[BlueWinger]

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OK guys....I've got a nice trailer to pull behind my WING.

I'm considering a 'Swivel Hitch'......what are your thoughts on a Swivel vs just regular non-Swivel hitch ?? :stumped:



THANKS !!

 

[Flyone]

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Bluewinger, others may have a difference of opinion of this but I don't see a need for a swivel hitch. I have pulled my Cyclemate CM2000 thousands of miles in all kinds of terrain with no trouble at all. :action:

I also have a riding buddy that dropped his bike with his trailer attached and he didn't have a problem as he did not bend anything and the trailer tracked straightso I don't see needing the extra expense. Hope this helps!

 

[LUV2WING]

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Several years ago I was on the Natchez Trace Parkway and stopped for a potty break. I was parked on an incline headed down hill. I was about half way to the bathroom and I heard a noise. I looked around and my bike with trailer attachedwas on it's side. I don't mean on the guards. It was all the way on the side resting on the guards and the rear view mirror. I had left it in too high of a gear for the incline and when it rolled off the side stand it had picked up enough speed to take it all the way over. If the trailer had not had a swivel hitch I can only imagine what the damage would have been. The trailer was setting flat on the ground as if nothing had happened. That is the only advantage that I know of to a swivel hitch.



I also have a camper that does not have a swivel hitch and I have never seen a reason to have a swivel on it. I pulled the camper to Nebraska on my last long trip and have pulled it to some of the 2 wheel only campgrounds in NC. and have never had a problem because of the hitch

 

[96aspencade]

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I agree, no need for a swivel hitch. :waving::action::action:

 

[Ghost Rider 2]

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I also use ione. Have never had to try its benefits. A friend of mine was on a trip with another rider dropped his bike with a trailer. Not only tore up the trailer tongue, but also bent the rear mounts of the bike. Pretty cheap insurance. Best deal is Niesho (spelling). They are in Missouri. I bought one last summer for about $75. Chrome is a little higher

 

[Rudy]

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96aspencade wrote:

I agree, no need for a swivel hitch. :waving::action::action:

I agree with what he agrees with. :goofygrin:

 

[Silverfox]

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I have met two people who I know of whose trailer had turned over whilst they were riding along. Both had swivel hitches on and only the trailers were damaged and they were both able to bring their bikes to a safe stop without being thrown off or crashing in any way. That said I haven't met anyone who has had an accident with a fixed trailer hitch so don't know how they would fair.

I had no swivel hitch on the first trailer I had, but the replacement one has a swivel hitch. I am personally glad it has, just in case, but am pleased to say I haven't had to put it to the test.

So my vote is for getting one, even if it is just for extra peace of mind. I have certainly never encountered any disadvantages to having a swivel hitch.

 

[Rudy]

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Silverfox wrote:

I have certainly never encountered any disadvantages to having a swivel hitch.

The only thing I have heard is that some may have prevented the full turnover of the trailer using a standard hitch and gotten it to hit the top limit of the ball and bounce back down again intact.

Not seen that personally.

 

[Silverfox]

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Rudy wrote:

Silverfox wrote:

I have certainly never encountered any disadvantages to having a swivel hitch.

The only thing I have heard is that some may have prevented the full turnover of the trailer using a standard hitch and gotten it to hit the top limit of the ball and bounce back down again intact.

Not seen that personally.

This may be possible too I reckon.

I wonder if someone who has a small empty trailer might like to put their bike on the centre stand and lift their trailer up on one side to see just how far that trailer might go before it met the extreem of it's turn and let us know how close that is to the pont of overturning completely.? :baffled:I for one would be interested in general to know.

 

[Silicon Sam]

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Silverfox wrote

This may be possible too I reckon.

I wonder if someone who has a small empty trailer might like to put their bike on the centre stand and lift their trailer up on one side to see just how far that trailer might go before it met the extreem of it's turn and let us know how close that is to the pont of overturning completely.? :baffled:I for one would be interested in general to know.

When I built my HF trailer, I had the bike on the center stand, and could lift up one side of the trailer a good 3 feet off the ground and it never bound up on the hitch. Didn't see how far it would go, the trailer was getting mighty heavy at that point.

 

[Rudy]

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I would bet subtle differences in the hitch and ball neck dimensions would yield a wide range of angles before binding, unit to unit.

 

[SpiderBob]

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RCA or Zenith, both do the job they are made for. One I believe is an upgrade over the other, but as I said both do the job. Personally, I like the looks of the swivel, that is the only reason I got it.:action:

 

[Big Kahuna]

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With my '83 Aspencade and Squire Sidecar Company trailer, I had a swivel hitch, but it came as part of the trailes. Actually, it was the tongue of the trailer that had an outer rotating sleeve that made up the trailer connector. Very nice setup and was real sweet in the turns.

Of course, I never had any incidents with the trailer on, so I can't really say how great it was. :baffled:

 

[Silverfox]

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Big Kahuna wrote:

With my '83 Aspencade and Squire Sidecar Company trailer, I had a swivel hitch, but it came as part of the trailes. Actually, it was the tongue of the trailer that had an outer rotating sleeve that made up the trailer connector. Very nice setup and was real sweet in the turns.

Of course, I never had any incidents with the trailer on, so I can't really say how great it was. :baffled:

Squire Watsonian trailers are very popular over here and the D18 is the one I have and yes their swivel hitches are standard issue.

One of the trailers I mentioned that I knew had turned right over with no mishap was one of these.

 

[Big Kahuna]

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Silverfox,

I was living in Germany when I bought the trailer. I was living in Bruhl (near Heidelberg) and the little town next to Bruhl was Ketch, that was here the Goldwing Treffen was every year that I lived there (83-88). Some saleman came down with his demo trailer and I ordered one. Might be the same company you are talking about, I thought it was Squire Sidcars, but I could be easily mistaken.

:baffled:

 

[Silverfox]

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You are not mistaken Big Kahuna, back then Squire and Watsonian were seperate companies and it is only more recently that they have merged.

You must have bought your trailer in the very earliest years of their production in the UK as before 1983 trailers behind motorbikes were illegal here. That was a law that came into effect in 1939 at the end of WWII for some reason, best known to the authorities of the day. Motorcylists in the UK campaigned for years to get the law repealed, since much ofthe rest of Europe were able to tow them, even into the UK under European laws.

Squire Watsonian still produce great quality sidecars and trailers of various models, to suit rider's needs.

 

[bungee202]

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i would go with the swivel hitch i had a rear tyre blow out while towing the trailer i still think the swivel hitch helped and stopped the bike from going down.

 

[BlueWinger]

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Ok...A very hearty THANKYOU to everyone who offered input & opinions. :bowing:

:cooler:I have decided to go with the swivel hitch. I'm sure there are several types of swivel hitches out there on the market that are both reliable as well as resonably priced. I have found two types (styles) that I like and am having trouble deciding between them.

Those of you who "HAVE" used swivel hitches are the ones I'd like to target 'opinions' from now. If you wouldn't mind, please check out the two links below and give me your thoughts on the "pros & cons" of the two types.

This first one mounts inside the trailer tongue:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmOa8Rhnwd8

The second mounts onto the BIKE hitch itself: http://www.meadows-ent.com/swhiinvi2.html -- this one also comes in a 'receiver hitch' style that slides into the receiver hitch frame (just like the ball) if i decided on this one the 'receiver hitch' style is what I would get.

If anyone has a different type (style) that you would recommend please, please do so !

:bowing:Thanks Again.....all your opinions are very much appreciated. :bowing:

 

[Hanko]

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If you don't already have the receiver look at "Dauntless motors". I have their receiver on my 1800. It is hidden when you remove the ball. And all of the trailer weight is pulled from the frame. No need to remove the receiver to change the tire either.

No matter who's you get make sure you use a relay harness to isolate your lighting circuit from the trailer!

www.dauntlessmotors.com

Henry

 

[Silverfox]

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Blue Winger....

the first of the two employs a similar system to the one used on the Squire Watsonian that I have and what I like is that if I want to carry a rack on my hitch, instead of the trailer, it fits right on and is static. The second one featured would require the removal of the swivel to use the rack that I have ( which fits on to the ball of my hitch). That said, if you happen to tow more than one trailer at different times then the swivel is there to cover any trailer's use.

I know that often, folks recommend the trailer tongue to be extended and the video says that the first one does give about an extra 6" to the length of the tongue, so that may be some advantage, without the necessity to do welding to the existing box section tongue.

The second one appeared to have a bend in the flat bar, thus lowering the position of the ball when re fitted, this may be an advantage or disadvantage, depending how your particular trailer lines up on the horizontal behind the bike.