Towing with extension suggestions?

[redink]

Hello. I haven’t been on in a while as everything has been good with the truck, camper, and boat. Until recently. First, I bought a bigger boat, the good. It’s a Defiance 220 Pilothouse. With the 100 gallon fuel tank full the boat, stuff, and trailer is probably about 6000#’s. I’m going to go weigh it when I get back from vacation. The Lance 825 is still awesome. The 2008 F250 diesel though literally became a money pit in the past 2 years, being stranded for a lift pump, then the $4000 cab off fuel pump. Another sensor problem and I had it. Not in the budget but I bought a 2018 Ford F-350 Lariat crew cab 4x4, diesel of course.

I need 24" of extension to hook the boat up and tow with the camper on. What are your suggestions?

The old boat only weighed about 3000# and I just ran an inexpensive 18" extension I think it was. I have not ordered tie downs yet because I have a feeling I’m going to bite the bullet and get the superhitch magnum with 24" extension for safety. My tow is 200 miles of windy highway from Redding to Eureka on 299 about 10 times a year and maybe a trip to Oregon. I’ve looked at the Reese extension and will be right at the limit without a weight distribution hitch, I don’t have any experience with these, and under with one.

I did put the camper in the bed of the truck and hooked the boat up and towed it a mile in the neighborhood and definitely seems like there is plenty of power to haul everything. But I can’t make sharp turns otherwise the anchor pulpit will hit the camper, especially the ladder side. All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[Kayteg1]

I had temporary planks under my Lance 1161 when I bought it and it dented rib on my bed. You need something wide.
Also the ribs on 2018 ends like 3" before the bed end. I cut stripe of plywood and curved holes in it to go over bolts, so now the camper has better support at the very end.

[redink]

One more thing to add the Lance 825 does need about 1 1/2" off the bed floor of the 2018 F350 or it will hit the cab. I had temporary 2x4’s laying in there and will make a more permanent frame to use also.

[redink]

Looking at some pictures I took with a tape measure in them it looks like I can be safe with a 12" pin to pin extension. I won’t be home until next week to do more follow up. I’m going to go weigh the boat and truck first to see where I’m at. All the suggestions are appreciated. I will report back when I have it figured out. Here is a picture of everything and as I said the camper was not tied down. It is sagging a bit and I’ll take care of that. Electric over hydraulic is waiting at home to be installed as is a new straight tongue coupler. I forgot I had these pictures on my phone. To much tequila in Zihua.

[GeoBoy]

^^^^ KT just doesn’t get it. Wow!!!

[Kayteg1]

Bedlam wrote:
Wasn’t the back story to that picture that the truck rear ended another vehicle? Don’t you love examples taken out of context to prove an irrelevant point?

You missed the "weak point" idea completely.
What difference does it make what created the stress?
Point is that overbuild hitch broke the truck frame.
I think Wayne described you quite precisely 😉

[Reddog1]

For me, it gives me an idea as to their credibility. How often do they make posts suggesting they know the subject when in reality they have no idea. I guess it somehow feeds their ego and makes them feel important. The sad part is people that are unknowing believe them, resulting in a group of followers believing misinformation. To make things worse, they repeat the misinformation.

Wayne

[jimh406]

Bedlam wrote:
Wasn’t the back story to that picture that the truck rear ended another vehicle? Don’t you love examples taken out of context to prove an irrelevant point?

Sure! Pretty normal approach for some who either forget or don’t know how long some of us have been around here absorbing the wisdom of rv.net posts.

[Bedlam]

Wasn’t the back story to that picture that the truck rear ended another vehicle? Don’t you love examples taken out of context to prove an irrelevant point?

[GeoBoy]

Kayteg1 wrote:

jimh425 wrote:
KT, both the hitch and extension have to be strong enough. Obviously, your guess is that the tube is the weak point. I'm not sure. I've read about plenty of hitches failing even without extensions.

You misread my posts and misinterpret the test I show on the picture.
The 3" hitch/extension are hard to beat no matter how you cut it.
Unfortunately OP has 2.5" hitch, so that would take other testing with his trailer.
What happens when you overbuild the hitch?


Click For Full-Size Image.

There has to be a weak point to everything.

Everybody knows that Ford had some pretty flimsy frames on their older trucks.

[Kayteg1]

jimh425 wrote:
KT, both the hitch and extension have to be strong enough. Obviously, your guess is that the tube is the weak point. I'm not sure. I've read about plenty of hitches failing even without extensions.

You misread my posts and misinterpret the test I show on the picture.
The 3" hitch/extension are hard to beat no matter how you cut it.
Unfortunately OP has 2.5" hitch, so that would take other testing with his trailer.
What happens when you overbuild the hitch?


Click For Full-Size Image.

There has to be a weak point to everything.

[jimh406]

KT, both the hitch and extension have to be strong enough. Obviously, your guess is that the tube is the weak point. I'm not sure. I've read about plenty of hitches failing even without extensions.

[Kayteg1]

and what is superhitch using for extension if not two small tubings?

[chalet05]

Someone thought I could use tubing for an extension to tow flatbed trailer with Polaris Slingshot on it. Not a great idea. Got the Superhitch.

[mkirsch]

I agree with Artum. Be sure you need 24". The ball just has to be close to the rear of the camper; it doesn't have to stick out a bunch. Even if it's under the camper a couple of inches, you're towing a boat, so it's not like you've got a big chunk of metal there that could come up and hit the underside of the camper.

My extension is a simple 24" long, 2" square Curt receiver tube. Fits right in the 2-1/2" Reese Titan receiver on my truck. I have it protruding through the front of the receiver by an inch or so for maximum strength, and it gives me an extension of roughly 14". That plus the hitch shank puts the ball just even with the rear of the camper. I have had no issues with any trailer I've pulled using this setup.