Stupid question-Will trailer hit truck when turned all the way?

From : chris christanis

Q: talking a 2 place enclosed snowmobile trailer. it seems to get very close when i do a sharp turn in say a parking lot. i usually stop turning cause i think it is going to hit. i have come out of the truck and looked and there were only a couple inches betweeen the taillight and the trailer. i think it could get closer also. or is there enough clearance on all trailers its a 02 ram 1500 quad cab if that counts. its scary!! thanks .

Replies:

From : fmb

i suppose it depends on the length of your toung. take a string tie a loop in the end of it and slip it over the hitch ball. stretch out the string along the trailer toung til it meets the bed of the trailer. hold that point on the string and swing the string towards the corner of your truck. what your fingers hits and towards the corner is what is generally at risk. now if you have stuff hanging forward of the bed of the trailer that would/could increase the risk. prob a good idea to go to an empty parking lot with someone and have you turn tight circles to see just how close you come then put in some margin of safety due to differences in elevation as you go from street to parking lot over sidewalks gutters etc... good luck have fun fmb only one b in fmb talking a 2 place enclosed snowmobile trailer. it seems to get very close when i do a sharp turn in say a parking lot. i usually stop turning cause i think it is going to hit. i have come out of the truck and looked and there were only a couple inches betweeen the taillight and the trailer. i think it could get closer also. or is there enough clearance on all trailers its a 02 ram 1500 quad cab if that counts. its scary!! thanks .

From : mac davismac davis

on tue 16 dec 2003 232543 -0500 konrad ostner konrad.ostner@sympatico.ca wrote im looking at a 2002 dodge dakota sport quad cab 4x4 with the 4.7ltr engine. it has approx 45000 miles on it. is that alot of miles for a vehicle that is 1 -2 years old i have been told its highway miles. in most cases id rather buy a high mileage used truck than a very low mileage one.. high usually indicates a lot of freeway miles low usually indicates stop and go driving and/or periods of non-use... a short 1 or 2 mile commute can be an engine killer because the engine is repeatedly shut down before it reaches operating temp... we got our 01 dakota in december 2001 with 20000 miles on it... we figured that someone else had done the early shakedown and bug fixes for us... mac .

From : mac davis

on wed 17 dec 2003 065355 gmt chris christanis cchrista@rochester.rr.com wrote talking a 2 place enclosed snowmobile trailer. it seems to get very close when i do a sharp turn in say a parking lot. i usually stop turning cause i think it is going to hit. i have come out of the truck and looked and there were only a couple inches betweeen the taillight and the trailer. i think it could get closer also. or is there enough clearance on all trailers its a 02 ram 1500 quad cab if that counts. its scary!! thanks most trailers will bind at the hitch and not hit the truck.... but the trailer should never be turned that far anyway.... you usually have this problem when backing... imho if you are doing a turn in a parking lot or into a driveway and the trailer is getting that close to the truck you need a longer trailer tongue and/or a longer receiver in the hitch... doesnt apply if youre using a ball on the bumper mac .

From : clare snyder on ca

on wed 17 dec 2003 152337 gmt mac davis mac.davis@comcast.net wrote on wed 17 dec 2003 065355 gmt chris christanis cchrista@rochester.rr.com wrote talking a 2 place enclosed snowmobile trailer. it seems to get very close when i do a sharp turn in say a parking lot. i usually stop turning cause i think it is going to hit. i have come out of the truck and looked and there were only a couple inches betweeen the taillight and the trailer. i think it could get closer also. or is there enough clearance on all trailers its a 02 ram 1500 quad cab if that counts. its scary!! thanks most trailers will bind at the hitch and not hit the truck.... but the trailer should never be turned that far anyway.... you usually have this problem when backing... imho if you are doing a turn in a parking lot or into a driveway and the trailer is getting that close to the truck you need a longer trailer tongue and/or a longer receiver in the hitch... doesnt apply if youre using a ball on the bumper and if you are using a ball on the bumper you will eventually bind it up. and most truck bumpers are not built adequately to tow from the bumper. ive seen quite a few badly bent rear step bumpers from towing even lite trailers. mac .