Class I Hitch Cargo Carrier with Good Ground Clearance on 2011 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen

Question:

Do you have a hitch adapter extender/riser for a 1-1/4inch receiver with more extension? I have 2011 VW Sportwagen that the hitch is 4inch in from bumper, so want extender beyond that, then rise couple of inches. found: Hitch Adapter 1-1/4inch to 2inch Trailer Hitch Receiver with 5inch Rise Brophy - Code: HT5R = 3-5/8inch Distance from 1-1/4inch hitch pin hole to the back of the 2inch receiver....very close but still wouldnt make it. just need one with another 1/2 anything else available or can one be made? without being too expensive. or is it acceptable to add another extender before an adapter with a rise? Have hitch cargo carrier with small rise, but still bottoms out more than occasional steep driveway.

asked by: Alfonso M

Expert Reply:

Please take a look at Curt Class I carrier # C18110. This carrier has 3-3/4-inches of rise in the shank and it provides 6-3/4-inches of clearance from your hitch pin hole. This will fit your hitch without an adapter. The cost for this carrier is about the same as what you would have to spend on multiple adapters and it is a far safer solution that will not cost you a loss of hitch capacity. Having something fabricated would definitely cost you more and I do not recommend this because that item would be custom-made, untested and of an unknown weight capacity.

It is possible to use one hitch adapter/extender like # HT5R in your 2011 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen's 1-1/4-inch Class I hitch, such as the Curt # C11474. However, it is not safe to use multiple adapters in any configuration. This is because any hitch adapter will reduce your hitch capacity by 50-percent. This loss of hitch capacity is a result of the greater length from the receiver tube to the actual load the hitch is carrying. This extra length means more leverage applied to the hitch and that causes the loss of capacity.

Note that the adapter you referenced # HT5R converts a 1-1/4-inch receiver opening to a 2-inch opening on the adapter, so your cargo carrier would have to have a 2-inch shank to fit it even if this were possible (and it's not!).

expert reply by: Adam R