1. Welcome to Tundras.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tundra discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other Tundra owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Question about a hitch extender reducing hitch capacity

Discussion in 'Towing & Hauling' started by Kevin80, Apr 22, 2021.

  1. Apr 22, 2021 at 10:23 AM
    #1
    Kevin80

    Kevin80 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2018
    Member:
    #21223
    Messages:
    18
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2016 SR5 Crewmax
    Let me start off by saying that yes, I have a basic understanding of why you'd want to lighten a load if it were moved further away from a set point, but in my case, I will actually be moving the load closer but I will be using an extender.

    My travel trailer has a Curt hitch installed (#13704) and I was using a Curt cargo carrier (#18153), both rated for 500 lbs (I use the hitch strictly for the cargo carrier). With that set-up the front end of the carrier is ~19 inches from the hitch pin hole but supposedly (and maybe this is where the "rub" is), that set-up is rated for 500 lbs.

    I am getting a new cargo carrier/bike rack combo that has ~6 inches from the hole to the front of the carrier, and that will barely clear the trailer, so I was going to get a 6-8" extender. In the end the load will be max. ~14 inches (6" for the carrier tube and max. 8" extender) from the hitch pin hole, so 5" closer than the previous set-up, but everything I see says the extender reduces the capacity of the hitch by 50%.

    Obviously if I used my original cargo carrier with an extender, that would make sense, but the new set-up will have the load CLOSER to the hitch, so I don't understand the blanket statement regarding the 50% reduction.

    Or, and this is the "rub" I mentioned, is the hitch rated for 500 lbs but only for a set distance, meaning my previous set-up may actually have been OVER spec.

    I never had close to 500 lbs on it, and probably won't get near 250 lbs (new carrier is only rated for 300 lbs of cargo), but I was hoping someone could explain why, or is it just a generic statement that may not actually apply in all situations?

    Thanks!!
     
  2. Jun 3, 2021 at 3:43 PM
    #2
    Jonny Rotten

    Jonny Rotten New Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2021
    Member:
    #63655
    Messages:
    71
    Gender:
    Male
    I have a 18" extender I haven't used yet but planning to soon keep the truck out of the saltwater as much as possible. I spoke to Reese today and they told me the same thing. 50% reduction. He never gave me a reason why and I never thought to ask.

    My concern is the bolt stress holding the hitch on. The further out the more stress. Plus after reading another towing thread will the extension bring the rear down further and effect the steering.

    It's only a 15 minute straight run to the ramp but something in the back of my mind. The first trip will be a little nerve racking even though it's what's the extender is designed for.
     
  3. Jun 3, 2021 at 3:49 PM
    #3
    shawn474

    shawn474 Lego connoisseur

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2019
    Member:
    #33569
    Messages:
    2,108
    Gender:
    Male
    MoCo, Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2019 Cement Tundra crew max TRD Off Road
    I am not sure I am reading / visualizing your scenario……but will take a shot. Let me know if I am way off how I am interpreting this. Have you considered welding a slightly longer receiver onto the rear bumper of the trailer? I would be very careful using something that long (18”) on the trailer……you also have to remember that they will change the geometry. They may drag going up or down grades

    If this is to extend from the truck receiver to the trailer, again those stress points are much more compromised…..I wouldn’t consider using an extender like that on anything with even slightly significant weight to it
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2021
    snivilous likes this.
  4. Jun 3, 2021 at 3:59 PM
    #4
    Jonny Rotten

    Jonny Rotten New Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2021
    Member:
    #63655
    Messages:
    71
    Gender:
    Male
    This is the extender I will be using. The OP may be thinking the same thing only smaller.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0008FUH6E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8
     
  5. Jun 3, 2021 at 4:15 PM
    #5
    shawn474

    shawn474 Lego connoisseur

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2019
    Member:
    #33569
    Messages:
    2,108
    Gender:
    Male
    MoCo, Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2019 Cement Tundra crew max TRD Off Road
  6. Jun 4, 2021 at 10:52 AM
    #6
    crewmaxlmt

    crewmaxlmt How dare you!

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2020
    Member:
    #54795
    Messages:
    890
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    scott
    PNW
    Vehicle:
    2020 Crewmax Limited
    I think that the 50% reduction is a safety statement from the manufacturer for any looking to tow with it. If you are just using it for a cargo rack on the back of your trailer, you should be fine.
     
    The Simple Engineer likes this.
  7. Jun 4, 2021 at 11:33 AM
    #7
    Sundog

    Sundog Zoom Zoom

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2019
    Member:
    #38050
    Messages:
    1,119
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    MNSP
    Vehicle:
    2014 Red CM Tundra
    From here: http://www.visualsc.com/hitch_calc.htm


    Know what you have and what you are doing. I see too much bad/incorrect information being thrown around and preached. Too many idiots on the road with no clue.

    upload_2021-6-4_13-33-42.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2021
    The Simple Engineer likes this.
  8. Jun 4, 2021 at 11:35 AM
    #8
    Sundog

    Sundog Zoom Zoom

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2019
    Member:
    #38050
    Messages:
    1,119
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    MNSP
    Vehicle:
    2014 Red CM Tundra
  9. Jun 4, 2021 at 11:55 AM
    #9
    snivilous

    snivilous snivspeedshop.com

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2019
    Member:
    #29192
    Messages:
    3,628
    SW UT
    Vehicle:
    295k Supercharged 2008
    It's the same thing as a using a breaker bar or torque wrench, the longer the lever arm, the more moment (torque) which reduces the capacity since less force is needed to get the same moment (torque). An extender, a longer hitch, moving the receiver so it hangs out the back of the truck further, all that shit results in the same loading of the chassis and subcomponents. The actual hitch pin force won't change, so it's only in shear and not reacting the moment. I would extend the trailer tongue, which reduces your tongue weight but as far as the trailer is concerned the forces are essentially the same still.

    I would be very careful using an extender with any considerable force. A hitch that sticks out 8" past the receiver is double the moment (torque) of a 4" long hitch being dumped into the receiver, which means the receiver, the receiver bolts, the chassis, the rear suspension, all that now has more stress going into it. It's a linear increase with distance, so something like an 18" long extender (or just a hitch thats 18" long like above) is now 4x more bending moment being dumped into the truck (versus a normal hitch) plus you still have the vertical loading from whatever the hitch is supporting. There's a reason you use a breaker bar to break a bolt loose, and you're now doing the same thing to your truck.
     
  10. Jun 4, 2021 at 12:28 PM
    #10
    The Simple Engineer

    The Simple Engineer Enthusiast of Many Things

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2021
    Member:
    #60169
    Messages:
    50
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    AL
    Vehicle:
    Charcoal 2003 4Runner Limited V6
    Leveled - Bilstein 5100s - Jensen HU
    I'm not sure about the specifics of how the max tongue weight is defined, but I think at a basic level, if the center of mass of the load you're carrying is actually closer to where the hitch is attached to the frame you would be actually reducing the stress on the back end of your truck. The question becomes if the new extension is sufficiently strong for the task.

    Maybe you were overloading it originally, but it sounds like the new setup would only improve things (assuming the new extension is comparable in strength as your first setup). Hard to say without seeing both setups and where the loads are being applied.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2021

Products Discussed in

To Top