Trailer Hookup

SteveInMD · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 4:26 pm

I went to pickup a trailer this weekend. When I tried to hitch up to the trailer the spare tire prevented me from being able to drop the hitch down on the ball. The latch has to be in the up position when attaching the trailer, but there's not enough room under the spare. I ended up latching the ball hitch to the trailer first, then backing the Jeep onto the square tube the goes into the receiver, which was a bit tricky. Does anyone have a good workaround to this? The whole thing seems like a bad design to me.

Taz · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 4:52 pm

Had the same experience. For my utility trailer I hook it up with the door open, works great, door opens full, the trailer has a long tongue. You can also get a hitch extension, or a drop hitch.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 4:56 pm

you can take the spare off or purchase a 14" ball mount.

rs4mtnitro · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 6:29 pm

SteveInMD wrote:

I went to pickup a trailer this weekend. When I tried to hitch up to the trailer the spare tire prevented me from being able to drop the hitch down on the ball. The latch has to be in the up position when attaching the trailer, but there's not enough room under the spare. I ended up latching the ball hitch to the trailer first, then backing the Jeep onto the square tube the goes into the receiver, which was a bit tricky. Does anyone have a good workaround to this? The whole thing seems like a bad design to me.

I had the same problem and did the same thing.

Ripster · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 6:39 pm

This is what you need and you will be able to hook to just about any
trailer.

[/url]

BlackLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 6:46 pm

Ripster wrote:

This is what you need and you will be able to hook to just about any
trailer.

[/url]

Where you get that long hitch at?

runningbird · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 8:03 pm

any RV or trailer supply store. I use the same one.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 8:57 pm

The local Wal-Mart Super Store has these, at the time it struck me as odd length. I have as yet bought a draw bar, but at least I know which length to buy now.

RTStabler51 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 10:09 pm

must be the trailer type. I just picked up a new trailer yesterday, and although it was darn close. But I couldn't open the rear door due to the trailer jack.

Ripster · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 10:12 pm

Yes, I purchased one the wrong length and drop till I took the trailer to the local
shop and tried them till I found one that fit well and the trailer was level when
hooked up. This one should be good for most applications.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 10:25 pm

I would guess 4" drop for average trailer, maybe 6" for some smaller ones.

jinstall · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 5:09 am

OK I wqill hav to show you my E-spec trailer hitch. Give me a day to post it.

Ripster · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 6:41 am

A two place snowmobile trailer was level with the receiver shown.
13 inch tires, so depending on the tires on your trailer would be
the determining factor, I would imagine 13 inch on up could use
my receiver and be level.

pnorton · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:55 am

Taz wrote:

Had the same experience. For my utility trailer I hook it up with the door open, works great, door opens full, the trailer has a long tongue. You can also get a hitch extension, or a drop hitch.

I've heard that extensions cut the weigt limit trailor and tongue in half. Get the longer one and not an extension!

Goglio704 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:55 am

pnorton wrote:

Taz wrote:

Had the same experience. For my utility trailer I hook it up with the door open, works great, door opens full, the trailer has a long tongue. You can also get a hitch extension, or a drop hitch.

I've heard that extensions cut the weigt limit trailor and tongue in half. Get the longer one and not an extension!

I've heard that too, but I don't see the difference. If the overall length from the receiver to the ball is the same, you'll have the same leverage either way. Maybe the extension is the weak link?

alljeep · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:01 am

Goglio704 wrote:

pnorton wrote:

Taz wrote:

Had the same experience. For my utility trailer I hook it up with the door open, works great, door opens full, the trailer has a long tongue. You can also get a hitch extension, or a drop hitch.

I've heard that extensions cut the weigt limit trailor and tongue in half. Get the longer one and not an extension!

I've heard that too, but I don't see the difference. If the overall length from the receiver to the ball is the same, you'll have the same leverage either way. Maybe the extension is the weak link?

The extension is not the weak link. The farther away the load is applied (tongue weight on the ball of the drawbar) from the receiver hitch, the more bending moment is created at the mounting bolts of the receiver hitch to the unibody.

SteveInMD · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:25 am

Either way the ball ends up the same distance behind the Jeep.

DC should have made the hitch end at the rear of the spare tire.

RFCRD · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:02 am

alljeep wrote:

The extension is not the weak link. The farther away the load is applied (tongue weight on the ball of the drawbar) from the receiver hitch, the more bending moment is created at the mounting bolts of the receiver hitch to the unibody.

I hope that unibody frame connection is stronger than it looks. Just added a receiver hitch over the weekend, not much frame metal supporting a class III receiver bar.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:38 am

The extension has multiple weak areas. First of all like the receiver shown it is hollow which is weaker than a solid shaft ball mount. Second, instead of one hitch bolt you now have two and the hitch bolt point reduces the strength as well. Finally you have the weld where the smaller 2" hollow shaft fits in the larger receiver. Multiply this by the extra length and you cut the oerall hitch capacity in half.

alljeep · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:52 am

Cowcatcher wrote:

The extension has multiple weak areas. First of all like the receiver shown it is hollow which is weaker than a solid shaft ball mount. Second, instead of one hitch bolt you now have two and the hitch bolt point reduces the strength as well. Finally you have the weld where the smaller 2" hollow shaft fits in the larger receiver. Multiply this by the extra length and you cut the oerall hitch capacity in half.

Ahhhhh yes, all that extra stuff for a true "hitch extender." I was just referring to te proposed use of the "extended length drawbar."

I have one very long one that is a solid shaft draw bar with a ball mount (it's all the same level height, of course). It was a task finding a 2" ball with a true rating of 8000lbs - but I found one. I used to use it on a 3/4 ton surburban when I had a 10k rated hitch and I wanted to tow my old CJ Jeep on some heavy car trailers - usually very close to 8k weight.

Trailer Hookup

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