Can A Hitch Extender Be Used With A Front Mount Trailer Hitch To Park A Travel Trailer

Updated 08/26/2024 | Published 08/20/2024

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Curt Class 5 Universal Weld-on Hitch w/ Brackets - 2" Receiver - 44" Wide

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Question:

I have a curt 31090 2inch front receiver installed. I want to add an extension so I do not have to crawl under truck to get pin out. I only use it to park travel trailer in tight situation at home, trailer weight 7000 lb.. Not sure if I use trailer weight or tongue weight to extension. Thanks Don

asked by: Donald M

Expert Reply:

Hi Don,

Hitch extenders place a lot of stress on the hitch because you're leveraging the weight further out so using one typically drops the capacity by 50% when towing. You'd be doing it in a parking lot situation where you wouldn't really be traveling much just more so maneuvering around so realistically that shouldn't affect you but depending on how much weight you're leveraging there could be a breaking point, we just wouldn't be able to know exactly what that point is.

The Curt Front Mount Trailer Hitch Receiver # C87FR (31090) has a 500lb vertical load limit (tongue weight) so realistically you'd really want to sit below that weight at 250lbs or less if you use an extender. Typical tongue weight for a 7k GVWR would put you at roughly 700 - 1050lbs of tongue weight so this trailer hitch really isn't made strong enough to handle the weight of your trailer so I can't recommend using a hitch extender on top of that. Eventually something will break and you'll be out a bunch of money on repairs.

If you really want to do this the right way I recommend swapping out the Curt # C87FR and switching to a weld-on class V hitch like one of the options listed below. These are all cut to fit crosstubes with weld-on mounting brackets that each have a different size drop to help the receiver tube sit where it needs to so that it clears the fascia. The highest capacity hitch extender we currently offer for a 2" hitch is the Gen-Y Hitch Hitch Extender # GY89SR, which only has a 500lb tongue weight capacity so you'd still realistically be under the capacity you need unless you can move things around to lower the tongue weight while using the front hitch.

Draw-Tite
7" Drop # 41990-07
16" Drop # 41990-16

Curt
3" Drop # 15901
9" Drop # C47CR
10.865" Drop # 15902
11-1/2" Drop # 15903
18" Drop # C99CR