Hitch extension question

[jeffrho]

My TV is a 3/4 ton Chevy pick up. It has a tommy lift gate installed on it for work.
It extends an extra 8.5 inches from where a regular tailgate stops. With the short tongue on the 19' Bambi i have to use a hitch extension. I'm not real sure of putting my equalizer hitch into the extension because I have been told it decreases the capacity. Help please. I do not want to be dangerous out on the road it seems to put a lot of stress on the extension. Thank you.

[HowieE]

Yes the lengthening of any dimensions in an equation of leverage will have an effect. However you have to consider the other factors in the equation. You have a 3/4 ton truck and are pulling a Bambi. There is little if any reason to need a WD hitch for the proposes of weight distribution with that combination.

You may want to consider sway control as the primary consideration. I would suggest you look at the Andersen system because of it's superior sway control function.

Just be sure the receiver is designed to accept the additional torque that any extension with cause on it. Check the connections between the cross beam and the flanges mounted to the truck frame, That is the likely point of failure, especially if the receiver is a stock GM round tube type.

[jeffrho]

Thanks I found a 16" 6000# one piece ball mount here locally. It gets it out past the lift gate. Going to run sway control only on the test run. Thank you

[HowieE]

What are you going to use for sway control?

All of the bar type WD hitches use friction as the sway damping method. That damping force is a function of the load produced by the bars times the coefficient of friction of the material surfaces. No load in the bars will result in no sway control damping force.

[xrvr]

My eazlift has sway control units separate from the wd part. Other hitches are similar. Jim

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by avionstream

My eazlift has sway control units separate from the wd part. Other hitches are similar. Jim

Please explain. I see no method of sway control other than the friction surface at the end of the bars. If that is it it is clearly a function of the load on the bars. No Load no sway control.

[xrvr]

Google eazlift? Very common means of sway control. Used on other hitches that are only wd, and not sway. Jim

[xrvr]

You can also Google sway control. Jim

[perryg114]

Old school friction bar type sway control works fine. It works independent of load on the hitch.

Perry

[Airstreamer67]

Yep, my anti-sway bars work the same no matter how much weight is on the hitch or on the weight transfer bars or even if there are no weight transfer bars at all.

[featherbedder]

I used extension stinger when pulling 22 ft. Hallmark race trailer and coachman 10.5 ft. camper in bed of 1 ton pick up, [no dualys that I think maybe for horse or stock trailer] w/out any probs. of any kind, w/old style reese dual cam that I now use for AS, but no ext. stinger just standard set up

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by Airstreamer67

Yep, my anti-sway bars work the same no matter how much weight is on the hitch or on the weight transfer bars or even if there are no weight transfer bars at all.

OK it has been more than 50 years since I studied friction but has the governing formula changed from F=uN. If so please give me some insight into the new science. Because if you have overcome the limiting factors of that formula you may be close to discovering perpetual motion and inquisitive minds want to know.

[xrvr]

The friction sway bars work because they gave nothing to do with the wd part of the hitch. These bars have been used for decades before we discovered more expensive hitch setups. These sway bars can be used with just a ball on the ball mount. They attach to a smaller ball next to the main one. I use one on each side. They work using brake pad material and work very well. If I knew how to post links I could show you. Just google sway control bar or something like that, etrailer. Jim

[perryg114]

Just like with older drugs you can't patent something that is old. New sway control devices are invented so they can patent them and have exclusive rights. The old friction sway bars work fine but there is not that much incentive to sell them since the patents expired many years ago. I have used friction sway control and the only time it did not work was when I loosened the bar when it was wet. DON'T do this, it will get you killed. You can buy the old systems used for a lot less than the newer stuff and many times they are built better than the new stuff.

Perry

[xrvr]

Good insight, thanks. Jim

[HowieE]

avionstream

It appears our differences with regard to sway control hinges on the term BARS.

I now believe that what you are referring to is the Curt Sway control or an equivalent. Is this in fact what you are referring to?

http://www.carid.com/curt/sway-contr...mpn-17200.html

If so. Yes this device does not require WD BARS and will act without them

[xrvr]

Yup, same thing that's been used for over forty years. Ultra must be a brand name.. I've used Reese and eazlift over the years. Very common. Jim