Check out the "Automated Safety Hitch"

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Gary RV_Wizard

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A member just brought this rather incredible trailer "hitch" to my attention. I thought quite a few of you might be interested in learning more about it, even if you don't tow a trailer. I expect this is the sort of thing one could either love or hate! Basically it is a tow dolly for trailers. I've seen some other hitch devices based on a similar concept, but this one takes it to new heights.

http://www.automatedsafetyhitch.com/
 
That set up looks to be for Goose Neck type, here is one for a tag trailer so as to have allmost no tongue weight.
 

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Great concept. Would certainly take a lot of wear & tear of of the TV...
 
Wavery said:
Great concept. Would certainly take a lot of wear & tear of of the TV...

And free up the bed for hauling say...motorcycles, or ATV's??  Has anyone seen the price of these yet?  I can't imagine they're gonna be cheap.
 
Jim Godward said:
Wouldn't that be called double towing??
X2....I have seen these before and thought it was an interesting idea but I wonder how the local law would look at these devices.
 
Wouldn't that be called double towing??

I don't think so - it is patently a hitch device rather than a "trailer". Note that it is rigidly attached to the truck via a three-point receiver.

There must be a fair amount of side-wise skidding on the dolly tires in a turn!
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
I don't think so - it is patently a hitch device rather than a "trailer". Note that it is rigidly attached to the truck via a three-point receiver.

There must be a fair amount of side-wise skidding on the dolly tires in a turn!
The ones I have seen the wheels actually turn.
 
The manufacturer's suggested retail price for the unit is $8,750.00....Or just slightly out of reach for your average RV enthusist..!
 
Capt.Tony said:
The manufacturer's suggested retail price for the unit is $8,750.00....Or just slightly out of reach for your average RV enthusist..!

Yeah, I kinda figured it would be up there.  Definitely outta my price range.
 
Having towed both tts and now a fw, we all know towing a fw is much nicer.  tts can sway at high speeds and all the weight slamming down on the rear of your pickup instead of right over the rear axle makes towing more difficult.  A larger fw loaded can have 3000 pounds of weight and I dont think it is safe on that little trailer/dolly.  I see high speed swaying happening with this setup.  And I cant even imagine what could happen if you had to hit the brakes really hard with all that force pushing on the hitch and ball on the rear of a pickup.  No thx.  Just my opinion
 
Last302 said:
Having towed both tts and now a fw, we all know towing a fw is much nicer.  tts can sway at high speeds and all the weight slamming down on the rear of your pickup instead of right over the rear axle makes towing more difficult.  A larger fw loaded can have 3000 pounds of weight and I dont think it is safe on that little trailer/dolly.  I see high speed swaying happening with this setup.  And I cant even imagine what could happen if you had to hit the brakes really hard with all that force pushing on the hitch and ball on the rear of a pickup.  No thx.  Just my opinion
The dolly has brakes along with the trailer brakes. Not much chance of braking being an issue (unless the brakes fail). I'm not sure why you think this would have a propensity to sway...... I don't see it.

Did you read the specs?............... "The Automated Safety Hitch System axle can handle pin weights up to 6,300 lbs". This thing is a fully suspended axle and the pin weight is fwd of the axle.
 
Actually, Wayne you are right except I wouldn't call this a dolly. That implies that it is being towed behind the TV when in fact it is an extension of the TV making the TV effectively an 'in-line dually'. As such with the increased braking afforded by the ASH and the increased maneuverability via the steerable axle (the extended pin location actually moves the nose of the trailer to the outside of a turn so the trailer wheels nearly follow the TV track) it looks like quite a useful device. Just my 2 cents worth.

 
Something similar started a long way back. Remember the device Desi and Lucy used to pull the Long Long trailer behind the family sedan. Took almost all the tongue weight off the tow vehicle.
 
To the gentleman(I wont say names) who decided he needed to send me an email to my personal address indicating basically my opinion was wrong that that using this contraption was the ONLY safe way to tow a fw....its not necessary to respond to me personally via my private email nor is it appreciated.  That is why this is an open forum.  Why you felt you could not respond to my opinion in this post, I dont know?  No need for the emails though and thx!
 
Wouldn't that be called double towing??

In a separate letter provided by the ASH people, they state that their device is classified as a tag or drop axle accessory on the truck rather than a dolly or trailer.  I don't know whether that is merely their opinion or if it has actually been reviewed by one or more state/provincial/federal DMVs, but it makes sense given the design.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
In a separate letter provided by the ASH people, they state that their device is classified as a tag or drop axle accessory on the truck rather than a dolly or trailer.  I don't know whether that is merely their opinion or if it has actually been reviewed by one or more state/provincial/federal DMVs, but it makes sense given the design.
That's an interesting subject because
Technically", it's another axle...... just sayin'..... I'm thinking that the toll roads might consider it as an axle..... I'm glad that I don't have to deal with that.
 
It would definitely count as an axle on any of the toll roads we use.  If it has wheels touching the ground, it gets counted. Whether on the towing or the towed vehicle.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
There must be a fair amount of side-wise skidding on the dolly tires in a turn!
Gary, one of the videos on their website explains (and shows) that by using your directionals the axle pivot lock releases, allowing the dolly wheels to castor while making turns! Then returns to locked straight after. Quite clever really. Steep price though, tough call on value.
 

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