Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. #1
    Member Lu Bedevia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Wyoming, MI
    Posts
    1,721

    Swing Away Tongue

    I have a 1997 R82 sport riding on a ranger trail trailer. My garage is about 10 inches to short, so the boat sits on an angle and wastes a lot of space. I want to install a swing tongue but am at a loss as to how this would happen on this style trailer.

    Has anyone had any success doing this on this style trailer?

    This is what I am dealing with. Not my boat but same style trailer.


    Lu Bedevia
    1997 Ranger R82 Sport
    1997 Mercury 150 XR6

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Blaine, MN
    Posts
    1,344
    #2
    It can be done, but if you are not an experienced welder or steel fabricator I wouldn't try to tackle the job yourself.

    Without the boat on the trailer, you could cut the two C channels that make up the outer frame of the trailer just in front of the winch post crossmember, miter them and bring them in just in front of the winch post, replace the tongue with a 4x4 steel tube and tie that into the winch post crossmember and C channels, then chop the 4x4 and put a tongue pivot in there. It is about a 4 hour project minus paint for someone that knows what they are doing.

    I just picked up a 98 681VS and it doesn't have a swing tongue on the trailer and that is one of my current considerations right now as well. I have the space in the garage with it angled, but I can't get to my tools in the corner behind the four wheeler trailer very easily with the other trailer in there.

  3. Member crawdadking's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Coatesville, In
    Posts
    27,650
    #3
    My son and two of my buddies took their trailers to Ranger and had them converted to swing away tongues. We planned trips to Bull Shoals and Table Rock for a few days to do some fishing and put the boat in a slip and ran the trailer to Ranger for about 3 days while they put a whole new front on the trailer. Killed 2 birds with one stone Been a few years but my sons was about $500 with no brakes and the other 2 were around $800 with brakes. Might give them a call.

  4. Member Lu Bedevia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Wyoming, MI
    Posts
    1,721
    #4
    I think I have the solution. Through some connections I have been in contact with a fabricating company. They believe they can design what TDobb was suggesting and get this thing done. If it is a go I will post before and after pictures. It's spring break here in MI so the guy is in FL and it will be a little while yet.

    Lu Bedevia
    1997 Ranger R82 Sport
    1997 Mercury 150 XR6