funds for purchasing a different 16' trailer are just not available at this time nor in the near future...we've chosen to work with what we have currently and we'll be delighted with our set-up and make it fit our needs...thanks so much, no sympathy needed (for now)..happy trails