Device to Allow Moving Car Hauler Trailer Into Storage Position Nose-In

Question

Question:

My car hauler has a fold down ramp back door that allows the loading of a car. The trailer hitch is at the other end of the trailer. I have a storage space that allows me to back into a space that does not allow me to access the ramp back door. I would like to park the trailer with the back door facing out. Is there any type of mechanism that can be hooked up to the back of the trailer to allow the maneuvering of the trailer in this manner. I dont care if I have to remove it to open the back door. Thanks for your help!

asked by: Terry K

0

Expert Reply:

The trailer mover products we carry, such as the Trailer Valet Trailer Mover # STC-V211, install on the trailer tongue and allow you to maneuver the trailer either by hand cranking or by use of a cordless drill attachment # TVDA. Trailers of up to 500-lbs tongue weight are compatible. This jack offers 2-speed posi-traction operation and includes a steering handle. It swivels out of the way for travel. Please see the linked video.

If your trailer tongue weight is too heavy for this solution another option is to install a frame-mounted hitch to the rear of the trailer (on the frame rails, and below the ramp door). Such 2-inch universal-fit hitches are shown on the linked page. The highest-rated choices are the Curt models # C13701 and # C13702. Both fit trailer frames from 18- to 51-inches width and hitch # C13701 has 2-inches of drop at its receiver tube if lower height is needed to clear the bottom of the ramp door or other rear parts of the trailer. I suggest making sure with the trailer maker that its frame is okay to use for hitch installation.

You would then need to fabricate a coupler-like device that could be inserted into the trailer's new hitch. Part # D30 from Curt is a 2 x 2-inch foot-long solid steel bar to which you could weld a standard ball coupler like the etrailer.com # CT-3001-Z. The coupler would provide the necessary pivot point between the vehicle's hitch ball and the hitch on the rear of the trailer.

There are a lot of "what ifs" in a fabrication scenario like this. You will be on your own in terms of making and using this item. No final weight capacity for the combination item will be known since it will be a one-off item that has never been tested. Both the tow vehicle hitch and the new hitch on the trailer will have to be the pretty much the exact same height above ground. And, since you will maneuver the trailer from the rear, closer to its axles, every bit of movement at the rear of the trailer will be magnified at the front of it where the coupler is. This could mean some very fine driving skills are needed to avoid the nose of the nose of the trailer suddenly swinging to the side and hitting another stored trailer.

This option will cost less but the Trailer Valet # STC-V211 is the safer way to go and so is what we recommend.