Swing away trailer tongue project

[LakeRacer99]

I am thinking about redoing my trailer this winter. I am wanting to add a swing away tongue. Do any of you guys have any pros/cons to the different designs. What about pics, got any detailed pics of the swing away tongues?

Thanks,

[triple dude]

I currently have a regular old tongue on both trailers but have sworn my next boat will already have or gonna have a swingaway or removeable tongue. The swingaway just seems (and I may be totally wrong) kinda flimsy at the joints. Appears to have been some "flex" ??? The pull outs I've seen (where the beam just slides into a receiver type hole) appear to not lose any strength. My reason for wanting the different style is to shave some overall length off the trailer for garage storage. Is your reason the same???

[DoktorC]

A well designed swing tongue won't flex. I would suggest not to cheap out here though. I have seen some pretty interesting attempts made...I don't suggest using door hinges lol. If you're starting out with a brand name trailer contact them and they will usually have a full replacement tongue to do the job right. If not, Fulton has a swing kit..but it's not the strongest looking thing I've seen.

[LakeRacer99]

to be honest, I havent seen that many different designs. I am thinking like plate on top, plate below, tube down one side with a bolt for the hinge and tube on other side with a removable pin for the latch. My trailer does have brakes, so I will need to add a flex hose in there too.
I have seen the tongues that pull out like a receiver hitch, and that seems like alot of work each time I want to remove it.
I will investigate this a little more. My trailer was built from a Tracker trailer.

[Riverratt]

I have been kicking the idea around also. Keep us posted of your results.

[JWTjr.]

If you have a trailer with 3" x 3" or 3" x 4" pole tongue, Fulton Performance Products (manufacturers of trailer jacks, couplers, winches, etc.) has a ready-made kit that will convert your trailer tongue to a swing-away style. I recently installed this kit on a Karavan galvanized trailer for a story in Bass & Walleye Boats magazine. It was very easy to install, came with good instructions (although you have to be careful and read them thoroughly as well as familiarize yourself with all the parts and hardware before attempting to do the job) and is a very high quality kit. It installed in about two hours and works extremely well; it is not "flimsy" nor does it allow much flex.

JWTjr.

[Riverratt]

Who sells the Fulton kit? I never saw it in any catalogs with the usual Fulton products.

[Superdave]

Try this place. If nothing else it can give you some ideas. :D

http://pivithitch.com/home.html

SD

[dspencer]

Has you looked at the Triton Boat hitch? It doesn't hinge but slides back under the trailer. No muscle needed and its completely out of the way.

[LakeRacer99]

Thanks for the ideas so far guys. I have seen the ones that slide back and I think I like the Pivit Hitch retrofit kit the best so far. Not sure what they want for it though...