Bronco extended trailer tongue extension question

[Onestepmore]

I have a 2023 Badlands, Sasquatch and my Rockwood 640 LTD scale weighed in at 1990 lbs and a tongue weight of 190lbs. I'm worried about a 13 inch extended tongue I needed to use because the trailer crank would hit the spare tire and interfered with the tongue ball latch. Can anyone please give me your opinion on if I am cantilevering too far from the standard 9 inch tongue? I have pictures of everything for you to see. Any thoughts or suggestions are Greatly appreciated...

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[SHANUT]

I have a 2023 Badlands, Sasquatch and my Rockwood 640 LTD scale weighed in at 1990 lbs and a tongue weight of 190lbs. I'm worried about a 13 inch extended tongue I needed to use because the trailer crank would hit the spare tire and interfered with the tongue ball latch. Can anyone please give me your opinion on if I am cantilevering too far from the standard 9 inch tongue? I have pictures of everything for you to see. Any thoughts or suggestions are Greatly appreciated...

That’s way too much leverage on your Bronco hitch. Is there a weight distributing hitch you can use? Or remove the spare when towing?

 

[Rydfree]

I unbolted the factory jack from my trailer and replaced it with a swing away jack further back on the frame about where your battery box is. Mine clears fine like that without an extension.

 

[Onestepmore]

That’s way too much leverage on your Bronco hitch. Is there a weight distributing hitch you can use? Or remove the spare when towing?

Thanks for the quick response...and thanks for the confirmation...I was afraid of that!!!

 

[Mean Green]

No towing expert by any margin, so I will state this as a question. Why not a 6 inch drop hitch to lower the ball and level the trailer?

 

[RagnarKon]

I don't know why we are guessing with this when we can just do the math. It's just a lever calculation.

So Bronco has a maximum tongue weight of 350 lbs. The following formula gets us the approximate rear axle load increase:

r = T * (w + h)/w

• T = tongue weight
• w = wheelbase
• h = length between rear axle and hitch (overhang, basically)

Using our handy-dandy equipment install guide we can get those numbers...

• T = 350 lbs
• w = 2550mm
• h = 833mm

MATHS:

r = 350 * (2550 + 833)/2550

r = 464 lbs

So the load on the rear axle increases by 464 lbs when loaded up with a 350 lbs tongue weight.

---

Now we do it for your trailer...

r = T * (w + h)/w

• T = 190 lbs
• w = 2550 mm
• h = 833mm + 13 inch = 1163mm

MATHS:

r = 190 * (2550 + 1163)/2550

r = 276 lbs

276 lbs is obviously less than 464 lbs. You're fine.

 

[Onestepmore]

I unbolted the factory jack from my trailer and replaced it with a swing away jack further back on the frame about where your battery box is. Mine clears fine like that without an extension.

Thanks for the quick reply too...I was thinking about that and wasn't sure...thanks for the suggestion!!!

 

[Onestepmore]

I don't know why we are guessing with this when we can just do the math. It's just a lever calculation.

So Bronco has a maximum tongue weight of 350 lbs. The following formula gets us the approximate rear axle load increase:

r = T * (w + h)/w

• T = tongue weight
• w = wheelbase
• h = length between rear axle and hitch (overhang, basically)

Using our handy-dandy equipment install guide we can get those numbers...

• T = 350 lbs
• w = 2550mm
• h = 833mm

MATHS:

r = 350 * (2550 + 833)/2550

r = 464 lbs

So the load on the rear axle increases by 464 lbs when loaded up with a 350 lbs tongue weight.

---

Now we do it for your trailer...

r = T * (w + h)/w

• T = 190 lbs
• w = 2550 mm
• h = 833mm + 13 inch = 1163mm

MATHS:

r = 190 * (2550 + 1163)/2550

r = 276 lbs

276 lbs is obviously less than 464 lbs. You're fine.

That.s totally Awesome and impressive!!!! I would have never figured that out but I really appreciate your computations!!! Are you an engineer by any chance?

 

[Rydfree]

That.s totally Awesome and impressive!!!! I would have never figured that out but I really appreciate your computations!!! Are you an engineer by any chance?

I bet this is him right here. Looks like a RagnarKon anyway

 

[Onestepmore]

No towing expert by any margin, so I will state this as a question. Why not a 6 inch drop hitch to lower the ball and level the trailer?

That would solve the interference with the tongue latch and lock but it doesn't help with the crank handle...without the 13 inch extended tongue the crank hits the spare...but thanks for the quick response I really appreciate it...

 

[RagnarKon]

That.s totally Awesome and impressive!!!! I would have never figured that out but I really appreciate your computations!!! Are you an engineer by any chance?

Actually yes... but of the electrical variety, not mechanical.

Regardless, it's just simple levers, which is (or should be) high school physics. Front axle is a Class 1 lever, rear axle is a Class 2 lever.

Granted this all substantially oversimplified because it doesn't take into account suspension, but for this sort of stuff where you are just trying to get ballpark numbers it's good enough.

I bet this is him right here

Won't lie, wanted to be a train engineer for most of my childhood.

WOOO WOOO

 

[Onestepmore]

Actually yes... but of the electrical variety, not mechanical.

Regardless, it's just simple levers, which is (or should be) high school physics. Front axle is a Class 1 lever, rear axle is a Class 2 lever.

Granted this all substantially oversimplified because it doesn't take into account suspension, but for this sort of stuff where you are just trying to get ballpark numbers it's good enough.

Won't lie, wanted to be a train engineer for most of my childhood.

WOOO WOOO

I think most of us wanted to be engineers at our younger age...Thanks for the information Bryan...I was starting to sweat a little with a camping trip coming up this week end and scrambling for solutions. I't such a light trailer...I had it weighed at a truck center, even loaded it was well under 2000lbs...I weighed my Bronco Badlands 2 door with sasquatch package and it weighed in at 5020lbs with a full tank of gas and me not in it...I love these Broncos!!!

 

[mpeugeot]

I don't know why we are guessing with this when we can just do the math. It's just a lever calculation.

So Bronco has a maximum tongue weight of 350 lbs. The following formula gets us the approximate rear axle load increase:

r = T * (w + h)/w

• T = tongue weight
• w = wheelbase
• h = length between rear axle and hitch (overhang, basically)

Using our handy-dandy equipment install guide we can get those numbers...

• T = 350 lbs
• w = 2550mm
• h = 833mm

MATHS:

r = 350 * (2550 + 833)/2550

r = 464 lbs

So the load on the rear axle increases by 464 lbs when loaded up with a 350 lbs tongue weight.

---

Now we do it for your trailer...

r = T * (w + h)/w

• T = 190 lbs
• w = 2550 mm
• h = 833mm + 13 inch = 1163mm

MATHS:

r = 190 * (2550 + 1163)/2550

r = 276 lbs

276 lbs is obviously less than 464 lbs. You're fine.

The bigger problem is the 66% increased leverage on the receiver itself. That's more prone to bending...

10" / 6“ = 1.66 the apx difference between the hitches.

350# / 1.66 = 210.8#

190# tongue is still acceptable, closer than the earlier calculation.

Just saying that may be a factor, but I am not an engineer... Maybe I am not thinking about it correctly.

 

[Onestepmore]

The bigger problem is the 66% increased leverage on the receiver itself. That's more prone to bending...

10" / 6“ = 1.66 the apx difference between the hitches.

350# / 1.66 = 210.8#

190# tongue is still acceptable, closer than the earlier calculation.

Just saying that may be a factor, but I am not an engineer... Maybe I am not thinking about it correctly.

I really appreciate the your post too!!! I am not an authority on any weight distribution or leverage computations so all the help everyone has given me is Great!!! Thanks so much!!!

 

[JohnnyBronco]

I unbolted the factory jack from my trailer and replaced it with a swing away jack further back on the frame about where your battery box is. Mine clears fine like that without an extension.

My suggestion as well. Not only will a swing away not hVe to be retracted as much if it has a caster wheel it is great for moving the trailer.

190# empty tongue weight might be on high side even with short hitch since once you load it up you may exceed 300-350

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