Receiver hitch extension?

Looking for options to put my Skeeter in on a ramp that is nothing short of ugly in the winter time. Its a SD reservoir, fast water ramp. It silts in so badly, that there typically is 24 to 30 inches of silt at the water line in the winter. All the silt above the water line is frozen, and then you drop into the abyss if you back past it. This means that the rear tires on the tow vehicle are mudded up, and need to climb back over the “ledge”, which is tough. If they raise the water level, its fine, but theres no guarantee it will be up when you get there. Alot of times, its a buddy system with another vehicle to tow up and out.. Another option is to install a winch on the front end and pull yourself back up.

What Im thinking, it to have a 2 inch extended receiver hitch built that will in effect, lengthen the trailer. Thinking like 24 or 30 inches, or just enough to keep my rear wheels up on good traction. This would be a temporary thing, to be utilized only at the ramp. Get to staging. unhook, pull tow hiitch, and then pull forward and install the extended version and unload. Then, load up and back to staging to go back to standard receiver. Looking for possible pros and cons to this.

I dont think the tongue weight will be a factor, short term. I know that Ill need to extend my tail lights to keep the brakes from not allowing me to back up.
Is this a completely bad idea, or does it have some merit. It stinks to be there and not be able to put in (last weekend)

Or, looking for other ideas, other than bringing a front end loader with me.

Ive been thinking about how to address this for many years and this seems like the easiest, if it will work.

Your thoughts?

Ive made a 24″ extension before, pretty easy task. It was used for a 1880 skeeter so we could haul a camper and tow the boat. I used 2×2@ 1/4″ wall.

Even though yours would be for a short time use one thing to consider is the leverage factor when extending. Check to see what your hitch class is rated for would be a good place to start. As far as the math involved with leverage Id have to research it.

As long as you are not WAY over rating your tongue weight I doubt you will have many issues for your given short term use.

I might be a little slow .. how about just getting a extention for the truck.

reddog wrote:

Or, looking for other ideas, other than bringing a front end loader with me.

I like your Bigger is Better IDO thinking here…

Anyway, how about good old tire chains? Especially on the front wheels.

I think your extended hitch system would work except that you would have to be absolutely sure it’s long enough to get the vehicle on good traction and then at that length it has to be strong enough not to bend. . How long is long enough? Well, that’s the question isn’t it?

And could you make it long enough and still hold the tongue weight of the boat? Engineers out there, what’s the strength of 2 inch box channel at various thicknesses?

One thing, if you DO go the extended hitch route, make dang sure you have a big safety chain that hooks the trailer to the truck in case your hitch should fail. I can see really, really bad sh!t happening if that hitch breaks and your boat were to back-roll down the ramp… Be careful.

Grouse

Ive got a F250 for a tow vehicle. It has 2 different receiver inserts. a 2 inch and a maybe 2 1/2 bushing style. Pretty sure it would have the rating for way more than I needed. Good point on the safety chains. I was thinking a solid 2 inch stock, but now that I think of it, I could probably use the 2 1/2 option also. I have thought of tire chains, but thought this may be quicker as I fish alone most of the time. Thanks

Thanks to the engineering friend and fine NE metro structural engineer who just answered my text, we have weights.

2.5 inch solid box, mild steel weighs an average of 21.5 pounds per foot. That strikes me as being heavy and cumbersome for the length you might need.

2 inch solid same as above weighs 13.6 pounds per foot.

So I guess it depends on what length and strength you need.

Grouse

Isn’t 1/4″ wall box actually stronger than solid? I seem to remember that being true. I know it’s much lighter also.

sticker wrote:

Isn’t 1/4″ wall box actually stronger than solid? I seem to remember that being true. I know it’s much lighter also.

I would be interested in that option if true. Lighter/stronger, whats not to like.

Solid is far stronger than square tubing. When we use combination pintle and ball hitches they are mounted on solid tubing with a rating of 16,000 pounds tongue weight on the pintle and 10,000 on ball gross tongue wieght. You are way over thinking this in my opinion. Build it out of 2″ 1/4 wall square tubing, only use it to put in and take out. 2″ square A500 has tensile strength of 58,000 pounds and yield strength of 46,000 psi. If you bend that on a two feet extension that is one heck of a Skeeter you have there.

This may work for you. https://rigidhitch.com/products/Reese_Titan_Hitch_ExtensionTrailer_Hitches_,45292

Thank you. I like that mojo! My boat is a WX 1850. Not sure on the tongue weight for sure. Thanks all..

sticker wrote:

Isn’t 1/4″ wall box actually stronger than solid? I seem to remember that being true. I know it’s much lighter also.

It’s got a higher strength to weight ratio but is definitely not stronger.

To make a pipe as strong as a solid bar you would need to increase its diameter.

Ok. That’s it. I’m getting the extension. After an hour of scooping much and spudding ice and silt this is as far as I could get in and the Skeeter wouldn’t budge. Motor is sitting in 5 feet of water. Tires are not. I was going g to back in one foot further, but when I went to step over the tongue I didnt lift my foot far enough and tripped . Ugh. Pulled the boat out. Got out of wet clothes. Went back to the cabin and grabbed my buddies crestliner with a roller trailer and a long tongued trailer. It was the principle of the deal now. Got on the water about 3;30.

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What a mess.

Can’t see what you have to lose by building the extension. Looks like you need about 3 feet? Can’t see where this would be very expensive, but a cheap reciever hitch that a welding shop could cut to get the ball mount piece, weld it on to 2 inch box or solid, and one hole for the pin. Have the shop weld a couple of nice rebar “handles” on the bottom for easy carrying. Away you go.

If your tongue weight would allow you to use 1/4 box instead of solid, I’d add a plastic walkway to the top and make life even easier.

Again, don’t forget a safety chain from the vehicle to the trailer and that is long enough and strong enough to stop a runaway trailer should the experiment go bad.

I’d think it would take a couple of minutes to swap the hitch when launching. Time well spent.

Let us know how it works.

Grouse

mojogunter wrote:

This may work for you. https://rigidhitch.com/products/Reese_Titan_Hitch_ExtensionTrailer_Hitches_,45292

Right or wrong, I ordered one of these. The Curt model, but basically the same thing. Thanks mojo.

The effort is so worth it though.

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In between bringing the Skeeter home and going back with the Crestliner, the corps had cleaned the ramp. Go figure. The next day, I was able to get the skeeter in. Had a great day, until a pheasant took out the center section of the windshield on the way home. Ugh. Ending 2019 with a bang. Still had a great time.

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people in the know, Haul my quad tailgate down, hitch extension, then haul the 6×8 little jigger ice castle. Work or asking for trouble? the tongue weight on the shack is pretty light. Thoughts, please. Dk.

Rigid hitch is located in Burnsville. You can buy the tube premade I think from there and add a ball really cheap.

This may be helpful. I have a small trailer for my little pontoon boat. All I did is I bought the same size tongue and lengthen it about 3 foot to get me farther back than add a fold back. That way I also do not have to back in so far to push boat of the trailer. I think you get the idea.
good luck!!

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I had investigated that also Gary. I’ve already got a swing away tongue, and it’s probably only a month or two when this is an issue. When the fall drawdown is at its peak is the biggest problem. Thanks

While this may help eliminate one problem it may cause another if I’m fishing alone, which is often the case.

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munchy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>sticker wrote:</div>
Isn’t 1/4″ wall box actually stronger than solid? I seem to remember that being true. I know it’s much lighter also.

It’s got a higher strength to weight ratio but is definitely not stronger.

To make a pipe as strong as a solid bar you would need to increase its diameter.

Huh, I asked 2 different engineers here at work and both instantly replied the 1/4″ wall 2″ tube is stronger than solid 2″ tube.

sticker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>munchy wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>sticker wrote:</div>
Isn’t 1/4″ wall box actually stronger than solid? I seem to remember that being true. I know it’s much lighter also.

It’s got a higher strength to weight ratio but is definitely not stronger.

To make a pipe as strong as a solid bar you would need to increase its diameter.

Huh, I asked 2 different engineers here at work and both instantly replied the 1/4″ wall 2″ tube is stronger than solid 2″ tube.

This should help

Try again

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