Hitch extensions and hauling on the front

[pulltilbroke]

So what is everyone doing for hitch extensions when running a Big truck camper. I have a few ideas floatin round in my head but would like to see what some of you guys have bought or fabbed up.

I don't need anything that will handle a bunch of tounge weight but would like to be able to flat tow my old 90 W250 or pull a small trailer.

Also I need some ideas for a front hitch carrier so i can hang a toolbox and spare tire up front so I don't clutter up the insde of the camper with a crapload of tools and truck related equipment.

 

[Gimike812]

Check out Torklift super hitch. They will give you the idea what to run. I wanted to use this hitch when I was towing my 18ft flatbed with my Cherokee behind my truck and camper. I ended up using a solid steel 2x2 bar about 4ft long with a receiver end welded on it. And 2 chains from the receiver end out to my camper tie down brackets with turn barrels on them to keep tension on the extension.

 

[Explorer0863]

:iagree:Torklift has great products. I'm a big fan. In order to tow with my truck and TC loaded, I bought the SuperTruss, 48" extension. It works great and it is absolutely stable. I don't have pictures of my set up right now, but it looks like this.


This extension in combination with the super hitch mentioned above will give you the power to tow anything that you want, worried free. Then you will be able to do this:
:wings:

As far as front hitch, do a Google or eBay search of "Dodge Ram Front Hitch". You will find one that it's specific for your truck. It should cost you about $180, including shipping. I went with Curtis. It doesn't required cutting or welding, but it does required drilling.

When I am towing my Rangie, this toolbox goes in the front.


Good luck!

 

[Johnainny]

I have the torklift super hitch with the extension bar. I tow a car trailer with a jeep on it and have no problems. Spend the money on saftey. I have used a home made extension before this set up and I used to just flat tow a jeep and the side to side movement on the extention would push the back of the camper on turns.

 

[msiminoff]

Here are a few photos of my hitch extension and front spare mount. I fabricated both myself.
BTW I have a '94 WR250 that rides on a (custom) hitch-mounted rack.
Cheers
-Mark

 

[pulltilbroke]

More than likely I will build something rather than buy because I do excel at fabbing stuff and i hate to spend money on something that I an build better for less money. (Not trying to be arrogant or blow my own horn but I did have 3 welding certs at one time.)

Turns out the Idea I had floatin in my head was very similar to the supertruss that explorer0863 posted. BTw what does the Rangie weigh when its in tow?

msiminoff, very nice fab work!!

 

[redthies]

So both the hitch set ups pictured are using a "double" receiver. This is to eliminate up/down flex? Does anyone make a hitch extension that works on a single receiver?

Andrew: If you are towing the W250, tools etc can go in its bed, no? You just want the rack up front for times when you don't bring the other truck?

 

[msiminoff]

So both the hitch set ups pictured are using a "double" receiver. This is to eliminate up/down flex? Does anyone make a hitch extension that works on a single receiver?

Yes you can get extensions for a single 2" receiver and there are also extensions available for the 2.5" Reese Titan ...
However the double tube type extension is much stiffer than a single one (stiffness is a square function of the beam depth).
Torklift Superhitch is THE solution if you tow heavy.

 

[Explorer0863]

More than likely I will build something rather than buy because I do excel at fabbing stuff and i hate to spend money on something that I an build better for less money. (Not trying to be arrogant or blow my own horn but I did have 3 welding certs at one time.)

Turns out the Idea I had floatin in my head was very similar to the supertruss that explorer0863 posted. BTw what does the Rangie weigh when its in tow?

msiminoff, very nice fab work!!

I guess the weight of the Rangie must be in the 4,500-5,000 pounds neighborhood. Mine is the LWB.

 

[Chrysler300B]

I extend my bumper back 24" with 3/8 L steel bolted to the truck frame & the bumper & trailer hitch moved back the 24" & an X welded into the 3/8 L steel so the 3/8 steel does not move . I was tolled by the trailer people that I parched the trailer from NOT to use a bar extent-ion because I pull a 28' box Car trailer.

 

[Chrysler300B]

This is a photo of the truck with the camper on the truck!

 

[andytruck]

Here are a few photos of my hitch extension and front spare mount. I fabricated both myself.
BTW I have a '94 WR250 that rides on a (custom) hitch-mounted rack.
Cheers
-Mark

I am wondering how this has held up. The rod poking up through the ball bumper hole is nice. Does this twist the bumper down? or Is the rod attached to the bumper or just the hitch? Seems like that rod would bend before it could do much. If attached to the bumper then you have a triangle, if just to the hitch then you have moved the point of stress to the base of the rod, behind the hitch pin, maybe???
Is this like a Super Hitch with two receivers stacked? That looks like a Torklift spring turnbuckle, or is it just a regular turnbuckle? How much tension is on that turnbuckle and chain?

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

Mark, good to see you on here. jefe here. Mark may be yet another refugee from another truck camper site. He runs a modern machine shop with CNC capabilities; is a great fabricator, and has a lot of great ideas for truck campers. Follow him well. Mark also claims that the front mounted spare does NOT restrict air flow through the radiator. Just having a tall Warn 8274 winch slightly deflecting the air on my old CJ-8 would make the engine temperature rise.
Andy, I have essentially the same bumper Mark has, and that hole is braced by a good size, maybe 5/8's inch plate underneath, offering lots of anchoring shear strength. The factory hole is good enough to support a 6K pound rated ball. It does look like an older turnbuckle without a spring acting as a truss of sorts. Not to worry, Mark tends to over build his projects looking for long term survivability.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

To the OP's point, 18 years ago we settled on a Reese Titan Class V (10K pound) because we could cut the tube down to just miss the end with the camper on the truck. It wound up to be a 20 inch long extension. We easily towed a 14 foot car trailer and my up armored CJ-8, @ about 7500 pounds. Beware of towing with any vehicle which is close in weight and swagger. We tried this with two Scouts with disastrous affect. The tail tends to wag the dog.
The front receiver hitch was the end we cut off the Reese extension welded onto the bottom of my Warn 15K pound winch carrier. I used a floor jack to keep the tube up tight against the carrier for welding using 7018, all position rod, set pretty hot. The only thing we use up there is an occasional rack/basket if we are out of space in the TC and truck. Here it is with a bike rack in place:

The rear with a 2-step in the extension:


jefe

 

[andytruck]

Reading on phone since i is down so hope I didn't miss a post...
Thanks, jefe. Looking at Mark's bumper it looks like he has the pipe just poking through the bumper ball hole but not to it. This is way more complicated to build but no chance to twist the bumper either. I was wanting to attach to the bumper which will put a downward twist at the ball. I think it will hold.
Currently i have a single long extension. Thru rear camera i can see a lot of bouncing. Most is probably the extension flexibility but some can b the hitch twisting too. Calss 5 hitch but wasn't necessarily designed for this