Hitch extension

[Dooitorbust]

Can anyone tell me the legalities on using a short hitch extension with an equalizer hitch? I've got a 7' Full Lotus deck and nowhere to store it, and I need to pick up my travel trailer from storage in May. My concern is the deck making contact with my trailer in tight quarters. My truck box is 6'6", the deck ends only hang out about 6-8" past my rear bumper. I'm thinking I'll be alright without a hitch extension but I'm wondering if anyone else has run into the same situation.

 

[09 arctic cat m8]

Try the hitchwarehouse in redder pretty knowledgeable fellas there, I have an 8 ft sled deck and I know it would be tight turning with my trailer on,

 

[skid]

tork lift makes one as well.

 

[slededjr]

I've towed campers and enclosed with hitch extensions. Just make sure you don't exceed the capacity. Some are pure garbage and have a **** rating.

 

[DaveB]

I had this one made, geeze prolly back in 93 or 94...solid steel and very heavy. Used it with my survey truck and sled deck, then later (this picture) with my little short work truck hauling my quad with the tailgate down. The equalizer hitch parts are gone....bolted back onto the old short eq hitch when I got out of trailers....but I still have the big solid "L" with the holes in it. If yer drivin past RD some time, message me and make an offer if yer interested. It's out in my shop....if you need pics and hole spacing info let me know....

 

[Cdnfireman]

I'd be very careful doing this with anything but a very light trailer on a factory hitch setup. Do the math. Take the weight rating of the hitch, the tongue weight of the trailer and apply the correction factor taking into account the additional leverage of the longer drawbar.
Not saying you can't do this with a slightly longer drawbar, just be careful how long you go. Hate to see you fail the hitch.

 

[Mach1]

I have one that was made solid steel and no prob pulling my enclosed but a travel trailer I would look into more like others have said. Let us know what you find out. I can ask a safety commercial guys here as they are always stopping trucks in cranbrook, lol

 

[campingnut]

I always used a torque lift as someone else suggested SuperHitch Truck Receiver Hitches | SuperHitch Hero 15K | SuperHitch Original 17K | SuperHitch Magnum 30K | Torklift International. I know thee is something else out there including some titan hitches and now a 3" receiver hitch

 

[Dooitorbust]

Thanks for all the input. I really don't need much of an extension, if any. Less than a foot. I'm just trying to be prepared as my trailer is stored 3 hours away. I'll definitely be checking out your suggestions.

 

[j335]

Why do you think you need an extension? I had same setup as you and never needed an extension unless I took real real tight turns with the deck slid open to 8.5' wide.

 

[campingnut]

Yes the width of the deck is more of a problem then the length. At least it was in my case.

 

[Popik]

If you have a class4 i think hitch (2 1/2" receiver) resse makes a titan extension. I use it due to a long overhang on my camper when pulling my boat or such. Its rated pretty high too.

 

[Dooitorbust]

Why do you think you need an extension? I had same setup as you and never needed an extension unless I took real real tight turns with the deck slid open to 8.5' wide.

That's good to know, thanks. I was thinking I may need one for the tight turns when backing the trailer up. Maybe just being paranoid.

 

[Dooitorbust]

If you have a class4 i think hitch (2 1/2" receiver) resse makes a titan extension. I use it due to a long overhang on my camper when pulling my boat or such. Its rated pretty high too.

My truck has the 2 1/2 receiver, so I think I'll be good if I need one. I'm heading to Edmonton next week so I might swing my and just see how it all measures up.

 

[sledd boy]

A one foot extension will most likely reduce the capacity of the hitch on the truck by 50 percent


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[neilsleder]

My truck when I bought it it had 2 hitches. The factory one and an aftermarket one lower. The only reason I can think of why someone would do this is for a long extension for a heavy trailer.

As for the extension made of solid steel that is not a good idea! Solid bends way easier then a heavy wall tubing! If you want I will weld you up what you want for cheap!


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[Zrock]

As has been pointed out with extending the hitch you are now introducing a twisting into you hitch and putting more weight at the front of the hitch as well as reducing your capacity. Working at a campground i have seen several failures using extenders.

 

[Iron Horse Racing]

I use one of these 14" shank's verse's an extension...it's solid and made to take the weight...

In my situation, I have also lengthened the hitch's on the front of our trailer and the boat trailer...

We haul a 9.5' camper with a large rear step while hauling either a sled trailer, horse trailer or a boat....

or the sled deck with the sled trailer....

Either way I like having some space between the truck and the trailer, this shank just gave me a little bit extra...

 

[iceman5689]

Better off lengthening the a frame on the trailer for safety rather then a hitch extension.

 

[vodoo103]

You'll have to consider the length of your trailer plug and safety chains also.