Hitch options?

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:15 pm

Does anyone have any experience with a trailer with my configuration. I have to remove the spare to connect the hitch. Is thefre a longer hitch that will go into the receiver and allow the traler to be connected with the spare in place?

Photo: http://picasaweb.google.com/warp2diesel ... 5262637778

jdorris · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:11 pm

You can get a hitch extender that will get you past the tire. You can find them at most truck and jeep online stores, ebay, harbor freight etc. Somewhere in the 25-50 buck range. Just remember the farther out the hitch, the more leverage, so the same trailer will push the rear down more. Keep your extender so it just clears the tire and you get the clearance with the least leverage gains. I am still taking off my tire, but only cause I want to make mine and haven't gotten too it yet.
Hope this answers your question.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Trailer-Receiver-Hitch-14-Extension-2-to-2-Adaptor_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33653QQihZ013QQitemZ230268891946QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Goglio704 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:14 pm

etrailer.com should have what you need. Not sure what the rest of it looks like, but the front of that trailer looks plenty stout.

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:21 pm

Wow thats an ugly looking ball hitch. Sorry about that.

I had the same problem, both with a Pintle hook and with my standard ball mount. I was able to find a longer one at Camping World, but in checking at a bunch of different retailers, what I found is that the length of the bar itself can vary widely. Some are shorter than others, it seems the average length is just about 10-12 inches, and what we need is more towards 13 inches to clear the tire.

Take off the tire mount from the door and flip it over. This will give you another 1/2" or so of clearance, b/c there IS a small difference. You might also consider shimming the tire mount from the door if the window starts sticking on the tire. For some reason, mine has started doing that recently. Maybe the tire has grown, I don't know.

From the looks of that ball mount, just about anything will be longer than what you have. I'd look at your local parts shack, Wally World, or a trailer dealer. As a last possible solution, any decent metal shop can weld a 3/4" tab to the top of a piece of 2" square tube, making you a custom bar at any length you want. For the best strength, use 2" solid bar however.

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:26 pm

Do NOT use those Ebay extension tubes if you are pulling anything with any serious weight! Those tubes create a second potential pivot point (at the pin holes) and welding INSIDE a square tube is extremely difficult. Both to do, and to check the quality. Imagine that you only have the external weld holding your trailer... See the potential for danger?

Its MUCH better to have a single stick of solid steel, with external welds that you can SEE are solid. But he is correct - You will be creating a fulcrum, and the longer the lever... The more your front wheels get light.

jdorris · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:54 pm

I figured he could decide where to buy. I have yet to find a bar long enough at Walmart or any trailer hitch joint, hence why I will build a longer hitch myself. I think a store bought extension will do just fine as long as it is welded correctly. I believe several on this board use them, this is an issue that has been discussed before.

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

Go to your local U-Haul and tell them you need a long Class III receiver hitch ball mount that will extend the ball out past your spare tire. I can't recall how long mine is (like 10 or 12" total, I think), but it has a 2.5 inch or so drop and puts the ball just enough past my spare tire that clearance isn't an issue (but not so much that it torques down the rear suspension due to acting like a lever). Cost me $20 or 25 bucks, as I recall, and they had a half dozen of them sitting out on their hitch rack.

Stay far, far, far away from the receiver extensions for anything other than a bicycle carrier.

When it comes to towing, U-Haul is actually one of the better sources of equipment. In my neighborhood they had everything from Tekonsha brake controllers to Draw-Tite weight distribution systems.

Other thing to do is turn your spare tire carrier upside down, will give you and other 1-2" of clearance (with my 235 size spare tire I had to do this to use the hitch at all.)

pipeliner · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:13 am

See if you can get one of these - they are made in Australia and may only be available here. Has the advantage that it is a rated part, so if anything goes wrong your insurance will still be valid.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:31 am

My receiver is a class IV 7000# rated Draw Tight
The hitch is an older Reese load equalizer that can transfer 500#.
My trailer is a tandem axle beaver tail I have used to haul farm tractors.
Most of the better hitch extenders derate the load capacity to 3500# and I need to have 6000# capacity to haul the tractor.
I flipped over the tire mount and it did not provide enough clearance for the hitch.
The newer equalizer hitches I have looked at online have the ball mount farther back than the old one I have now, but I may need to shell out the bucks and buy a newer equalizer hitch.
The old Reeese is so tight that I can't crank the jack more than a half turn at a time, even with the spare tire removed, I need at least 4" more.
Does any one have a Newer Draw Tight or other that is farther back?

tulsa · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:00 am

Unusual equalizer. Here is a picture of a 12.5" ball mount in the for sale area:

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... hp?t=33256

jdorris · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:13 am

Man, with that kind of weight, I think I would just keep pulling the tire off and keep that hitch as close to the tail of the Jeep as possible.

KeswickDave · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:36 am

warp2diesel wrote:

My receiver is a class IV 7000# rated Draw Tight
The hitch is an older Reese load equalizer that can transfer 500#.
My trailer is a tandem axle beaver tail I have used to haul farm tractors.
Most of the better hitch extenders derate the load capacity to 3500# and I need to have 6000# capacity to haul the tractor.
I flipped over the tire mount and it did not provide enough clearance for the hitch.
The newer equalizer hitches I have looked at online have the ball mount farther back than the old one I have now, but I may need to shell out the bucks and buy a newer equalizer hitch.
The old Reeese is so tight that I can't crank the jack more than a half turn at a time, even with the spare tire removed, I need at least 4" more.
Does any one have a Newer Draw Tight or other that is farther back?

Do you mean something like this?

Reese weight distribution/dual cam anti-sway setup.

I could probably round up part numbers if you want more info.

Clears the tire nicely in my application.

Dave

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:51 pm

Why do you have a weight distributor for such a small trailer? How much does that weigh?

KeswickDave · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:25 pm

geordi wrote:

Why do you have a weight distributor for such a small trailer? How much does that weigh?

it's a 20 footer, sticker weight is 2700 lbs, probably around 3500 lbs loaded. Actually pretty light for it's size based on my experience shopping, especially compared with older trailers.

Tongue weight is around 250-300, haven't actually weighed it.

The rear end drops significantly with the trailer on it, granted the stock springs are probably pretty tired by now. This setup levels it right back out.

I pulled it home from the dealer on a regular reciever in heavy cross-winds, and it was quite a handful, downright scary at times.

The dual-cam anti-sway system which is part of this setup made a night and day difference - doesn't matter - wind, trucks passing, it is almost like it's not even there. It keeps the Jeep and trailer together in a straight line, and if a gust of wind hits you they move together instead of the trailer swaying all over the place.

The bottom line is I wanted the setup to be as safe and comfortable as possible for myself and my family. I don't regret it one bit.

Dave

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:17 pm

After looking at KeswickDave's and some others when I was on the road this past week end, I ordered a new one from:
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-h ... -hitch.htm
10,000 is more than what I need, but having a safety margin is a good Idea.
Since my trailer weighs 1900# empty and will weight 6000# to 7000# loaded, I want to play it safe and I like the idea of a forging that will handle the extra load.

Thanks to all

I will post my old Reese on Craig's list, any one know what a fair price is?

Steve

KeswickDave · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:07 pm

warp2diesel,

That one looks virtually identical to my Reese, with the exception that the dual-cam anti-sway setup is an add-on to the basic WD setup.

I don't have a picture of the whole thing handy, the only difference is the hook-shaped bends in the WD bars which hook over the additional pieces hanging from the trailer tongue. It took me a while to wrap my head around how it all works, but it does!

Hitch options?

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