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Old 12-25-2017, 10:20 PM   #21
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Correction; apparently I misunderstood what Mike was saying. I mistakenly thought he meant the distance from the ball to the trailer axle when he was referring to the ball to the vehicle axle. Or at least that is how I interpret it now. Leverage is the factor here that has to be taken into consideration.
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Old 12-26-2017, 09:20 AM   #22
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Interesting enough on etrailer, all adapters or extensions say reduced load by 50%. Then when asked in the questions and answers, they recommend using a longer ball mount instead of the two part extension because it will not reduce load capabilities at all. This is mentioned many times by different staff in separate q/a. Here are some quotes from them.

“The extenders like part # HE12 are usually made of two different sized pieces of steel that are welded together. The HE12 uses a 2x2 outer dimension piece of solid steel that inserts into the hitch. Welded to the other end, is a piece of tube with a 2x2 inside dimension. That joint is a weak spot. This is a large part of why most of the extenders have a 50 percent weight capacity reduction factor.”

“Instead, I would recommend looking at one of our extra or super extra long ball mounts like the Hidden Hitch Ball Mount, # 80232. This ball mount measures 16 inches from the center of the hitch pin hole to the center of the ball hole. This ball mount does not reduce the capacity of your hitch, but you will be limited to the 6,000 lbs gross trailer weight and 600 lbs tongue weight capacities.”

They say this in many places always stating the extenders reduce by 50% but then recommending the longer ball mount which does not reduce. Either they are ill informed or we are misunderstanding. I do feel in theory the leverage will reduce load capacity regardless of how the load is extended. The farther out, the less capacity I agree. I also feel that the load being extended 4” out would only reduce capacity a small amount and not 50% immediately.

I feel my ball mount has 1-2” exposed shank now. I will increase that to 6” with no additional two part system, just a longer one piece ball mount. My approx loads will be kayaks (80lbs) at 0” out, bikes (100 lbs) at 3” out, and then the camper at the ball (275 lbs). My truck is rated at 6000, so maybe a tongue weight rating of 900 lbs at 15% rating. I’d bet the silverados with a 8k or 9k rating (larger V8 or lower axle ratio or longer cab) use the exact same OEM hitch. I’d say I’m totally safe using a ball mount that is a few inches longer. Even with the leverage, which I agree should decrease capacity, I’m still not approaching issues with my Silverado capacity. This is all just my oppinion I realize because it’s not engineered or calculated. I do sincerely appreciate all the insight from you guys because this is a safety area that should not be skimped at I fully agree!!
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Old 12-26-2017, 11:24 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
Correction; apparently I misunderstood what Mike was saying. I mistakenly thought he meant the distance from the ball to the trailer axle when he was referring to the ball to the vehicle axle. Or at least that is how I interpret it now. Leverage is the factor here that has to be taken into consideration.
I did a lousy job of making that clear in my post #19.

Yes, I was referring to the distance between the tow vehicle's rear axle and the ball.
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Old 12-26-2017, 11:40 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JWScarab View Post
<snip>
“Instead, I would recommend looking at one of our extra or super extra long ball mounts like the Hidden Hitch Ball Mount, # 80232. This ball mount measures 16 inches from the center of the hitch pin hole to the center of the ball hole. This ball mount does not reduce the capacity of your hitch, but you will be limited to the 6,000 lbs gross trailer weight and 600 lbs tongue weight capacities.”
<snip>
Either they are ill informed or we are misunderstanding. I do feel in theory the leverage will reduce load capacity regardless of how the load is extended. The farther out, the less capacity I agree. I also feel that the load being extended 4” out would only reduce capacity a small amount and not 50% immediately.
<snip>
While I tend to like eTrailer, I have seen some things posted there by staff which are not entirely clear or correct. This would be one of them.

One way to quickly evaluate a concept is to consider an extreme case.

Consider a ball mount (drawbar) which is twenty feet (!) long. Now, imagine supporting several hundreds of pounds of trailer tongue weight at the ball end. This is clearly going to lighten the load on the front wheels of the tow vehicle as it exerts leverage (teeter-totter effect) around a pivot point located at the tow vehicle's rear axle.

Lightening the load on the front wheels of the tow vehicle means that, in addition to the trailer's tongue weight, the rear wheels will then also have to carry that part of the tow vehicle's weight which had previously been supported by the tow vehicle's front wheels.

If the drawbar or ball mount was long enough, and the tongue weight sufficient, then the tow vehicle's front wheels would lift off the ground entirely. The tow vehicle's rear wheels would clearly now have to carry the entire weight of the tow vehicle along with the tongue weight.

I think it's safe to say that this condition would clearly impact the tow vehicle's ability to handle a trailer. (Incidentally, this is also why helper springs and air bags on the rear axle of a tow vehicle do not and cannot entirely eliminate the impacts of tongue weight on a tow vehicle.)

It's all a matter of degree.

Joe, I agree; I really don't see a few additional inches of drawbar length having a substantive or likely even a noticeable impact on your truck's ability to handle the Egg here.

But, don't be supersizing that combo!
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Old 12-26-2017, 12:07 PM   #25
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I'm only commenting on the extended ball mount reducing the capacity of the hitch itself. I disagree with etrailer that the long ball mount won't impact that capacity, but who knows to what percentage. What's the difference if the extension is one piece or two? Most likely the 50% number was just a random estimate. If anyone is comfortable with moving the ball out farther, then go for it. In the right situation I might do it myself, after evaluating all the factors such as tongue weight, bike weight, and weight capacity and attachment points of the receiver hitch.
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Old 12-26-2017, 12:14 PM   #26
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I think that what we're most interested here is the tongue weight, so I wonder if the bathroom scale method could be used in some way?! Could the receiver be "firmly" hooked to the trailer and the bikes and kayaks put on the receiver and then the whole thing be weighed? Having a firm connection to the trailer ball could be a problem. I have absolutely no experience or reason to think it might work, but the idea came to me as I read the messages.
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Old 12-26-2017, 01:47 PM   #27
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I think Mike Bob and I are all on the same page! Leverage IS an issue no matter what eTrailer says - how much is all depending on the individual setup.

Rod, I agree and I'll weigh the stuff once in hand! But I cant help but think the bikes/yaks/racks would not go into the 10-15% of egg weight calculations for sway. They are mounted to the truck and not egg, they would just be more truck cargo, same as our heavy beer cooler in the truck bed ha!

Mike, when my son was young I took him to a drag race strip and we watched this guy do a 1/4 mile in like 12 seconds doing a wheely start to finish on the back wheels only of his S10!! I cant remember his name, but he was famous for that and traveled the country doing a full 1/4 mile on the rear wheels! Not sure how he kept that truck in his lane, but too funny!! I like your examples and it reminded me of that guy!!

I'm waiting on the single bar roof rack for the front of the yaks to rest on to come in to the store. Once installed, I can measure/draw out the rear T bar and take that to the weld shop. Then I have to buy the Swagman bike rack.

I'll post a picture here when the setup is done to help in the OP's topic. Hopefully its related enough! I'll let you guys know too if the entire thing falls off going down the road!

Hope you all had a great Christmas!
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Old 12-26-2017, 04:07 PM   #28
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Joe; your last line made me remember, we had two kayaks still attached to the rack blow off the top of our Honda CRV while towing our Uhaul. Not a fun experience, but no serious damage.
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Old 12-27-2017, 12:18 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JWScarab View Post
<snip>

But I cant help but think the bikes/yaks/racks would not go into the 10-15% of egg weight calculations for sway. They are mounted to the truck and not egg, they would just be more truck cargo, same as our heavy beer cooler in the truck bed ha!

<snip>
Thinking about this, (one of my favorite and most dangerous occupations!), while the bikes/yaks/racks won't be part of the trailer's tongue weight, it seems that they will impose a load against the hitch and tongue weight ratings.

In other words, if the truck is rated X,000/X00 lbs for trailer/tongue weight, it seems that having this additional "payload" placed this far back, behind the bed and on the drawbar, it would essentially count against the truck's tongue weight rating. Have you considered an over-canopy rack that bears farther forward on the bed sides? And, perhaps more importantly, does it even matter?

~~~~

I like the image of the S10 doing wheelies. Wheelies were something of a preoccupation when we were kids on stingrays. We measured distance by the well-established standard of how many "sidewalk squares" we could ride before the front wheel dropped and made contact again.
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Old 12-27-2017, 04:59 PM   #30
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Hi Mike! Totally agree, the weight should be in consideration with tow vehicle tongue weight, just not trailer tongue weight.

Unfortunately I have put a lot of thought into the yak rack. The issue is we have a hard tonneau that hinges open at front of bed, lifts up on back. This cover goes over the top of the bed rails and curves down a tad on rear and sides. While a tad ugly of a topper, we absolutely love the rock solid design and security and weather tight! So the rear T bar was all I came up with to allow the topper to still hinge open while traveling.

I did see one design where you could buy custom brackets that mounted on the truck bed rail and bend down then stick out under the hard cover on the sides close to back. I considered those but very costly. I’m just thinking with the weight we are at I’ll be ok, but tilotally agree, don’t supersize it! I think we have all the stuff needed for travel covered! I hope lol!
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Old 12-27-2017, 06:28 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
Joe; your last line made me remember, we had two kayaks still attached to the rack blow off the top of our Honda CRV while towing our Uhaul. Not a fun experience, but no serious damage.
Yikes Bob! Let’s hope that doesn’t happen!!! Ha!
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Old 12-27-2017, 06:53 PM   #32
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Went with the sample shown earlier, but think I got it from e-trailer. Using a Kuat NV 2- bike rack and a pair of Rocky Mount Tomahawk racks on the roof of the truck.
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Old 12-27-2017, 07:32 PM   #33
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Went with the sample shown earlier, but think I got it from e-trailer. Using a Kuat NV 2- bike rack and a pair of Rocky Mount Tomahawk racks on the roof of the truck.
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Old 12-29-2017, 04:54 PM   #34
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I am using a Curt Clamp On Bike Rack (part 18013) that I got from etrailer.com.
I was concerned that it might restrict my turning radius. The attached picture shows no problem.
It is very stable and I can open the back of the camper shell with the bikes installed.
And etrailer made good on their price matching promice.
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Old 01-05-2018, 05:06 PM   #35
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Hi All,

Update:

Bikes have been tuned up after years of nonuse. I have been jogging for nearly 15 years rather than biking, but we want to get the bikes in the campground in ‘18. Ordered the following bike rack:

https://www.amazon.com/Swagman-Cross...ike+rack&psc=1

Will initially use it on the Orbital Machine Works receiver on the rear of the Casita. The plan will be to purchase a bike bunk later in the spring with the plan of relocating the bikes to the front of the Casita over the propane tanks.

Bike rack should arrive tomorrow. Will keep ya posted!

Take care,

Dean
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Old 01-05-2018, 09:14 PM   #36
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I have one of those racks Dean, and it's currently on the rear of our Casita. But I have only carried one bike on it and only for a short distance as I normally carry the bikes in my pickup. Have carried two bikes on it when it was on our Honda CRV and not towing a trailer. You can get spare parts from etrailer, like the hold down hooks if you need two the same as one is longer than the other.
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Old 01-05-2018, 09:25 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
I have one of those racks Dean, and it's currently on the rear of our Casita. But I have only carried one bike on it and only for a short distance as I normally carry the bikes in my pickup. Have carried two bikes on it when it was on our Honda CRV and not towing a trailer. You can get spare parts from etrailer, like the hold down hooks if you need two the same as one is longer than the other.
Hi Bob,

For the money, it seems like a nice bike rack. Looking forward to tinkering with it tomorrow!

Take care,

Dean
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Old 12-17-2019, 12:19 PM   #38
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Digging up an older thread. . .

We have a Casita with the Andersen weight distributing hitch (https://andersenhitches.com/Products...-brackets.aspx). I attempted to mount a Stromberg tongue mount receiver but the brackets for the weight distribution chains take up valuable real estate and there isn't enough room.

Has anyone else run into this issue? If so, did you find a different solution (like maybe a different type of WD setup that doesn't require brackets on the trailer tongue)?
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Old 12-22-2019, 07:19 PM   #39
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Let's Go Aero 429756 Jack-It Double Bike Carrier System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYRM7MM..._vvbaEb0E9DNRCClick image for larger version

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