Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

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bikerGus
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Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby bikerGus » Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:55 pm

Give me advice for using a front-mounted hitch on my towing vehicle specifically for a boat from 16 to 20-feet long.

I just had a front hitch installed on my Jeep for hitching to the trailer for my 170 MONTAUK.

MarkCz
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Re: Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby MarkCz » Thu Dec 08, 2022 3:21 pm

What kind of advice do you want? I know this may sound obvious but if you want the trailer to move to the right steer left initially to get the turn started.

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Phil T
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Re: Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby Phil T » Fri Dec 09, 2022 1:32 pm

I have no advice.

I have enough going on working with the rear mounted hitch.
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Indiana Dave
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Re: Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby Indiana Dave » Fri Dec 09, 2022 6:36 pm

You will love the front hitch for moving in tight areas. Just [practice moving the boat trailer with a front hitch] in a large area and get the hang of [moving a boat trailer using a front hitch].
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jimh
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Re: Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby jimh » Sat Dec 10, 2022 9:25 am

I have never operated a tow vehicle and trailer with a front-mounted hitch, but I have moved small boat trailers on level ground just by pushing them from the tongue.

I can see there will be two advantages to using a front-mounted hitch compared to the standard rear-mounted hitch:
  • the driver will be looking forward at the trailer and can more easily see the trailer's movements compared to looking at them in a mirror which distorts the left-right orientation, and
  • the much shorter distance between the hitch and the front axle will create much faster left-right movement of the hitch as the front wheels are turned, allowing much faster correction and control of the trailer movement.

One drawback I see is the loss of weight on the rear wheels of the towing vehicle created by the ramp slope. If you are launching with a rear-wheel-drive-only vehicle, the weight on the rear axle will be reduced by the front-hitch load and by the downward slope on the ramp. This could cause a problem with tire traction on a wet or slippery ramp.

Also, pulling a boat up the launch ramp with a front-mounted hitch will reverse the situation, and to steer the truck in reverse may become a bit awkward if the ramp has an immediate turn to be negotiated. In my experience there are many launching ramps that require executing a turn at the top of the ramp due to limited area.

Finally, there is no way to haul the boat on the highway with a front-mounted hitch, so the towing vehicle will still need a rear-mounted hitch. The trailer must be unhitched, the towing vehicle turned around, and the trailer connected to the alternative hitch. This process would need to be done twice for each trip to the launch ramp, and in my view the process would become tedious, particularly if the launching and recovery of the boat were being done routinely.

I cannot recall seeing anyone at a launch ramp use a front-mounted hitch. I would expect that the most useful application of a front-mounted hitch would be at a boat trailer storage yard where the yard operator moved the trailer from a storage area to a parking area for the customer to pick up.

A peripheral concern is the appearance of the towing vehicle with a front-mounted hitch and possible effect on the value. I would be quite reluctant to buy a used truck with a front mounted hitch.

Overall, I do not see much advantage to having a front-mounted hitch for towing a boat trailer as might be done by the typical trailer boater.

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AD3804
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Re: Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby AD3804 » Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:46 am

Concur with JimH on all points. The benefits and utility of learning how to back a trailer proficiently more than outweigh any perceived benefit of using a front mounted hitch.

I am contemplating adding a front mounted hitch to my van but that is merely to be able to temporarily mount my winch there when I am not carrying my spare tire there. For me, I see no possible utility or benefit in attaching a trailer there.

When I cannot actually see my boat in the mirrors, I know that it is perfectly straight behind me ;) I just try to be mindful of what's behind the boat ... But as always in *any* trailer backing situation, know your surroundings and possible hazards *before* backing up.
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padrefigure
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Re: Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby padrefigure » Wed Mar 15, 2023 2:29 pm

For all of the reasons stated above, a front mounted hitch is generally not used to launch and retrieve a boat from a ramp. It is used to maneuver the boat and trailer in tight quarters like a storage yard or backing into a garage with tight clearances. Those that use this approach appreciate being able to see both sides of the trailer without looking back and forth from mirror to mirror. They also appreciate the quick response to trailer direction from turning the front wheels of a vehicle. In my experience, service yards seen to be split about 50/50 between tractors with 3-point hitches and forklifts with a trailer ball installed on one of the forks. The forklift option approximates the front mount hitch advantages while adding the ability to connect to the trailer without dismounting from the forklift.

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AD3804
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Re: Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby AD3804 » Fri Mar 24, 2023 11:31 am

Agree that yards might find the use of a forklift-mounted ball of utility -- they have much to do during the day and multiple trailers to move. in our yard at work, we also routinely respot trailers in a similar fashion. But this discussion seems to be aimed at the boat owner who has one boat on one trailer to contend with. What's good for the professional yard worker may not be as good for Joe Schmoe the boating enthusiast who would greatly benefit himself as well as others he may share the road (aquatic or terrestial) with if he were to gain greater proficiency with his towing rig. Besides all that, having to constantly change your trailer between ends of your tow vehicle seems like an easily avoidable hassle to me. Isn't it easier and less hassle just to learn how to back a trailer properly?

There are zero drawbacks to learning how to back a trailer with your mirrors. If moving your head a few degrees to check your mirrors is too great an effort than perhaps you should slow down a bit and get a little more proficiency under your belt before attempting more advanced trailering maneuvers.

Granted, backing a 6'6" wide dual jetski trailer through a 7' garage door is actually harder than maneuvering a 53' triaxle detachable drop deck trailer loaded with a 45-ton excavator in a constrained worksite (I do both on a regular basis), both can be successfully carried out equally proficiently with a little practice.

Take a little time to learn how to do things properly. You'll be better off in the long run.
John
M/V Makai -- "The Potomac Princess"
'70 Sakonnet w/ '19 Evinrude etec 90

Don SSDD
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Re: Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby Don SSDD » Sat Mar 25, 2023 6:57 am

All excellent advice, the front mount hitch is only really needed in tight launch situations.

Our fire department has a front mounted hitch on a long wheel base fire truck. The ftont-mounted hitch makes it east to launch our 25-foot Boston Whaler boat on a very long tri-axle in a very tight area for launch and retrieval on a gravel ramp. The ramp is narrow and not all firefighters are experienced with trailers; the front mount hitch simplifies things in this very unique situation. The boat is stored next to the ramp so no need to switch ends on the hitch and trailer.

A jeep and a 170 Montauk are a lot shorter. Unless the thread originator had a very unique situation, there would not much need for a front hitch.
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tyno22
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Re: Advice for Using Front-mounted Hitch on Tow Vehicle

Postby tyno22 » Sat Apr 08, 2023 3:59 am

My Ford F250 truck has a front hitch receiver (and a heavy duty brush guard). I like [moving the boat trailer using the front-mounted hitch] when I have the boat trailer parked outside my shed and need to move the boat trailer around. I just drive up to the boat trailer and hook up. Then I can push the boat into the building. [Using the front-mounted hitch is] also nice for driving the truck into the shed, hooking up to the boat trailer, and pulling out the boat. [Using a front-mounted hitch is] nice for maneuvering the boat and trailer in tight areas.