How Can I Stop My Wheelchair Carrier From Bouncing and Dragging?  

Question:

Expert Reply:

Hey David, thanks for reaching out. The reason your setup is bouncing and dragging is because you are using a hitch adapter/extender. That adapter extends the load farther back and adds leverage behind the hitch, plus most adapters of this type reduce the hitch's rated tongue weight capacity by 50%. With the weight of a motorized wheelchair and the carrier itself, there's a real possibility you're exceeding what the hitch can safely support, even if everything seems secure.

For the bouncing, an anti-rattle device # MPG908 can help take some of the movement out of the receiver connection, but it won't correct an overloaded hitch or eliminate the up-and-down movement from a heavy carrier. I also don't recommend adding caster wheels directly to the carrier without a setup specifically engineered for that application. At 60 mph, those wheels need to handle bumps, suspension movement, turns, and changes in road height without transferring excessive force into the carrier or hitch.

My first choice is to see whether your vehicle can accept a Class III hitch with a 2" receiver. That eliminates the adapter and gives us a better starting point for finding a carrier with adequate capacity and ground clearance. If a 2" hitch isn't available or the combined wheelchair and carrier weight exceeds the vehicle's limits, I'd lean toward a small, lightweight trailer designed for highway use rather than modifying your existing carrier with wheels. A properly rated trailer with suspension is a much better solution for regular trips at 60 mph.

What year, make, and model vehicle are you driving, and approximately how much do your motorized wheelchair and carrier weigh separately?

expert reply by: Jesse M

0

David T.

10/14/2026

I'm driving a 2019 Ford Ecosport. Unfortunately it can only handle the Class II hitch. I've thought about getting a single axle trailer that can tilt down for loading and then mount to a ball. That's what I was looking at modifying my wheelchair carrier to be.

Jesse M.

10/14/2026

@DavidT Ok gotcha. As long as you are using that hitch adapter, there is going to be some play and you run the risk of dragging it on steep inclines. You can add an anti-rattle device but that is more of a band-aid and doesn't address the actual cause of the issue. I absolutely agree that your best option here will be a small trailer. That way you can do away with the hitch adapter, and you'll have a much safer and more stable setup. As it sits currently, you are most likely overloading your hitch which is never something we recommend.