Reverse porch trailer?...pros, cons and thouhts please

[temptedfate]

Hi everyone, our team is thinking of getting a porch trailer for the upcoming season and have been doing lots of research into porch trailers. Have been seeing more companies building trailers with the porch in the front over the tongue and I'm intrigued. Does anyone have encountered one of these or have any thoughts about pros and cons.

Personally I have heard that some trailers have some sagging when cookers are mounted back here and if porch is over tongue would that minimize this issue.

 

[Pappy Q]

Looks like a great idea to me. Wish I'd thought of it before ordering mine. I'd have a half built built on the front to protect cookers from from road debris off of tow vehicle.

 

[temptedfate]

Thats also what i was thinking, but was also thinking of having a half wall with upper walls to totally close it in for traveling but instead of having gull wings(comp site might be restricted to 20' wide)having walls that fold like bifold doors

 

[Robert]

Tempted,

I like the front porch concept for trailer integrity.

However, if left open, I think the wind drag on an open front porch trailer would be incredible. Fold out awnings would help. Our trailer which has an enclosed back porch, has two four foot fold outs, one on either side and the back is a clam shell with drop down tailgate and fold out top. Works well, but the trailer is very heavy. Trailer is 8 foot wide and with the sidefold outs open, just 16 feet wide. We typically just open one side.

Good luck with your build.

Robert

 

[LTG]

The design isn't for me. You will have to enclose the front otherwise it will pull terrible. Also, tongue weight could be an issue with a heavy smoker up front.

One thing that I'm surprised I haven't seen yet on a bbq trailer is roll up side doors like on a fire truck instead of gull wing doors you were referring to.

 

[masque13]

as others have said, wind drag would be my chief concern.

 

[Slamdunkpro]

The design isn't for me. You will have to enclose the front otherwise it will pull terrible. Also, tongue weight could be an issue with a heavy smoker up front.

One thing that I'm surprised I haven't seen yet on a bbq trailer is roll up side doors like on a fire truck instead of gull wing doors you were referring to.

I looked into Gortite doors during my trailer build. The biggest factor against them was the 10" header space needed.

 

[Ron_L]

I would be concerned about the tongue weight with the cooker up front.

 

[Gowan]

I've never seen such a trailer. It would be like towing a parachute.

 

[Rookie'48]

Also, tongue weight could be an issue with a heavy smoker up front.

I would be concerned about the tongue weight with the cooker up front.

Do you really think that your cooker is going to be heavier than the cabin part of the trailer? With the sinks, cabinets, beds, coolers, etc?
I'd be more afraid of the heavy weight behind the axles, giving you a really bad, bumpy ride - bumpy enough to really stress the frame behind the back axle. ray:

 

[LTG]

Do you really think that your cooker is going to be heavier than the cabin part of the trailer? With the sinks, cabinets, beds, coolers, etc?
I'd be more afraid of the heavy weight behind the axles, giving you a really bad, bumpy ride - bumpy enough to really stress the frame behind the back axle. ray:

Yes, 800 lbs of gravity fed or offset directly on the tongue is different as opposed to cabinets, fresh water tank, etc that are spread out.

We just experienced the scenario you mentioned except it rode great. 8.5x20, 6' porch. From ATL back to IL. Homemade double door gravity fed mounted on the very rear of the porch. Approximately 1500 lbs. The weight distribution was so unbalanced that once we hit 55 mph I thought the truck was going to go on its side due to the trailer sway. I just hope those 3 good ol boys in the ATL enjoyed a free monster gravity fed. :biggrin1::biggrin1:

 

[New Pal Frank]

I don't think tongue weight is the main issue, as you can get a weight distribution hitch to move some of the weight back to the front of the tow vehicle or air bags under the rear suspension.

My main concern would be wind drag. It would be like pulling a kite.

 

[kurtsara]

Yes, 800 lbs of gravity fed or offset directly on the tongue is different as opposed to cabinets, fresh water tank, etc that are spread out.

We just experienced the scenario you mentioned except it rode great. 8.5x20, 6' porch. From ATL back to IL. Homemade double door gravity fed mounted on the very rear of the porch. Approximately 1500 lbs. The weight distribution was so unbalanced that once we hit 55 mph I thought the truck was going to go on its side due to the trailer sway. I just hope those 3 good ol boys in the ATL enjoyed a free monster gravity fed. :biggrin1::biggrin1:

You should not have had the smoker on that without weight in the front of the trailer, you need tongue weight, no had none, that is why your trailer swayed.

Our smoker is in the rear but we have plenty of weight in front of the axles also.

 

[Scottie]

I looked into Gortite doors during my trailer build. The biggest factor against them was the 10" header space needed.

QUAU has a roll up on the back of his trailer.

 

[tduffy]

no way. it would pull terrible. Just a big parachute.

 

[BigBellyBBQ]

Talk to the trailer people and give them what you are going to put in the trailer with the weights, the weight MUST be balanced out. What truck are you using? What type of tongue weight can you handle? Load leveler will not help changing your weight proportions. Trailer company has to plan the location of the axles.

Roll up doors vrs gull wing, doors require head space vrs awning use for gull wing style

 

[Slamdunkpro]

QUAU has a roll up on the back of his trailer.

I came close to going that route but for me I would have had to constantly ducked under the header box and I have enough forehead scars already.

 

[Scottie]

His door is on the side and the roll up is on the back, so it doesn't get in his way.

 

[Cayman1]

The porch won't sag if the trailer is built properly.

 

[GrillBillie_D]

I'm not sure you can just say it would be a wind drag issue. All flat front trailers have a flat front, so you are guessing that the added distance from the tow vehicle would be a huge difference. There are a lot of variables that would impact the wind drag and there are things you could do to reduce drag.

The other thing that comes to mind is how far do you plan to drag the trailer around? If you plan to put 10,000 miles a year on it, then you want to understand more about the wind drag. If you plan to tow it 50-100 miles 8 or 10 times a year, then you probably aren't that concerned about the wind drag.

Making sure that the trailer is built well enough to handle the weight of YOUR smoker is most important, regardless of where it is mounted.