Anyone use a Hitch Extender

[Steve7]

I’m looking for anyone that has used a hitch extender in the past. I need to carry a side by side in my truck bed while towing our travel trailer with the tailgate down. I’ve read as much as I could, and some do it, but some say that they would never do it. I only need about 5 inches or so more length so that the tailgate won’t contact the propane tanks on turns.

I’m looking at the one I attached, hitch adds 7 inches. They have them longer, but my feeling is the shorter I use the better strength it would have. Supposedly, when using one, it reduces your toungue weight capacity by 1/3. In this respect I should be fine. The tow rating for this part is 10,000 lbs, and the toungue weight is 1,000 lbs. I should be right around the listed max toungue weight. I do use a Blue Ox WD Hitch.

This one I attached, is a 2.5 inch reducing to a 2 inch. I could just go with the 2 inch all the way, but the wider sounds stronger to me.

I’ve looked at different options, and without breaking the bank this looks like it would work, but am interested in hearing from experienced users.

[Steve7]

Well, it’s looks like I won’t need the Hitch Extender. Someone suggested a longer shank, which I didn’t know existed. I found one from etrailer that is made by Equilizer (will work with my Blue Ox mechanism) that will provide me an additional five inches of room between the truck and trailer. I’ll try it out during slow turns when it comes in, but I think it will work.

[Lloyd]

Steve I built an extender back when I had the Lance over the cab camper. The camper hung out over the back bumper quite a ways. Seems like I had to go 3 or 4 ft long so I could hook my boat trailer up.
Now I realize this isn't exactly what you were asking, but it's along the same lines.

If you are only extending 7 in. and the manufacturer states it is warranted for X amount of pounds, which you say you won't be exceeding. I don't see anything wrong with it. Providing all your other hitching gear will work as it did previous to the extender, and you don't experience any new problems when towing.

I would get all the weights for the tongue and the trailer and document all of them. Keep the scale receipts-----just in case.

[harley]

I met another camper a few yrs ago that had that exact extention but a 12" long one and he said he never noticed any drawback with it. Said it reacted just like a regular hitch. He used it so the tailgate wouldn't hit the power jack when he opened the tailgate.

[johnboytoo]

I used one for our bike carrier on the back of the redwood,
so no real issues except for the wobble I had to correct with hitch clamps...

The only issue I would watch is weight ratings as the extenders are usually not for heavy work.