Receiver Hitch Extension

[Michael_669a6b8e6fc6e]

I have a 2870RL I pull with an F250 using a 10 K Equal-I-Zer hitch. With a tanto cover and a bike rack over the bed. My trouble is I can't open the tail gate with the camper hooked up, I know they make Receiver Hitch Extension but I also know this will change the hitch weight and function of the Equal-I-Zer hitch I don't know if this would be a good idea but unhooking the camper to get to leveling boards is a pain. Has anyone else used a Receiver Hitch Extension and did you have any issues

 

[classicrockguy]

I have a 2870RL I pull with an F250 using a 10 K Equal-I-Zer hitch. With a tanto cover and a bike rack over the bed. My trouble is I can't open the tail gate with the camper hooked up, I know they make Receiver Hitch Extension but I also know this will change the hitch weight and function of the Equal-I-Zer hitch I don't know if this would be a good idea but unhooking the camper to get to leveling boards is a pain. Has anyone else used a Receiver Hitch Extension and did you have any issues

I used a longer shank with a 10k equalizer WDH hitch with no issues on my previous trailer. The Curt shank was rated for 15k, so no strength issues. I think Curt makes a couple of different longer shank lengths.

I had this one…

Amazon.com

Measure your current shank from the pin hole to the hitch head holes, and buy a longer one that increases this distance enough to get your tail gate open.

On my new trailer, I discovered I could rotate the electric jack head 90 degrees, which made just enough clearance to use the factory shank on my much heavier 16k equalizer hitch and still get the tail gate down.

 

[MtnGuy]

Deleted

 

[RV2600RB]

Put the boards in the RV?
Although the drawbar is 15k, what does it do to the load on the receiver? A longer drawbar will put additional load on the receiver hitch itself due to the extended length.

 

[classicrockguy]

Put the boards in the RV?
Although the drawbar is 15k, what does it do to the load on the receiver? A longer drawbar will put additional load on the receiver hitch itself due to the extended length.

Yup. I would check the receiver rating, but I’m sure it’s considerably higher than the 10k hitch the OP is using. My F250 hitch is rated for 21,500lbs. I don’t think extending the shank a couple of inches (20%?) will increase stresses enough to hurt the higher rated receiver.

FWIW, I spoke with Curt regarding this specific issue, and they indicated the longer shank will not affect things even that much. They had no issue even using it in an F150 receiver rated for 11,000+ (depending on year) with a 10,000lb WDH hitch.

 

[alias100]

@classicrockguy has the right idea, "rotate the electric jack head 90 degrees"
I did this, took about 30 minutes or so. Lots of videos showing how to do it.

 

[classicrockguy]

@classicrockguy has the right idea, "rotate the electric jack head 90 degrees"
I did this, took about 30 minutes or so. Lots of videos showing how to do it.

Pretty easy mod. Mine was not pre-drilled and tapped in the 90 degree position, so I bought the proper size drill bit and tap from Ace and created the screw hole needed. Not difficult.

Before that, I used the Curt extended shank on my previous F150 and 23’ trailer. Never had any issue. Having said that, I prefer the jack mod on my newer F250 and much heavier 38’ trailer.

 

[jas451]

I have a 2870RL I pull with an F250 using a 10 K Equal-I-Zer hitch. With a tanto cover and a bike rack over the bed. My trouble is I can't open the tail gate with the camper hooked up, I know they make Receiver Hitch Extension but I also know this will change the hitch weight and function of the Equal-I-Zer hitch I don't know if this would be a good idea but unhooking the camper to get to leveling boards is a pain. Has anyone else used a Receiver Hitch Extension and did you have any issues

I just ordered the Equal-I-zer 10k. I've had the Andersen hitch for the last couple of years, but couldn't keep both chains taut (operator error I'm sure) so I'm back to bars. I'm pulling with a F-250 as well which has the 'camper package', extra set of rear shock absorbers. I turned the electric jack head 90 degrees.....tailgate misses it, barely. Hopefully with the Equal-I-Zer it will as well.

 

[Rabbit]

Something to be aware of. The OEM shank on my BlueOX WDH is shorter than the full length of the receiver on my F150. It lacks about an inch projecting out the back of the receiver. After only two years of almost monthly towing, the slop between the shank and receiver caused the end of the shank to deform the floor of the receiver from the constant banging up and down - this allowed the ball to move more than an inch up and down!! The shank acts as a lever with its fulcrum at the front of the receiver which is well supported by the weld where the receiver attaches to the frame assembly. The weld supporting the back of the receiver is more than an inch beyond the end of the shank, so there is nothing to resist the shank’s constant hammering. Replacing the receiver cost me more than $1k. To prevent this from happening again, I bought a longer shank that projects out the back of the receiver and installed a clamp to remove the slop, previously mentioned. I did have to have a new hole drilled in the new shank for the hitch pin to preserve the WDH geometry. Three years later, no problems.