Vehicle rear axle to trailer axle distance

rnArmy

Adventurer
I recently put a swing-away spare tire carrier bumper on the back of my Jeep, and I needed to extend the trailer tongue for the swinging spare tire carrier to clear the front of my trailer when it swings open (second picture shows the before tongue extension). Now the tongue seems really long! I only extended it 9.5". From the center of the back tire on my Jeep to the center of the tire on my trailer (axle to axle) it measures 135". I'm wondering if it is just me, or if mine is really long. So I was wondering how others with little trailers measure up. Post a side-view and a measurement if you can.

Tongue.22 - Copy.jpgtongue.3.jpg
 

OhioWrangler

New member
I had to extend my trailer tongue after I added a front storage box. The trailer tows better than before, but it did change the way the trailer tracked behind my jeep. I figure I'll shorten it for off road. I haven't checked for any changes in tongue weight. I'll be interested in the answers you'll get, Ron
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
Not an issue as pointed out the longer the hitch to trailer axle distance the more stable the trailer becomes. One of the reasons boat trailers can be some of the nicest to haul at speed. But in tight spots your backing and turning could get challenging.
 

jwiereng

Active member
Tongue wieght would also decrease if extended and everything else remained the same. It’s nicer to back up a long trailer with a short truck, compared to short trailer long truck.
 

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