# Extending a trailer tongue?



## Osprey

instead of messing with the trailer you could go with a hitch extender.


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## Herm99

Osprey said:


> instead of messing with the trailer you could go with a hitch extender.


I thought about that, my only concern is that this trailer's tongue is so short that it is going to jack knife very easily and adding a hitch extension won't change that, it will still jack knife easily, but just further away from the car. Am I understanding these physics properly?


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## fishnut

Can you post a pic. of your trailer? Depending on the design it could be pretty easy!


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## Osprey

Herm99 said:


> I thought about that, my only concern is that this trailer's tongue is so short that it is going to jack knife very easily and adding a hitch extension won't change that, it will still jack knife easily, but just further away from the car. Am I understanding these physics properly?


yes, you are right a hitch extender won't change how it is to back up. actually might make it harder. just how short is this thing? I'm with fishnut, pics....


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## Herm99

fishnut said:


> Can you post a pic. of your trailer? Depending on the design it could be pretty easy!



here is a generic pic of it, but its this exact trailer, at the end of the tongue the hitch coupler just unbolts, so i can do some kind of extension there. However I did just think of a new idea, perhaps just unbolting that entire tongue from the trailer-discarding that section, and buying a whole new section at a local steel supplier, just about 2 feet longer. Perhaps that might be the easiest route.


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## mttodd

I have extended the tongue on a couple of trailers. It is cheap and easy. Butt joints are a big no-no. The best way I have found is to cut the tongue off about 18 inches from the coupling and using a length of the next larger dimensional sized steel tube, simply sleeve the tongue. Make sure you have 6 inches inside the sleeve and weld all the way around on both sides. You can even put a bolt though on both ends for insurance. I have done this to repair jacknived trailers and to just plain extend them. Not to keen on hitch extenders, although some use them. The added leverage extenders exert on the receiver during highway speed turns and emergency braking is evident in the drastically lower tongue ratings they are forced to advertise. The longer tongue does improve the jack knife deal quite a bit.


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## mttodd

If your tongue unbolts entirely that would be the way to go.


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## fishnut

Yea, I would agree with mttod and just replace the whole tongue. I would suggest that if it is extended more than just a little that you use a slightly thicker piece of tubing.


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## Chip

Get a new, longer piece of steel. Paint it red. 

Here's a copy of a post on my similar but larger kit trailer, which had a tongue that could be re-drilled and slid forward:

- - -

Northern Tool had a 4x8 folding utility trailer kit on sale for $179 (half the usual price). With wheels, tires, and shipping it came to about $350. I had some Kee-Klamps (steel fittings like SpeedRail but way heavy) lying around so I got some top-rail tubing and built the rack (another $50-75). Since my boat's wider than the trailer frame, I had to lower the trailer fenders a bit and build the rack to clear them, wider than the frame. 



The only other mod was to drill new holes in the tongue so I could extend it. The rollers are PVC pipe. The rack unbolts and lifts off in about 10-15 minutes. I also made a plywood bed and slat sides for utility use.


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## Osprey

I had the 4x8 HD version before, that looks like the 4x4. actually pretty solid little trailers. how long is your raft? sounds like the bolting or replacement rail is the way to go.


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## Wadeinthewater

I had one of those trailers about 20 years ago. I had the same problem and just replaced the tongue with a longer piece of steel. The tongue was so long that I could easily carry a 17 ft canoe. No pictures because that was before digital cameras.


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## shortbus

I would definitely unbolt the tongue and go with a longer piece of channel or tubing. I have that same little trailer with canoe arms on it and did the same thing. 

I extended the tongue on my raft trailer by cutting the tongue off at the trailer and finding a piece of material the had an OD the same as the tongue ID and spliced it back together, pulls much better and fits my new longer raft.


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## Rex Piscatore

*I extended the tongue on a kit trailer like yours...*

I extended the tongue on a kit trailer like yours that I got from Northern Tool and it works great! It tracks and backs very well. I just replaced the stock tongue with a steel 3" x 3" square tube I got locally from a welding shop. My shuttle vehicle is on the front of my truck...


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## Osprey

that's sweet Rex.


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## GPP33

Sounds like you don't have a welder. Find a welding shop and stop by. Chances are they can extend it for $5 in material plus the minimum labor charge, probably about $20. Extending will probably be cheaper than replacing.

If you were closer I'd hook you up, it's a very easy mod.


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## Herm99

I got it taken care of, i just bought the same size steel tubing and replaced the whole thing, so no welding or splicing was needed.

That brings my next question, whats the best way to add carpet to the decking? Do most just glue it on? Staple it on?


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## muttster

Why do people put carpet on? I have seen as many trailers without carpeting as I have with? I have always thought that the carpet would just trap more grit, rocks, sticks, etc. and keep it under your boat. I have never had it on any of my trailers, so I am curious.


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## Gremlin

Mine has carpet because the plywood decking, while still solid, was beginning to splinter. I painted it with a Drylok product and glued carpet down. I needed to use short sheet metal screws with washer heads to roll it over the back edge and attach it to the underside. It makes it easy and worry-free to slide Supercat across it, seems to be holding up well, and was easier than replacing the plywood that was going to do the same thing over time without some coating or covering. I don't notice it holding/trapping debris, in fact, it "feels" cleaner.


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