Availability of Dual-Hitch Receiver to Carry 400 Pounds of Carrier and Cargo

Question:

If I use the upper hitch to mount a horizontal rack weighing 100 lbs and a load of 300 lbs, will the hitch sustain this loading? trying to get the rack up off the ground furthur.

asked by: Gary A

Expert Reply:

The Malone Dual Hitch Extender you referenced, part # MPG544 can be used to raise the level of a cargo carrying tray, but keep in mind that using the extender will lower the tongue weight capacity of the hitch by 50 percent. For example, if your hitch has a 350 lb tongue weight capacity, using the extender will lower that to 175. This means that your carrier plus the weight placed on it can weigh no more than 175 lbs (or whatever half the hitch tongue weight capacity is).

Using the extender moves the load further rearward from the receiver, the greater this distance becomes, the more leverage is placed upon the hitch. If this leverage is great enough, the hitch can be damaged or the attachment points between the hitch and the vehicle can fail.

The only raised receiver-type product we offer that you could use without sacrificing tongue weight capacity would be the Curt # D210. The receiver portion of this item has a 350 lb weight capacity, so the 400 lb load you mention would overload the receiver by 50 lbs.

Long story short, if you can somehow lighten that load by 50 lbs, the D210 would be an excellent choice.

expert reply by: Mike L