Normal or extended hitch length?

[mannym]

I have a clam shell camping trailer that I'm planning to take with me in April out to Big Bend National Park. With my TJ I would use the extended hitch so that I could clear the rear mounted tire. My question is, is it better for me to use the normal or extended hitch with my Gladiator. The road out to my primitive campsite is mainly a dirt road but he Park recommends a high clearance vehicle. Would the extended give me better off-road articulation or should I stick to the normal.
Yes, I know I have a truck bed, but I'm using a truck bed tent. My plan is to collapse my tent each morning and roll down my tonneau cover to keep it from getting stolen while parked at the trailhead. I will be leaving the trailer at my campsite with my camp kitchen and gear locked inside and hitch lock, wheel lock and chained to the bear box that the park has at each campsite.

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[OVERLORD]

Rear mounted spare?

 

[mannym]

Rear mounted spare?

Yes my TJ had a rear mounted spare. That is why I would use the extended hitch so that it would clear the tire giving me enough space to mount the trailer and lock the hitch.

 

[DylanM]

I see absolutely no advantage to using the extended hitch insert on your Gladiator. It's unnecessary and will negatively effect both maneuvering and clearance on uneven terrain.

 

[mtudb24]

What he said

 

[OVERLORD]

Yes my TJ had a rear mounted spare. That is why I would use the extended hitch so that it would clear the tire giving me enough space to mount the trailer and lock the hitch.

On the JT not needed.

Thanks for the clarification.

Shorter better, especially with the trailer dynamics shown in the pictures.

Enjoy!

 

[ivanfrank]

Extended will increase torque lever arm force (not good). I also had to use an extended with my JL + teardrop. But JT + travel trailer, no extension needed. The joys of having a "truck"

 

[S JEEPN]

That is a nice trailer always surprising what you can fit in a compact trailer. It looks like the draw bar could use flipping to raise the front of the trailer a bit that should be hardly noticible behind the JT. i used to tow a small box trailer with my TJ using a swagman bike rack that was rated at 3500 lbs a good margin of safety with a TJs 2000 ib limit and a triler that probably never reached 1500 lbs.

https://www.rigidhitch.com/s-64675-bike-rack-4-bike-towing-rack.html

It had about a two foot long draw bar the bike rack part could be moved back and forth to clear the spare. I eventually extended the trailer tongue to mount a big cooler in front of the box and added enough extra tongue length to clear the spare without an extension and allow jackknifing pretty far before contacting the bumper. The only issue i ever had with theft while camping was with racoons opening the box or coolers requiring ratchet straps around everything. Funny to watch those little bandits pulling on the latches and working at it.

 

[IamPro2A]

As someone who has done a LOT of towing, including some really small things behind really big trucks, the extended hitch will certainly benefit you ON THE ROAD, especially backing it up. Off-road, I guess it's going to depend on the actual terrain. "High clearance vehicle recommended" could mean anything from a fire or logging road with a high center between the tracks and some ruts to the actual Rubicon Trail. I have never been to Big Bend, but the pictures a quick google search turned up don't seem all that extreme. I see pics of SUVs, vans, RVs and 20-30ft campers out there.
Example: https://roadslesstraveled.us/boondocking-at-big-bend-national-park-cheap-scenic-rv-camping/

I suppose it wouldn't be a huge deal to tow out there with the longer hitch and swap to the shorter once you got there, just to be safe.

 

[Jaxmax]

I would go with a standard hitch , flip it as it looks like you might be a little low , and would really be cool to check out the trailer suspension and lift it about an inch , and perhaps put little bit taller tires on then.
Nice looking camper which is also fine as it is !….Jack

 

[ShadowsPapa]

NEVER use an extension if you don't have to. There's almost all negative, no positive. It increases stress, tongue weight effect, lowers towing capacity, increases risk of sway and so on.
A longer TONGUE on a trailer is good - keeping the trailer wheels farther back from the ball is a good thing most of the time, but moving the ball back is bad.
I've got a great youtube video that explains why not to use such a thing.

Using a hitch extension on a truck significantly reduces towing capacity (often by 50%), lowers allowable tongue weight, and increases trailer sway. By extending the pivot point further from the rear axle, it creates a larger lever arm, placing increased stress on the hitch and vehicle frame.

Here are the specific negatives to using a hitch extension:
Drastically Reduced Towing Capacity: Hitch extensions typically reduce the maximum tongue weight and towing capacity of your receiver by 25–50%. A 10,000 lb capacity hitch might only be able to tow 5,000 lbs safely with a long extension.
Increased Sway and Instability: By increasing the distance from the rear axle to the trailer, the extension amplifies every minor movement, leading to less stability and increased trailer sway.
Increased Strain on Vehicle Components: The extension acts as a lever arm (similar to a diving board), significantly multiplying vertical (tongue weight) and lateral forces on your truck’s frame and receiver hitch.
Reduced Handling and Steering Control: The extra leverage can lighten the truck’s front axle, reducing steering control and making the vehicle harder to control.

Basically, an extension gives the trailer more control over the tow vehicle because it's a longer lever.

Don't confuse the positive aspects of a long trailer tongue with the negatives of a hitch extension.

 

[IamPro2A]

NEVER use an extension if you don't have to. There's almost all negative, no positive. It increases stress, tongue weight effect, lowers towing capacity, increases risk of sway and so on.
A longer TONGUE on a trailer is good - keeping the trailer wheels farther back from the ball is a good thing most of the time, but moving the ball back is bad.
I've got a great youtube video that explains why not to use such a thing.

Using a hitch extension on a truck significantly reduces towing capacity (often by 50%), lowers allowable tongue weight, and increases trailer sway. By extending the pivot point further from the rear axle, it creates a larger lever arm, placing increased stress on the hitch and vehicle frame.

Here are the specific negatives to using a hitch extension:
Drastically Reduced Towing Capacity: Hitch extensions typically reduce the maximum tongue weight and towing capacity of your receiver by 25–50%. A 10,000 lb capacity hitch might only be able to tow 5,000 lbs safely with a long extension.
Increased Sway and Instability: By increasing the distance from the rear axle to the trailer, the extension amplifies every minor movement, leading to less stability and increased trailer sway.
Increased Strain on Vehicle Components: The extension acts as a lever arm (similar to a diving board), significantly multiplying vertical (tongue weight) and lateral forces on your truck’s frame and receiver hitch.
Reduced Handling and Steering Control: The extra leverage can lighten the truck’s front axle, reducing steering control and making the vehicle harder to control.

Basically, an extension gives the trailer more control over the tow vehicle because it's a longer lever.

Don't confuse the positive aspects of a long trailer tongue with the negatives of a hitch extension.

You realize that trailer was meant to be towed behind a motorcycle and probably has a GVWR under 500lbs? None of those things are going to happen.

 

[S JEEPN]

How about this trailer tongue extension to get your fishing boat in deep enough to launch.

 

[sharpsicle]

You realize that trailer was meant to be towed behind a motorcycle and probably has a GVWR under 500lbs? None of those things are going to happen.

Doesn't make any of it wrong.

Only use an extension if you need to. If you don't need it, don't use it.

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