Adapter to Lower Height of Hitch-Mounted Cargo Carrier

Question:

I have a rear aluminum cargo carrier. It needs to be lowered 4-6 inches. It is designed for a 2 inch receiver. It will carry less than 500 lbs, probably 250 lbs. I see you have adjustable height for ball mounts. Do you have a height adjustable mount for a 2 inch receiver?

asked by: Ron R

Expert Reply:

A 2-inch high/low hitch adapter like Roadmaster # RM-048-6 will provide 6-inches of drop (or rise) to allow your 2-inch cargo carrier to be lower than hitch height. Part # RM-048-4 will give you 4-inches of drop (or rise). Do please note three important considerations when using either of these adapters.

These have a 400-lb tongue weight rating, which means that no matter how much capacity your hitch may have, the combined weight of the cargo carrier and what you load onto it cannot exceed the 400-lb limit for the adapter.

Also, use of any adapter like this will cause your hitch's rated capacity to be cut in half. This is a result of the extra leverage applied to the hitch tube from the load being further away. If your hitch's safety sticker says it is rated for 500-lbs of tongue weight, then when you use the Roadmaster adapter you start out with a reduced capacity of 250-lbs. In this example, if your cargo carrier weighs 50-lbs, the you could load up to 200-bs of cargo on it.

Last, adding an adapter means an additional connection point in the hitch/adapter/carrier system. This can mean the carrier may exhibit more random motion than before using the adapter. A simple support strap like # 18050 can help steady the loaded cargo carrier.

expert reply by: Adam R