For those that have opted to, why did you go for an extended drawbar length? Whilst i have got quotes with it included, im curious as to the contributing factors others had to go ahead and order with the van.
Just Browsing Extended Draw Bar
- Thread starter Brente1982
- Start date
Saves gas bottle or other bits imprinting the back of tug, most tugs require at least 900mm from centre of hitch clearance anything inside that area is likely to be an obstacle when turning............... if you have a tray back then everything is a target as you can jack knife with ease.
Handles and tows better, porpoises less, car access better (especially with the bed open) and reverses much easier ..... without extending renders any worthwhile storage box now or later virtually impossible
Also vans with the storage tray on them like mine (Journey 17-55-9) it makes full use of it as the non extended ones the tray goes under the front of the van. It was a necessity to have extended on my starcraft 17-58-3 to fit the toolbox as well.
Haven't decided if I will eventually fit some sort of toolbox to the front, but I can see the advantages of an extended drawbar especially if stopping overnight and leaving it hitched. Being able to get into the back of the Ute is a bonus (albeit tight)
For $248 it's a no brainier I guess
For $248 it's a no brainier I guess
Better to be able to add a box later and not want to, than be not able to I suppose. Although imo, the ext ticks off more than just a storage box. We have stuff in the box that will otherwise only be able to go in the van, and would just trash the inside of van particularly offroad. Chairs, filthy wet ground mats, jockey wheel, chocks, hoses, sullage, sooty camp fire plates etc.
My box is reasonably chunky at 600 x 600, and theres a 150mm and 100mm sewer pipe behind it, with gas bottles and jerrys in the front, but still leaves a ton of space to leave the tail gate down, or door open and still have ample easy access. The drawbar extensions vary in length tho, @blueys on his 17ft'er is shorter than mine on the 20ft'er.
The carrier arm on the Troopy swings out 800mm from the car and I can still very easily get between it and the jerry can holder and access the back of the car and the fridge etc.
So thats settled weve talked you into parting $$$$$ on the longer draw bar, you won't be sorry you did thats for sure, it is also far better to leave a box till you have actually used the rig to find out what is really needed and whats not, not only save $$ but weight as well, with a box on the front once you actually find out what the ball weight really is when you have loaded all your crap then you will know if you actually can fit one to the draw bar or need throw a pile of stuff out onto the shed floor....a common enough thing