Extending my Off Road trailer A-Frame
Submitted: Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 20:23
Michael ( Moss Vale NSW)
OK guys, I want to extend the A-frame of my off road trailer. It is 6' by 6' with internal guards and the A- frame only extends about a metre out from the front of the trailer to the pin hole in the Treg. Thats very short and the trailer tends to waddle behind, especially on rough dirt or unsealed roads.
I measured a 7' x 4' camper trailer some time back and it measured 3.2 metres from the axle to the Treg pin, that sound really long. So how long is too long, whats the ideal length and the trade offs? Thanks in anticipation. Michael
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Reply By: pop2jocem - Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 21:43
Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 21:43
Michael
I did the drawbar extension to my 6x4 offroad trailer many years ago, best thing I ever did. Tows better and a damn sight easier to back. I extended mine from about 1.2 mt to 1.7 mt of drawbar length.
Cheers Pop
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Reply By: Harry - Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 22:09
Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 22:09
My camper measures 3.1 axle to treg, 3.2 is not at all too long.
From Treg to face of camper is 1.7
Travels well and is breeze to back.
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Reply By: Crackles - Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 23:59
Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 23:59
Michael. Upside you can back it easier, rides smoother, can open rear doors on Prado's etc and can store more gear.
Downside is the drawbar can flex & crack if not big enough, increases tow bar weight, makes it difficult on narrow tracks & limits rampover through sharp creeks & over large rocks. On a recent Flinders trip all the the long draw bar trailers had heaps of trouble on what I'd call easy offroad tracks (Cu Track/
Artimore Par) & slowed the convoy to half speed.
Up on
Cape York the long draw bars caused trouble on the narrow tracks like the Frenchman's side swiping trees.
The vast majority of people wouldn't have trouble with a longer drawbar but if you go to out of the way
places then they can be an issue.
Cheers Craig..............
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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008 at 20:55
Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008 at 20:55
Thank you to all who repied. I guess that there are good and bad points to both long and short drawbars, I guess you could have a single bar, say 100mm square with 5mm wall RHS tube and have it adjustable via sliding close fit RHS tubes and secured by 20mm pins. HMMM i wonder if it would pass the regulations in NSW. It may not be necessary but would be trick!!! Food for thought.. Michael
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