Hitch extenders

[Tim Murphy]

Dear Board,

I am wondering if anyone can tell me anything good or bad about the hitch extenders for a 2" X 2" receiver?

My boat trailer is well balanced and it trailers nicely but it could use 8" to 12" more tongue length to help with manueverability when launching and recovering the boat. I tow with a full sized longbox extended cab pick up, and when I am launching the boat it is visible in the mirrors, but when recovering the boat the trailer is never visible unless I manage to get it too far sideways. To make recovery easier I usually just drop my tailgate and that allows me to see the trailer better in my rear view mirror. The problem with doing that is when the tailgate is down there really isn't much room to turn before I run the risk of having the winch stand hit the tailgate.

As a way to avoid that I was thinking of adding one of those 2" X 2" hitch extenders but I am wondering if it would be worth the trouble? Do any of you use one, and if so how do you like it? I do know that practice makes perfect and even though I have only owned this boat for about a month I can see that my launching and recovery times have improved tremendously in the 5 times I've put the boat in the water. Still, I'd like to make the process as simple and easy as I can.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[TNtroller]

I didn't have your problem with clearance on the tailgate, but was having trouble seeing the empty trailer when backing down the ramp to recover my boat when I had a F150 4x4. I also had a tonneau cover on the truck bed. I got a short piece of PVC pipe large enough for an old broom handle painted yellow to fit in, and mounted the pvc pipe to the last crossmember on the trailer, then put the broom handle in the pvc holder before I started down the ramp. I could see the yellow broom handle when backing down the ramp, just had to stop and remove the broom handle before I put the trailer in the water, which was much easier than trying to back a trailer I couldn't see in a straight line down the ramp. Don't need it now since I don't have the F150 anymore.

 

[redbug]

be sure to check the extender greatly reduces your tongue weight capacity.
the way i see it if you dont see the trailer in the side mirrors it is going straight back.
when my trailer starts to show in the side mirror i make the adjustment give it time you will get it

 

[rusty.hook]

Install these pole lights and you will never have a problem seeing or a problem with your lights not working again. I used what a poster on this forum showed how he mounted his, but I bought the lights from a trailer supply co. Loews, Home Depot had the ladder extension kit, just cut in half and buy some more u-bolts and a section of 2" PVC pipe and your on your way. See pics below.

 

[RivRunR]

I tried one of those hitch extenders to try and avoid wet feet at the ramp in the winter months when the lake level was low.
FWIW, it just felt really weird towing with it, and I took it off.

 

[Frogman Ladue]

Can you move the winch stand?

 

[bonerfortuna]

I use one of these... Launch and Load

https://www.basspro.com/Launch-N-Load-Trailer-Guidance-System/product/74917/70501?cmCat=CROSSSELL_THUMBNAIL

 

[jasm2]

I have one if you want to try it for a weekend to see if itll work out. Pm me.

 

[nomowork]

I bought a 12" hitch extender for the purpose of not getting my rear wheels to deep into the water. On my last trip to the Sierras, my tail pipe was blowing bubbles! I haven't used it yet, but it would only be used for launching and recovering.

As far as backing, it took me around two to three years to get better at it. I can now launch my boat with minimal worries and feel much more comfortable in multi-lane launch ramps. I found that small steering wheel corrections work the best, especially on the shorter trailers.

I also just installed some non-skid outdoor tape on both of my trailers and can now launch and retrieve my boats without getting wet.

Practice, practice, practice..............

 

[Tim Murphy]

Dear Board,

I'm going to take advantage of the offer by the fellow above who lives near me and try one out before I buy one but I'll probably wind up buying one.

All the practice in the world cannot overcome physics and the problem isn't so much that I need more practice but rather like many pre-packaged boat and trailer combinations the trailer is a little too short. A trailer rated for a 14-16 foot boat is ideal for a 14' er, OK for a 15' er, and marginal at best for most 16' er's. The boat on the trailer is supported by 5' bunks but they end about 8 inches from the transom. Ideally they should end right at the transom or even a bit beyond, but they are OK for the boat in question because it is not very heavy and the engine isn't very heavy either.

The worst part, and the reason for wanting the hitch extender, is that it is only 12" from the winch stand to the ball end of the coupler on my trailer and that is too close. That distance really should be at least 18" or more and my 16' boat would be much better on a 16' -18' trailer. If I didn't have a receiver hitch there is no way the boat could be trailered with a step bumper mounted ball. The whole rig only weighs about 1200 pounds and that is well within the capacity of a typical step bumper mounted hitch, but you would never be able to make the turn on a typical street corner and stay within your lane without having the trailer tongue hit the side of the notch in the bumper. The drawbar on a receiver hitch moves the ball 4" or 5" inches further away from the bumper and allows the rig to turn, but no where near as sharply as it should be able to turn.

I figure the hitch extender is a whole lot cheaper than buying a new trailer so that's probably what I am going to do.

Regards,

Tim Murphy