Measurement Request: *2021* Tab 400 Boondock tongue

rhyno

*I would prefer a response from a current 2021 owner only please* Sorry to nit-pick but we need to be EXACT.

Could someone please provide the exact measurements on the tongue frame from the jack plate back to the Boondock Utility box/tray mounted to the front of the 2021 tab 400? We need BOTH the inside and outside frame measurement since the utility box is curved.

ChrisFix

@rhyno

Here is what I get on my 2021. I used a level to provide a straight line out from the tongue jack plate, so the measurement is from the outside of the level to the tongue box. It's a bit of a tricky measurement to take as the reference points are not robustly defined, but this is as good as I could get.

12 5/16" to the outside of the a-frame
12 1/16" to the inside of the a-frame

TabberJohn

Not sure what you plan to do but I wouldn't be comfortable measuring "exactly" without the actual trailer in hand. There may be minor differences unit to unit.
Are the campers delivered to dealers without the box installed? Or is the box  preinstalled when you order the boondock model with tray?

rhyno

@ChrisFix - Thank you sir!

rhyno

@TabberJohn - We are wanting to get a Trailer Valet 5X while they are on sale (10% off from mfg site) ending 9/7. With no tax and $5 flat rate shipping we're looking at $490 total which is about $50 cheaper than we've been able to find anywhere else at the moment.

The inside measurement of the Trailer Valet 5X's mounting bracket is 8" and the measurement of the outside of the mounting bracket is 7.5" according to the etrailer site. Since our dealer doesn't have any 400's on the lot we were needing a current 2021 owner to check for us since it seems every model year has something different going on. If it was going to be tight we would be more concerned but it looks like we have just over a foot of room (Thanks again @ChrisFix) so I think we're going to pull the trigger while it's on sale.

https://www.etrailer.com/question-124177.html

ChrisFix

@rhyno
I got curious if the passenger and driver's side were perfectly symmetrical, and they are not. The pictures above are passenger side. The driver's side is about 1/8" greater overall for both measurements...and different in that the diamond plate of the tub is the contact point on the passenger side, but the support frame is the contact point for the outside measurement on the driver's side. 
On the passenger side, the tub and support frame are flush (just barely) at the point where the outside of the frame goes under the tub. 

In this photo looking straight down at the tub, you can see what I'm talking about. The round bar of the support shelf is further out on the driver's side than passenger side.
Also, not sure what your looking to do, but the triangular support gusset that wraps around the a-frame is actually further out than either the tub or support shelf. You can see that clearly in the first photo I posted. 
And BTW, if you right-click an image and select 'Open image in new tab', you can zoom in for much more detail.

ChrisFix

@rhyno
I see your response about what you're looking to do (after I composed the second post) and see that those small differences don't mean anything for your purposes. You'll have plenty of room given the specs you published.

@TabberJohn
The factory installs the front tub on the Boondock model.

VictoriaP

Just a heads up that the Trailer Valet has limitations on degree of driveway slope it can handle—mine was too steep. Do double check yours if you intend to use it on anything other than a flat surface.

rhyno

@ChrisFix

Thank you for pointing out that there are subtle differences side to side. I think I'm going to put the TV5X on the pax side and a Valterra hose holders for the other side. I like that the 5X is removable so we don't have to drive with an extra ~50lbs on the tongue.

ChrisFix

@rhyno
So a couple of things to know about the a-frame.
The jack mounting plate and hitch are mounted on a welded on extension to the frame that is at a small angle from the frame itself (see photo). So your available straight frame is less than the overall length, but you still have a solid 9" to work with.
Also, be aware that the c-channel is open on the back side of the frame, but is boxed-in near the jack/hitch extension.

rhyno

@VictoriaP

What slope were you dealing with in your driveway? Our house has a single lane driveway and we plan to pull straight in to the back yard where our driveway widens to two lanes. Even though it is two lanes wide, there isn't a lot of room for seesawing the camper around while attached to our SUV. I imagine it would look like the hallway scene from Austin Powers. Anyway, the plan is to drive the SUV into the right garage bay, then unhook and use the Trailer Valet to maneuver the camper over the two lane driveway and onto a pad on the left side of the garage. The two lane area has a ~5% slope front to back and the parking pad we will use for the camper is level.

Denny16

It looks like it will work vertically, but is does not look like you will have enough horizontal space to mount it back on the tongue in the up/horizontal position, which requires 28-inches of room?

Cheere

ChrisFix

@Denny16
It is removable, which @rhyno said they would be doing, so it doesn't seem like they'll need the horizontal storage space...

rhyno

@Denny Good point. We will only be using it at home I think, then disconnecting it from the mounting bracket. We might take it with us for a couple trips stowed in the SUV just in case we need it but I don't see any campsites being as snug as what we are dealing with in the area behind our house. 

VictoriaP

rhyno said:

@VictoriaP

What slope were you dealing with in your driveway? Our house has a single lane driveway and we plan to pull straight in to the back yard where our driveway widens to two lanes. Even though it is two lanes wide, there isn't a lot of room for seesawing the camper around while attached to our SUV. I imagine it would look like the hallway scene from Austin Powers. Anyway, the plan is to drive the SUV into the right garage bay, then unhook and use the Trailer Valet to maneuver the camper over the two lane driveway and onto a pad on the left side of the garage. The two lane area has a ~5% slope front to back and the parking pad we will use for the camper is level.

As long as you’ve checked the limitations you should be fine (it’s been a while since I looked, so I don’t remember the exact limitation they max out at). Sounds like a good plan!

Mine is definitely worse than yours in terms of steepness, a curved driveway with a sharp 12° incline for about 10’ right at the start and 6° through much of the rest. And the street is also fairly sloped. Experienced professionals have trouble getting their utility trailers into position on my driveway, so I knew I’d never manage it. The trailer is parked on the side of the carport I can’t even easily maneuver my car into due to a curved rock wall on that side of the driveway. The Trailer Valet was the first option I looked at, but it was a no-go due to the slope, which is how I ended up going with Purpleline instead. Unhitch on the road, remote control the trailer up into it’s parking spot. More expensive than the Trailer Valet, but it was the difference between being able to park at home versus having to pay for trailer storage at $180 a month locally, so it paid for itself in about six months.

Either way, being able to move the trailer without the tow vehicle will make your life so much easier.

rhyno

Ok so I am looking at the latest pics from @ChrisFix above, showing the difference between the c channel and solid section to the coupler....

Should be it be ok to clamp the bracket around the c channel part of the tongue or should I reinforce it somehow? I feel like the c channel should be strong enough considering it is what joins the coupler to the rest of the trailer and there is no flex there, so sandwiching the bracket on either side shouldn't risk bending the frame.

ChrisFix

@rhyno
I'm an electrical engineer, not mechanical, but I think there would be no issue with just clamping to the c-channel frame for the purpose of just moving the trailer with the trailer jockey. You're not going to have large shock loads (or any shock loads)  like while actually travelling at road speeds, and the frame is certainly strong enough to support a device to move it along relatively smooth ground at very low speeds.