I'm looking for opinions on the safety on this setup. Just because it looks unorthodox doesn't mean it's unsafe so please excuse the appearance. The trailer is a 21' cuddy boat, I'd imagine ~8k lbs. What do you think?

P.S This is not my setup but a friends where I'm trying to backup my position from people who are smarter then me. He is also a Ford enthusiast and I know he'll appreciate the opine from you folks here.

 

What in the heck is he trying to do?

 

It's his version of an extension to tow the boat. The truck has a camper on the flat bed that hangs over the tow receiver.

 

Just like a rednecks last words..."Watch this!"

 

I see nothing there that can tow 5,000 pounds.. starting with the ball assembly.

 

I'm wondering if the goal of the straps/chains is to reduce the sway (lateral movement) of the hitch or to improve how much tongue weight can be put on the hitch.

It's not the worst setup I've seen, but it sure is the most creative. I think (one of) the problems is that you don't really know how much that setup is rated for until you exceed the limit.

 

The chains and tensioners were placed for both reasons.

 

I have a 21' Cuddy Cabin and there is no way on earth I would use that set up. California lawyers would have a ball with that if something went wrong.

 

I would make an extension that is 1 long piece to start. Rather than chains and straps I would use tubing and make a solid attachment point for each side.

 

I don't see how the straps and chains could possibly help with sway since they only attach to the truck, not the trailer.

My opinion, adding several items that can't handle the load together is a recipe for disaster in a dynamic environment like this. Once the weakest link fails, the rest will be overloaded and will fail.

Not safe.

 

Omg.

This is a joke, right?




All it takes is one semi-bored CHiP to see that thing going by...

There's a Red Tag in that guy's future (and probably a fist full of tickets).

 

They aren't to stop the trailer swaying, they're there to stop the hitch from swaying. With that much extension the ball mount is going to wiggle back and forth like crazy.

 

That is quite possibly the worst jury rigged mess I have ever seen.
There is not anything remotely safe about it.
That mess will most likely get someone killed.
I am a mechanical engineer, and I can not imagine how many failure modes that setup would have.

Do your friend a favor, and make him get that mess removed before he causes a serious accident.

 

Ah, you've never seen some of the genius creations that my dad came up with. Whomever taught him to weld should be shot.

He jerry rigged a hitch on the back of a rental moving truck. C-clamps were part, but not all, of the solution. About half way home the dual axle, flat bed trailer came "unhitched" (it could be argued that it never was hitched in the first place) and proceeded to casually go off the road and along the shoulder, scaring the bajeezus out of small herd of Antelope. Fortunately, it was empty and didn't roll and missed the Antelope (they were out of season at the time). Beats me how we got it back. I think I was half asleep as it was past midnight.

 

My vote.....not safe


It looks like he took 3 receivers and pinned them together and then took the last hitch ball mount and flipped it over to give him the height he needed for the ball. So his answer to stabilize this roughly 3-5 foot receiver is to strap it down to keep the whole thing from flexing with a load attached to the end. If the boat does come loose, the only thing holding the boat to the truck is that cable. The diamond plate pattern straps made the whole think look awkward until I figured it out. While his argument may be that he has used this setup several times with no issue, I still think it needs to be removed and done properly and if the cost is too much, leave the boat at home until he gets it setup properly. JMHO


If it makes some of you feel better, we do have a max speed limit in CA of 55 while towing anything but I would hate to see this thing going 75mph down the Interstate