Space Between Mounting Brackets on Curt Hitch 13414 for a 2008 Jeep Commander Sport

Question:

I have a similar hitch design, installed by U-Haul some years ago. Under light duty it performed well. Now I am towing a 3600 pound trailer, though the hitch weight is less than 100 lbs. The problem is that the fit of the mounting bracket around that rear transverse frame rail in the Jeep is sloppy, so the receiver moves up and down as the mount can twist around the frame rail. Bolts are fully, fully tightened, the structure of the mount is very solid and it will not bend enough to to firmly clamp the rail. What are the inside dimensions of the mount?

asked by: John N

Expert Reply:

I went out to the warehouse to measure the bracket opening on Curt trailer hitch # 13414 for your 2008 Jeep Commander. It is 2-1/2 inches. Draw-Tite hitch # 75338 comes with some extra washers if there is an excessive gap between the hitch and where it attaches to the vehicle so you might consider it.

If you plan on doing some towing I recommend etrailer ball mount kit # 989900. It comes with 2 ball mounts; one with a 3/4 inch rise or 2 inch drop and one with a 2-3/4 inch rise or 4 inch drop. It also includes a 1-7/8 inch ball, 2 inch ball, hitch pin with clip, and a storage bag.

If the ball mount kit does not have the right rise or drop to tow the trailer level, use the link I have included that explains how to measure to choose a ball mount to tow the trailer level.

And if you need to add a trailer connector you can use # 118408 to add a 4-Way flat to the rear of the vehicle.