Hi All,

For many years I have been pulling a cement mixer. Backing it up is a pain because it has a short tongue (makes it wiggly). So, I have an idea about this that I wanted to pick some brains on. I am thinking that for my next truck, what would help for this is A) buy a truck with a longer wheel base, B) design the bed (Cab Chassis here) so that the hitch is as close to the rear axle as possible. Am I correct on my geometry here? BTW they do not make longer tongues for these mixers. Some people have tried making their own but they usually bend b4 long.

Thanks!

 

I think longer wheelbase would make it more difficult. No matter what you do, backing up something that short is always going to be a pain. Only real solution is to make it longer. Shouldn't have any problem with a longer tongue bending if you make it out of good strong steel and put it together with good welds.

 

Maybe you should consider a front hitch mount. It makes backing a trailer into a tight spot pretty easy.

 

My father in law had the same problem years back I couldn't come up with any way other then a longer tongue witch made it to heavy to move. The best advise back up slow and make small corrections in the steering. The shorter the trailer the faster it gets away from you I could put a 53 foot trailer in a loading dock in one try but takes me a few try's to get the little 4x8 trailer in my laneway

 

I don't think this is the winning combination, plastermaster!

First of all you're going to have a very difficult time setting up a chassis/cab truck with a hitch close to the axle. The frame rails are going to extend a few feet past the axle, and even if you cut them you will not be able to get any closer than the rear spring mounts to mount a receiver hitch. I would think that the overhang will actually help you control such a trailer because when you are correcting the overhang actually works to bring the tongue in the direction you want it.

Secondly you do NOT want a long-wheelbase tow vehicle! You need maximum maneuverability to control a short wheelbase trailer, and therefore a long wheelbase would hinder your ability to control it once it starts to go. If you ever want to see this principle for yourself go to any local warehouse that has a yard truck. These are specialized trucks that aren't designed to go on the road, all they are built for is to move semi trailers into and out of loading docks.

I would think the best you could do would be with the shortest wheelbase possible and the best turning radius possible.

 

Actually a long tongue in my case makes the mixer easier to pick up and move. Mixer has only one axle. Eventually the drum gets heavy due to a bit of plaster caked to it. Now that I am older the short tongue does not have the leverage as a long tongue to pick up up and maneuver it around. I even sometimes wrap the safety chain around a 2X4 to extend the tongue a bit for picking it up and moving it by hand.

I was thinking a longer wheel base on the truck would result in less swing at the hitch, but then of course the front end gets more wieldy, not to mention the other problems such as making U turns. But with the torque on the new trucks I could lay on the throttle and spin the back end around LOL!

Tom, I hear ya on the limitations of the chassis. Some beds though are configured with way more overhang than others. Currently I have a 9' bed but I have seen 12' beds on the same wheel base. That set up jack knifes the mixer with the slightest turn at the front. Probably I would be getting a used truck (thanks to new CARB laws in CA for diesels with GVRW exceeding 14,000 lbs) so the bed will be what it will be. Pipe stock for the tongue can be found in a variety of tensile strength if I shop at the right places.

Thanks you all! I'm glad everyone is in agreement. Now next question is gas or diesel LOL Just kidding! that thread would be locked in the first day.

 

I did that once on an old 62 GMC. had a job on a house where I had to back the mixer down a steep and narrow driveway. I just drilled a hole in the front bumper and followed'er down. The mixer has a pin hitch, so it couldn't have been easier.

 

My new to me truck had one welded to the back frame it was trailer mounted but I guess it was easier to mount it .

 

Yeah Ive seen those, but you know, me and my mixer needs some space once in awhile.

Question though, since I'm guessing were similar lines of work, hows that V10 do with lots of weight? I often wiegh out at 15,000 lbs and am concerned with how well a gasser will hold up under that weight in my hilly areas. Ive been in a 7.3 since 89 but in 2015 it will be illegal in most CA counties. (mine anyway) I'll be looking to by a used 450 in a couple years due to the new laws. BTW the laws only apply to trucks 14,000GVWR and up, without pickup beds. its for commercial trucks.

 

It was owed by a company that installed fences in the Chicago suburbs. the truck was always loaded with 4x4 posts, sand and gravel. I have never seen the truck with a heavy load on it but I think the only reasion the mixer was welded on was due to working in crowded suburbs. The mixer I assume is heavy but Ive pulled a few 70's Lincolns with the truck weighing at least 12-15k with no problems. I have not had any problems pulling on hills with the V10. The only negative is the gas gauge drops pretty fast.