Extended Length Tow Hitch

[Kevin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kevin]

I am currently looking at buying a camping trailer and while talking to one supplier I mentioned having enough space between the front of the trailer and the rear of the Prado so that I would open the door fully without having to either take the trailer off or jack knife the combination. He mentioned that there are extended hitches available to increase the gap. This sounded a bit sus to me as extending the hitch would put increased twisting load on the towbar.

Has anyone used an extended hitch for the above purpose?

[Addy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Addy]

Don't know if this is what you are talking about, i have seen on boating trailers for beach launches to keep back wheels out of water.
They have your main draw bar with a another smaller one attached to the side that folds out when needed. But this would not be used for normal toe purpose.

[Kevin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kevin]

I know what you are talking about, and no thats not what I mean. I think the guy I was talking to mentioned that there was a longer hitch, designed for Patrol Tray backs or similar, that could be used instead of the standard Toyota Hitch.

[HGMonaro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close HGMonaro]

would be handy as the door hits (or would hit if you let it!) the gas bottles on the drawbar (mines a Goldstream camper but I'd imagine they'd all be similar) I don't think it would need to be much longer (in my case) as it only just hits.

On a slightly related manner... I want to change my hitch 'tongue' anyway, as the Toyota one doesn't really suit my Treg hitch in that the tongue narrows up and the Tregs anti-twist hooks don't come into play when tightening it up, which makes it more difficult than it should or needs to be.

I might kill two birds with one stone with a lengthened HR tongue!

[xvprado Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close xvprado]

The toyota genuine bar and the haymen reeses have the same size hitch receiver, ie 50mm

You can buy a range of tongues for them in all sort of sizes, i have one that is about 12" longer than standard to accomodate my camper
Bear in mind the extended length changes the balance and potentially the ball weight, so you need to think about this when distributing weight in the trailer

If I am "going somewehere" and dont need to access the back of the car on the way I use a short tongue, if touring and need access while the trailer is on i use the longer one

Any trailer supply mob either has em in stock or cna make one to suit you

[John Member Find all posts View Profile Close John]

Gidday Kevin,

When I bought our Coromal camper (Treg hitch), we found that the genuine towbar was about 4" too high. It was purely a coincidence that by swapping it over for a HR tongue (which can be installed either way up) that we could open the back door without hitting the handbrake handle on the camper.

It was also a coincidence that the tongue stuck out about 4" further than the Toyota.

The Coromal had about 120kg ball weight (pretty heavy for a CT) and it was just a little heavy on it's own. I bought a pair of Polyairs which transformed the handling (but wasn't true weight distribution).

XVprado, if you lengthen the arm (for the same weight), doesn't it reduce the ball weight? (Sort of like lifting a wheelbarrow from further away from the wheel).

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Had an email from Steve regarding a towbar extension hitch to solve the rear door obstruction on campers.



I'm sure Steve will follow up with further info.

Cheers
Chippy

[Squeaky Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Squeaky]

Thanks for putting it up Chippy, I'll have to sort out some webspace when I get time.
I made some of these a couple of years back when I had my troopy.
The troopy had more room between the hitch and fuel tank (about 300mm) - the Prado has about 200mm which would allow 180mm of extension. On trips up north when we pulled over for the night you just pull the pin and push the boat/camper back to get the rear doors to open fully. Worked a treat

Steve