My tongue is too heavy. I can't move it by myself

[Micro469]

Steve...you can see that from there????

[Wimperdink]

get an old one of these.....



Take the seat off.... put a ball in the seat mount post... pull the handle bars all the way fwd... presto you have a motorized trailer mover.

I've got an old school 3 wheeled mobility and can attest that it would have more than enough power to move a decently heavy TD trailer. The seat posts are pretty heavy duty as they sometimes need to be.

[nrody]

Cash and a high school football player will get the job done!

[Micro469]

Ask a simple question... LOL

[vreihen]

get an old one of these.....

If you have a lawn tractor, there are usually trailer hitch mounts available for them.

If you can move a 50-pound battery from the tongue box to the rear, it will probably shift enough weight where you might get sway while towing from the tongue being too light. Can you put a step on the rear bumper and just have someone stand on it when moving the trailer?????

[Senior Ninja]

I bought one of those two wheeled dollies to move my TD around the garage and driveway. I purchased the HF one. It has nice large tires as well. They are about half the cost of one from CW.
Steve

[Engineer Guy]

Physics-wise, think of a Kiddie See Saw w/Fulcrum [the Axle]. More weight shifted to the rear of the Axle - left where it is - will reduce the downward weight on the Tongue [the 'other' side of the See Saw]. This effect is only of interest IF the downward Tongue load being too great is the root cause of the problem.

If the issue is instead rolling resistance on soft Grass, the solutions are above. Use Wood to spread the PSI load over more surface area, as Troops moving across soft Ground have done for decades, and pump up Tire pressure 'somewhat'.

[madjack]

...if you move both the camper and the axle back the same amount, you haven't really gained anything...except a little extra leverage...the same as lengthening the tounge...the tongue will remain as heavy, you will just have more leverage(all, kinda sorta thingy)...do you know how heavy the trailer is...do you know what the tongue weight is...here in the States(as opposed to Yurp) we recommend 10 to 15% weight on the tongue...you can go a little heavier but not lighter...in Yurp, where cars are generally lighter, they tow with around 5% tongue weight(and drive slower and travel shorter distances...usually), which is considered dangerous over here...maybe make an easily removable tongue box and remove it before lifting the tongue...that's all I got for ya..........................
madjack

[PaulC]

What MJ said. Rearrange the weight thing would be best and enable you to maintain a cool TD.
Cheers
Paul

[StandUpGuy]

I would just like to know what the total weight of the trailer is. I am constantly amazed by how heavy some of these little TDs can be.

[Billy K]

What if, instead of moving things around ...you could change the tongue ?? Making an extendable tongue.

It would require a pipe and and a new coupler ,etc....

You could use two reese style hitch pins to cross pin a pipe and coupler that would retract or extend as needed. In the closed position for towing (current position) you would be close to what you have. Then to move it around; pull the pins - extend the pipe - replace pins and you have a longer tongue to lift and manuever with.

Fits the Fulcrum Theory, i think....
YMMV but I had 2 cents to spend

[kirkman]

Very simple you need to move more weight to the back of your tear. That is all you need to do. Moving the axle and camper body will not give you what you want. On my coal ash trailer I had to weld a peace of railroad rail on (man is that stuff heavy) for a rear bumper to get it so I could manage the tongue weight by my self.

[eamarquardt]

It kinda seems to me that the trailer isn't light (and probably, unlike most of us, isn't putting on weight as it gets older) and the "motive force" is apparently declining with age (as is to be expected!). All the wheels look pretty good and moving them around to change the balance isn't going to change the fact the the "motive force" isn't sufficient, any longer, to move the trailer.

Putting plywood down or pavers down to reduce the rolling friction compared to the grass would be a big help. A power caster might be a good long term solution if you can afford it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TRAILER- ... 3f0a56b52b

http://www.powercaster.com/

There are several available in LA LA land on Craigslist for bout $500. Didn't see any of em in your neck of the woods.

IMHO, changing the balance of the trailer isn't gonna change anything as with the dolly pictured, all the weight of the trailer is on pretty good wheels already. Adding weight to change the balance is just gonna give you more mass to move and will require, IMHO, more "motive force" to move it.

Only viable options, IMHO:

Remove mass to make the trailer lighter.

Decrease friction (tires properly inflated, plywood, pavers, good bearings on dolly wheels).

Increase motive force (power caster or use stronger muscles, your's after working out or auxillary (young stud) muscles).

Increase "mechanical advantage" by using a block and tackle or come along.

There you have it, again, "The World According to Gus".

Most important: Don't hurt yourself.

Cheers,

Gus

[StandUpGuy]

..Putting plywood down or pavers down to reduce the rolling friction compared to the grass would be a big help. A power caster might be a good long term solution if you can afford it..IMHO, changing the balance of the trailer isn't gonna change anything as with the dolly pictured, all the weight of the trailer is on pretty good wheels already. Adding weight to change the balance is just gonna give you more mass to move and will require, IMHO, more "motive force" to move it.


Remove mass to make the trailer lighter.

Decrease friction (tires properly inflated, plywood, pavers, good bearings on dolly wheels).

Increase motive force (power caster or use stronger muscles, your's afer working out or auxillary (young stud) muscles).
There you have it, again, "The World According to Gus".

Most important: Don't hurt yourself.

Cheers,

Gus

Exactly!

[Wimperdink]

$250cdn
http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/mcy/2386156891.html


And you can put the seat back on and ride it around.