Class III and extensions

[Luckydawg]

Hey all,

I am new to truck towing world and was wondering a few things. I am looking for a good source on Class III through class V hitch ratings. I have a Dodge 2500 w/a Lance cab-over camper and I need an extension to tow a 1500# boat. I know that with an extension my rating goes down but I would like to read this and see it for myself before buying a very expensive class V hitch that I am not convinced that I need for such a light boat. Does anyone have any technical documents (source) on the ratings? I hear a lot of "you can't do that" in this forum as well as the businesses that I am trying to buy an extension from but I don't have anything to go on other than "so and so says you can't do that".

Thanks,

C

[OT]

C..try here & ask um Trailer hitch, hitches,brakes/parts800)298-8924

[88beast]

how long of an extention
and did you ask over at rv.net lots of guys doing the same thing so maybe its classified safe but not recomended in the real world
and how big of an extention?

[LMJD]

I hear a lot of "you can't do that" in this forum as well as the businesses that I am trying to buy an extension from but I don't have anything to go on other than "so and so says you can't do that".

Personally I'd ignore all the forum "experts" and contact a few hitch mfgrs on their customer service line and tell them just exactly what you want to do and get the right advice and recommendation.

[88beast]

yes but they are trying to sell so some will say go class V when you only need class II
but calla fer and youll be fine if you go that route
also some extention combinations will cause more bounce some less this is the user input here

[Bill1013]

What model Lance do you have ? They extend a long way behind the truck bed, and that presents the problem, not what Class of receiver. A Class II is large enough (rated at 3500#) to tow that 1500# boat, but not with an extension that long. If you have a 2 Ft. camper overhang, that would require at least a 3 Ft. extension. A Titan Extension R45162 ($210) is made for slide out campers, they come in 24-34-38 inch length, requires a Class V receiver. A front receiver also would help greatly to launch your boat.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Luckydawg

I have a Dodge 2500 w/a Lance cab-over camper and I need an extension to tow a 1500# boat.

1,500 pound boat, so I'll assume it's a 3,000 pound boat and trailer.

A Lance camper could have no overhang up to 36" of overhang. So since you have only a three-quarter-ton pickup, I'll also assume you have enough brains to not overload the truck too much, so you have only a 9' camper with a bit over a foot of overhang, so an 18" extension would work for you.

Click on this link: || REESE PRODUCTS ||

Then search on "receiver+extension" and you'll see some.

Here's one:

Reese Part Number: 11004
Description: Receiver Extension, 2" to 2" Extension, 18" Length, 4000 lbs. WC & 6500 lbs. WD
Weight: 20.88 lbs.
Size: 25" L x 3.5" W x 3.13" H

In the above specs, WC is weight-carrying and WD is weight-distributing.

But if you need more than 18" extension, then you have to have a class 5 hitch, such as the Reese Titan, then you can order one of these 24" jobbies:

Reese Part Nimber: 45292
Titan®, Receiver Extension, 2-1/2" to 2" Extension,
24" Length, 6000 lbs. WC & 8000 lbs. WD,
34" Length 4500 lbs. WC & 6000 lbs. WD

And the max length:

Reese Part Number: 45018
Titan®, Receiver Extension, 2-1/2" to 2" Extension,
41" Length 5000 lbs. WC & 7500 lbs. WD,
48" Length 4000 lbs. WC & 6000 lbs. WD

As to your original question, My Reese 14" extension has a sticker on it that states "do not exceed 65% of the receiver capacity."

So for that one above that had a 4,000 pound weight capacity WC, if your trailer grosses 3,000 pounds, then your receiver should have a WC weight capacity over 4,645 pounds. The Ford receiver has a WC weight capacity of at least 5,000 pounds, so no need to buy a different receiver. If your Dodge doesn't have a receiver, or if the one it has is rated less than 5,000 pounds WC, then buy one that has a minimum of 5,000 pounds WC.

Don't use the terms "Class 3", "Class 4" or "Class 5". Those terms are not an industry standard. Use the actual weight capacities you're talking about, then you won't confuse folks as to whether it has a WC weight capacity of 3,500 pounds, 5,000 pounds, 7,500 pounds, 10,000 pounds or 12,000 pounds.

And note that the Reese/Drawtite/Hidden Hitch name for a Class 5 hitch can be either "Titan" or "Tow Beast".

[Luckydawg]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

1,500 pound boat, so I'll assume it's a 3,000 pound boat and trailer.

A Lance camper could have an overhang up to 36" of overhang. So since you have only a three-quarter-ton pickup, I'll also assume you have enough brains to not overload the truck too much, so you have only a 9' camper with a bit over a foot of overhang, so an 18" extension would work for you.

As to your original question, My Reese 14" extension has a sticker on it that states "do not exceed 65% of the receiver capacity."


Don't use the terms "Class 3", "Class 4" or "Class 5". Those terms are not an industry standard. Use the actual weight capacities you're talking about, then you won't confuse folks as to whether it has a WC weight capacity of 3,500 pounds, 5,000 pounds, 7,500 pounds, 10,000 pounds or 12,000 pounds.

And note that the Reese/Drawtite/Hidden Hitch name for a Class 5 hitch can be either "Titan" or "Tow Beast".

Thanks for the info. You provide a lot of good info but do assume quite a bit. Thank you for the assumption that I have enough brains to accomplish the task at hand. I am here for good information so as not to overload my vehicle and create a hazard to other motorists. Speaking of assumptions, perhaps you could go back to my original post instead of conjecturing on your own.

I am looking for the mathematics behind this so I can make a determination myself. A website, document, PDF file, testing, not just typical banter of "I heard it from." Your Reese sticker is a start but it still does not imply anything else other than for that particular 14 inch extension. I am seeing limits of 18 inches. Why? Is it the law? Who says I can't weld a 24 inch, 2 inch hitch extension for my Class 3 (5000 lb) hitch? I do want to be safe about it and that is what drives me to seek the information that I am looking for.

By the way, I am towing a Jon boat. It weighs approximately 600 lbs, the motor is 250 lbs, the fuel is 70 lbs, the trailer is 465 lbs. I'll let you do more assuming on the rest of my gear and an estimate on the overall weight of what I am towing.

[BlueMuleTrucking]

Originally Posted by Luckydawg

Thanks for the info. You provide a lot of good info but do assume quite a bit. Thank you for the assumption that I have enough brains to accomplish the task at hand. I am here for good information so as not to overload my vehicle and create a hazard to other motorists. Speaking of assumptions, perhaps you could go back to my original post instead of conjecturing on your own.

I am looking for the mathematics behind this so I can make a determination myself. A website, document, PDF file, testing, not just typical banter of "I heard it from." Your Reese sticker is a start but it still does not imply anything else other than for that particular 14 inch extension. I am seeing limits of 18 inches. Why? Is it the law? Who says I can't weld a 24 inch, 2 inch hitch extension for my Class 3 (5000 lb) hitch? I do want to be safe about it and that is what drives me to seek the information that I am looking for.

By the way, I am towing a Jon boat. It weighs approximately 600 lbs, the motor is 250 lbs, the fuel is 70 lbs, the trailer is 465 lbs. I'll let you do more assuming on the rest of my gear and an estimate on the overall weight of what I am towing.

The only way to get the info you want is to spend sometime on the phone calling the manufacturers. I'm willing to bet they'll try to get you buy their most expensive product, or tell you what smokey wren just said. He wouldn't have had to assume your weight if you gave them originally.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Luckydawg

I am seeing limits of 18 inches. Why? Is it the law? Who says I can't weld a 24 inch, 2 inch hitch extension for my Class 3 (5000 lb) hitch?

Leverage. Plus the Law of Supply and Demand.

The farther behind the frame of the receiver you hang the hitch weight, the more leverage that extension is putting on the frame of the receiver. So for the average 2" receiver with 5,000 pounds WC capacity, the manufacturers' engineers determined about 18" is the max they could go for an extension that will probably have up to about a 350 to 400 pound hitch weight. You don't see many boats behind truck campers with a gross trailer weight less than about 3,500 pounds. There wouldn't be much demand for an extension with less weight capacity, so they don't make them.

More than 18" extension usually requires a heavier-duty receiver. As noted above, you can get an extension up to 48" long for a 2.5" Titan receiver.

If you want to fabricate your own (or have a welding shop do it for you), then since you'll have less than 200 pounds of hitch weight you could probably go out to a least 24" and maybe even farther out to 30" or even 36" without wrecking the receiver. But I'm no engineer, and you probably need to do some calculating (or have a friendly ME do it for you) to determine the max length of an extension with WC rating of 200 pounds hitch weight for a 2" receiver with a WC capacity of 500 pounds hitch weight.

The part of my 14" extension that fits into my receiver is solid steel, yet it's rated for only 4,000 pounds max WC trailer weight. It's a heavy sucker. I can only imagine a 2.5" extension over 24" long. That would be a really heavy sucker.

[Bill1013]

Thanks for the info. You provide a lot of good info but do assume quite a bit. Thank you for the assumption that I have enough brains to accomplish the task at hand. I am here for good information so as not to overload my vehicle and create a hazard to other motorists. Speaking of assumptions, perhaps you could go back to my original post instead of conjecturing on your own.

Personally I didn't know that this was an engineering forum. You stated that you were looking for ratings on ClassIII thru Class V . Still you haven't said how long of an overhang you have if any.

Now if you want the mathamatic's of how the engineers figured the stress factors on there hitches, I would suggest you talk to the various manufactures engineering department to achieve that.

I do believe all the members that gave you the part numbers and spec's have enough BRAIN'S to figure out what is best for them to use for there application. All hitches and components are DOT certified as to there capacities.

[QUOTE]I am seeing limits of 18 inches. Why? Is it the law? Who says I can't weld a 24 inch, 2 inch hitch extension for my Class 3 (5000 lb) hitch? I do want to be safe about it and that is what drives me to seek the information that I am looking for.[QUOTE]

Weld it up, no one says you can't, thats personal fabrication. But you are responsible in case of an accident. Whereas a company is responsible for there products, and I'm damn sure there is a safety factor in all there products.

[Luckydawg]

SmokeyWren,

Thanks for the info. I plan to fabricate one, I appreciate your input.

Originally Posted by Bill1013

Personally I didn't know that this was an engineering forum. You stated that you were looking for ratings on ClassIII thru Class V . Still you haven't said how long of an overhang you have if any.

Thanks for your info too Bill, the overhang is irrelevant, I wasn't looking for how long of a hitch I need, I already know that. So far on the retail market, I have only gotten "you need a class V hitch with an extensoin longer than 18."... PERIOD..... Smokey has the best answer, I just wanted to know a bit more on the technical (mathmatical) side so I can make a determination if I can fabricate and operate safely my own longer than 18 inches.

Blue,

Thanks, my boat weighs 1500#s, you're right, in the original post I should have been more clear, that's all I intend to tow, total weight.

Chris

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Luckydawg

Thanks, my boat weighs 1500#s, ...

No, your boat weighs 600 pounds. Your wet and loaded boat trailer weighs 1,500 pounds. Not the same thing.

If your boat weighed 1,500 pounds, then the wet and loaded boat trailer would probably weigh around 3,000 pounds. That's what was confusing, and required assumptions on my part.

[Luckydawg]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

No, your boat weighs 600 pounds. Your wet and loaded boat trailer weighs 1,500 pounds. Not the same thing.

If your boat weighed 1,500 pounds, then the wet and loaded boat trailer would probably weigh around 3,000 pounds. That's what was confusing, and required assumptions on my part.

oops, thanks for the correction..lack of sleep and 8 time zones away in a day..thanks all