Can The Benton Basic Hitch Cargo Carrier B42FR Be Used With A Hitch Adapter/Extender?

Published 06/24/2026

Question:

I want to carry cargo boxes. My review camera cannot see over the boxes. The old fashion rear view mirror has a very restricted view. On level ground I have 19 inches of clearance from the lowest point of the hitch haul. You sell a 4 inch fixed hitch adapter and an adjustable up to 6 inch . I would expect a little more wiggle but I dont wont to loose the ability to use my review camera. Has anyone used a adapter and reported their experience.

asked by: Mark H

Expert Reply:

Hey Mark, thanks for reaching out. You can use the Benton Basic Hitch Cargo Carrier # B42FR to carry a cargo box, but I'd be really careful using a drop hitch/hitch extender with that setup. Reason being using a hitch extender dramatically increases the leverage on the hitch and effectively reduces your hitches carrying capacity by half. So for example, if the hitch on your vehicle has a 500 lb tongue weight rating, you'd be limited to carrying only 250 lbs. That includes the weight of the Basic Hitch, the cargo box and whatever cargo you have inside. Hitch extenders/adapters can also create some additional play, so I generally only recommend using them as a last resort. It's just not an ideal setup.

We haven't had anyone use an adapter with this setup and report back to us, since it usually isn't something we recommend.

If you can handle driving without the rearview camera, I'd recommend just doing that and not using an adapter.

What kind of cargo would you be putting in the box? How do you feel about driving around with the camera blocked?

expert reply by: Jesse M