Trailer parking winch?

[Gromulin]

I have an odd shaped, but large, side-yard where the trailers get stored. The new boat trailer will be by FAR the longest and widest I've backed through "the gauntlet". Been too chicken to try it yet..and needed to clean up / sell old trailer,etc.

The best way to explain is that there is a choke point between the corner of the house and a retaining wall. Imagine the letter "K". The straight part on the left is the retaining wall, and the V shaped part is the corner of the house (except a 10' gap between them).

Bottom line...if you are not dead-nuts straight with both the truck and trailer, there is no room to correct or maneuver once in the choke-zone. The new boat/trailer are 8.6' and I have 10' clear at the narrowest point. It's rough gravel, and has a very slight uphill grade. As soon as you get past the choke, it opens up and is a 50' long wedge.

Which brings me to my point (finally):

Shouldn't I be able to anchor a winch at the proper location, that is aligned with the retaining wall, about 50' back....hook the cable from the winch to the center of the trailer at the rear and pull in from behind? I can get the boat landed in front of the gate at the choke so it's good and straight...and let the winch tow it backwards? It should take weight off the tongue, I'd think.

If any of that made any sense please chime in. If not, no problemo...I've been babbling a LOT since I bought a boat.

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I would think a hitch mounted to the FRONT of the tow vehicle would increase visability, manuverability and response time.

 

[Gromulin]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I would think a hitch mounted to the FRONT of the tow vehicle would increase visability, manuverability and response time.

Still would not be maneuverable at the choke, but Yes. That's Plan C. Plan B is an old beater ATV with a granny gear and a ball welded on.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I have an odd shaped, but large, side-yard where the trailers get stored. The new boat trailer will be by FAR the longest and widest I've backed through "the gauntlet". Been too chicken to try it yet..and needed to clean up / sell old trailer,etc.

The best way to explain is that there is a choke point between the corner of the house and a retaining wall. Imagine the letter "K". The straight part on the left is the retaining wall, and the V shaped part is the corner of the house (except a 10' gap between them).

Bottom line...if you are not dead-nuts straight with both the truck and trailer, there is no room to correct or maneuver once in the choke-zone. The new boat/trailer are 8.6' and I have 10' clear at the narrowest point. It's rough gravel, and has a very slight uphill grade. As soon as you get past the choke, it opens up and is a 50' long wedge.

Which brings me to my point (finally):

Shouldn't I be able to anchor a winch at the proper location, that is aligned with the retaining wall, about 50' back....hook the cable from the winch to the center of the trailer at the rear and pull in from behind? I can get the boat landed in front of the gate at the choke so it's good and straight...and let the winch tow it backwards? It should take weight off the tongue, I'd think.

If any of that made any sense please chime in. If not, no problemo...I've been babbling a LOT since I bought a boat.

The tongue jack and its wheel are not made to be rolled more than a few inches and certainly not on gravel (check with the tongue jack manufacturer).

You can buy trailer dollies, a set of wheels with a hitch ball and handle that will support the front of the trailer.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200312193_200312193

You can probably use one of these on the tongue and a winch on the rear but remember,that whatever you attach the winch to needs to be strong enough not to break or bend under the load. The trailer wasn't designed to be towed from the rear.

 

[dbkerley]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

Drop a few lengths of c channel in the ground and back her through like she was on rails.

 

[Gromulin]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

The tongue jack and its wheel are not made to be rolled more than a few inches and certainly not on gravel (check with the tongue jack manufacturer).

You can buy trailer dollies, a set of wheels with a hitch ball and handle that will support the front of the trailer.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200312193_200312193

You can probably use one of these on the tongue and a winch on the rear but remember,that whatever you attach the winch to needs to be strong enough not to break or bend under the load. The trailer wasn't designed to be towed from the rear.

Excellent! The attachment points on the trailer are welded to the 2" x 5" side steel rails of the trailer. I'm gonna try it with a come-along first, for proof-of-concept.

 

[royal0014]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

You said you have an ATV.... I would put a ball on the front of it. Same concept as the dolly, plus powered. Depending on the weight of the boat/trailer, you probably wouldn't need the winch.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I back my 8 foot wide pontoon through a 9 foot wide garage door with my 20 HP lawn tractor. Since I can't see either side of the trailer, I drew a line on the garage floor for the left side tire. I can see under the pontoon to keep the tire on line. In your case, fashion a bridle so that you pull equally on the frame rails rather than on the cross members. As for the tongue jack wheel, you can by rubber tired wheels that replace the plastic or steel wheels. It would roll just fine on gravel. You then sink a steel post into concrete, mount an electric winch on the post and operate it via a remove cable so you can steer the boat and operate the winch at the same time.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I have a similar situation. I use one of these.

http://www.powercaster.com/

 

[whitjohn]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I would think a hitch mounted to the FRONT of the tow vehicle would increase visability, manuverability and response time.

I built a bumper with a receiver that mounts to the front of my Kubota compact tractor. Slide a ball mount in and hook the boat trailer to it.

You'd be surprised at the precision at which you can maneuver the trailer. I can get it into my barn quickly and easily now.

 

[Gromulin]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I have a similar situation. I use one of these.

http://www.powercaster.com/

I've been keeping an eye out for a used one...but not sure it would have enough traction on gravel. Are they the ONLY one's that make something like that? I can't find another...I'd like to find one like the Northern Tool dolly, but powered, and with larger tires.

 

[Gromulin]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

You said you have an ATV.... I would put a ball on the front of it. Same concept as the dolly, plus powered. Depending on the weight of the boat/trailer, you probably wouldn't need the winch.

Don't have ATV..yet. That would be a new purchase...but would be an old beater with gear drive.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I've been keeping an eye out for a used one...but not sure it would have enough traction on gravel. Are they the ONLY one's that make something like that? I can't find another...I'd like to find one like the Northern Tool dolly, but powered, and with larger tires.

http://www.powermoverinc.net/

These guys copied the power caster.

 

[BF]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I would think a hitch mounted to the FRONT of the tow vehicle would increase visability, manuverability and response time.

I think this is the answer. If you've never handled a boat/trailer with a front mounted ball, you'll be surprised at how precise you can be. With the front wheels moving when you steer, the responsiveness of the trailer to steering input is way better then when it's on a rear ball and cranking the front wheels causes relatively little side to side movement at the back bumper. We used to move my Dad's I/O into a shed where the opening was about 1/3 blocked by a huge tree.. We could easily get it to within an inch of where we wanted it, without banging the tow vehicle into the tree. It was tough to do when backing in.

Although I'm sure some kind of winch thing could be made to work, I think if you tried a front mounted ball, you probably wouldn't waste the time figuring out any other system. With the winch, and a slight incline, I'd think it likely that the trailer wouldn't want to pull straight back.

 

[Gromulin]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

OK, I'll look at any solution!

Any tips on finding a front-mounted reciever for a 2000 Toyota Landcruiser?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

Before I bought my Power Caster, I put a hitch on my Toyota Corolla. It was easily able to move the boat on flat ground.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

OK, I'll look at any solution!

Any tips on finding a front-mounted reciever for a 2000 Toyota Landcruiser?

Many modern vehicles cannot be fitted with a front mounted trailer hitch because of the way they are designed to absorb energy in a crash.

Check with your Toyota dealer.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

OK, I'll look at any solution!

Any tips on finding a front-mounted reciever for a 2000 Toyota Landcruiser?

Fill in the area between the house and the retaining wall.
Use 2x6's and concrete, some vinyl siding and a few shingles.

10' wide, 40' long, toy barn.

 

[Fed]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

I'd go with the winch & bridal to the trailer rails, being against a wall leaves you nowhere to manouver.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Trailer parking winch?

Got a riding mower? I move the boats around the yard with an old Sears garden tractor. Slow, but sure and super maneuverable.