8+ foot pick-up camper and towing

[bigdeano]

I used to tow my 6k single axle trailer with my 73 chevy 3/4 ton and a 10' camper. I made the trailer with an extra long tongue so it reached the hitch under the camper easily. The long tongue was great for hauling 20' material, and made the trailer very stable towing. Didn't know it was there except for the slow acceleration. A strong headwind with the camper was a killer with only 155 hp.

I think I'd extend the tongue on a trailer rather than use an extension hitch.

 

[Fallon]

I used to tow my 6k single axle trailer with my 73 chevy 3/4 ton and a 10' camper. I made the trailer with an extra long tongue so it reached the hitch under the camper easily. The long tongue was great for hauling 20' material, and made the trailer very stable towing. Didn't know it was there except for the slow acceleration. A strong headwind with the camper was a killer with only 155 hp.

I think I'd extend the tongue on a trailer rather than use an extension hitch.

A long tongue could decrease tongue weight if my lever thoery is correct. But extending the hitch back WILL cause the trailer to have MUCH more leverage on the tug. That's the exact opposite direction you want to go. People go with gooseneck or 5th wheel to get rid of that leverage that can cause sway & fishtailing.

 

[mojoinco]

We have used our 8.5" slide in with 3/4 & 1 ton SRW pickups. Large gas (but older fuel injected) and diesel.
And a horse trailer.

There are large and lite model slide ins. A few inches here and there, less stuff, lighter and smaller. You are pulling a load and carrying a load. You will be slower.
Our then new 6000# (empty) horse trailer required the diesel (one trip loaded up and the 460 Ford was soon for sale). We live at altitude, so 25% loss on non-turbo engines.

As the camper stuck out, I first researched what my loss for a hitch extension would be. About 1/3 of capacity per foot of extension.
Bought the highest weight rated hitch I could find (16 or 18000#; don't recall, but plenty, 2.5" receiver). Made an 8" extension, all is good to go.

On the old truck, I made a dual hitch similar to what has been mentioned. It worked fine too, though that trailer was much lighter.

The towing guides from manufacturers used to mention slide in and 5th wheel frontal area limits. I suspect the marketing dept wanted to sell more trucks and the legal dept couldn't find any real reason to keep that information in there. IIRC, they also included overall side area for wind concerns. Nothing like a huge 5th wheel on a pickup to make you pucker up driving near them on the interstate in open windy country. More power is not always your friend. Same goes when driving with a big box in the bed.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Whe we had all four kids at home we would take our 10.5 cab over camper to the mainland towing a 4 place snomachine trailer with 6 sleds on it with our 2500hd.

Had to use a hitch extension and even with it not being that heavy of a trailer the extension really enhanced the action from the frost heaves! I sure wouldn't want to have pulled a heavy trailer with it and normally I have no problem with 20k loads (without the camper

Since you can't just leave the camper there, a friend in California in similar circumstances built his detached garage first, parked the camper in that, and used it that way til he built his real house and moved there full time.