Can Hitch Extender Be Used with Cargo Carrier on Hummer with Rear Spare Tire

Question:

I have a hummer with spare tire hanging on steel frame behind back door. I have a twelve inch extension tube for hitch so my bike rack will clear spare tire will extension he required for carrier to haul a regular size lawn mower? Any problems?

asked by: Bob F

Expert Reply:

Hitch extensions like # C45795 from Curt can provide the extra clearance needed for bike racks and cargo carriers when there is a wide spare tire on the rear of a vehicle, such as on your Hummer. The trouble with extenders is that they will cause you to lose half of your hitch capacity due to the change in the geometry of the system. The extension places the actual load further from the hitch tube and this increases the leverage applied to the hitch. So, for example, if your hitch is rated for 500-lbs of tongue weight (TW) then with the extender in use its capacity drops to 250-lbs.

As long as the combined weight of your chosen cargo carrier and the mower you load on it does not exceed the halved hitch capacity then you will be okay. Say for example that you have a Class III hitch like Draw-Tite # 75382. This is rated for 500-lbs of TW, which becomes 250-lbs when you use the hitch extender. If used with the Flint Hill Goods hitch carrier # FHG77ZR, which weighs 80-lbs, then you could load cargo with a weight of up to 170-lbs. If you can install the carrier and load the mower without the extender, this is the better option.

You may find that there is some random motion from the loaded carrier as you drive; if you like you can add a support strap of some kind, such as # 18050, to help steady the carrier.

expert reply by: Adam R