Hitch Extenders and Cargo Carriers

[Jen123]

I'm leaving on a trip in a few days. One of my pet peeves is propane and heavy projectiles in my tow vehicle, so I purchased a hitch extender that will allow me to also have a cargo box between the trailer and tow vehicle. I think my little concoction should work, but what am I missing? My trailer weighs around 1500, but I do not know the tongue weight. I'm pretty certain the suburban can handle it.

Here are some details the cargo box will go over the trailer tongue by about 15 inches. Is there something I'm missing? Will my turning radius be greatly reduced? Will I hit the cargo box on the trailer every time I turn? How much space do I need? I know I'm probably overthinking it, but I hate being a I-wish-I-would-a-known person.

I want to insert a photo, but. . . it may be a bit before I figure it out again.

[John61CT]

Answers to all these questions will depend on the specific use case.

Working up detailed measured scale drawings

will likely be more trouble than seeking help locally

Weigh your rig loaded wet, separately and overall, and tongue weight specifically

critical to safe towing especially at highway speeds.

[TimC]

Like John says do a mock up. Draw it out or use 1x4s or 2x4s clamped to the existing tongue and representing the new coupler location and the outside width of the box's front corners. Kind of like a cross. That should give you better views of what it will look like. Back up the TV at various angles to where the coupler is represented by the timber and meets the hitch ball. Very low tech but works.

Weigh your tongue with a bathroom scale. It's easy. Place two 1x4s or similar about the size of a shoe on each side of the scale where you would stand. Then a strong piece of wood across those spanning the space between. Now place you tongue on the top piece. You will have a very close approximation of your tongue weight. Now, if you trust your 1500# estimate you can figure out your tongue weight to total weight ratio.

[pchast]

Did you know that any kind of hitch extension reduces the allowable hitch weight? Please check with the manufacturer of the product.

Moving that pivot point off the bumper location puts a greater pressure onto the tow vehicle. An extended tongue on the trailer, without that extension, retains the maximum allowable hitch weight rating of the tow vehicle.

[Tomterrific]

A hitch extender will make the trailer harder to back. The extra length of the ball from the tow vehicle will give a faster response from any deviation from dead on straight and the trailer will Jack knife much quicker when backing.

I already have an impossible time backing my camper.

Tt

[TimC]

Yeah, despite what I said about mocking up your tongue and tongue box I agree with what Pete and TomT say about maneuvering with extensions. I'm not sure but maybe a trailer tongue extension is a better option than a hitch extension. I hope Pete and Tom chime in on that.

[2bits]

Your suburban would pull a 5000 pound camper with a 500lbs tongue weight no problem. You would have to work REALLY hard to make your set up any kind of issue. Just remember most people don't pull teardrops they pull "go big or go home" campers so you are good. As far as reducing the turning, Take what you have now and back up and turn as far as you think you would ever ever be in a situation to do so, then stop and look at what space you have available. I've had a few with the tongue box bigger than the frame and never had an issue. Just look at it and assess but I highly doubt it would be a problem. Good luck

[dbhosttexas]

The last suburban I drove was a Square Body, and it had cargo cleats in area behind the third row that we would use ratchet straps to restrain cargo.

Now mind you, propane is probably not something you want inside your vehicle if you can avoid it.

I'm more than a little bit leery of hitch extenders of any sort, let alone one that adds to the tongue weight of the trailer as it can lead to squat, and sway, although you are talking super light trailers here...

Just a thought but if it were me, and it's not, but if it were, I would want my propane on the tongue of the trailer itself, and then any other associated gear inside the 'burban lashed down properly to prevent them from becoming projectiles in an accident. No funny hitch extensions, only maybe 25lbs added to tongue weight, no problems...