$500 math question on extending ball mount shank

Length most certainly makes a difference. Look up aircraft weight and balance and turning moments (and it has nothing to do with turning). You certainly can overload your receiver by extending the shank.

On my 10K equal-i-zer that would result in about a 15” shank. That’s considerably longer than most people use.

In the SAE j2807 standard they set the distance from the pin hole to the ball center to 15.88 inches for WD 12k or less and 11.88 inches for WD above 12k. The max trailer tow rating with 10% hitch weight is set using these distances so there is a “standard” or recommendation per say.

Receiver manufacturers DO NOT specify a shank length because 2 inches or 4 inches makes no difference. If you went to a slide in shank which was 24 inches long, then it makes a difference.

If a small change in shank made a difference, their lawyers would have 10 warning stickers on the receiver.

Relax.

Bedlam wrote:
Torklift makes receivers that can handle heavy weights with extensions. Even if you dont’t buy one, look at the size of the side plates used on the receiver to overcome that additional leverage.

Thanks to all...Bedlam I forgot all about Torklift and I used to deliver to them years ago. Great bunch of guys. And they should be able to confirm the math of the above link to the extension web site above. All postings are great resources.

Thanks everybody

Torklift makes receivers that can handle heavy weights with extensions. Even if you dont’t buy one, look at the size of the side plates used on the receiver to overcome that additional leverage.

In tight spots a few inches of clearance between TV and TT makes a big difference. Big difference as in scrapping TV tail light on front of trailer or not scrapping. That's a pretty big difference to me.

You just need to practice backing up your trailer.

I thought I got enough practice backing after my 3rd million mile accident free.

Some people can back a trailer up at 20 mph.

Body shops love those people.

4x4ord wrote:
Extending your hitch a few inches is going to make virtually no difference to how your trailer responds while backing up. A fifth wheel trailer is less responsive than a tag trailer but the fifth wheel hitch is right over the rear axle where as a tag is about 4 feet back. Whether your ball is 4 feet back of the rear axle or 5 feet back will not change backing uo much at all. It will, however, put a lot more stress on your hitch. You just need to practice backing up your trailer. Some people can back a trailer up at 20 mph.

No, but it will prevent the trailer from hitting the TV at extreme angles.

http://www.visualsc.com/hitch_calc.htm

Extending your hitch a few inches is going to make virtually no difference to how your trailer responds while backing up. A fifth wheel trailer is less responsive than a tag trailer but the fifth wheel hitch is right over the rear axle where as a tag is about 4 feet back. Whether your ball is 4 feet back of the rear axle or 5 feet back will not change backing uo much at all. It will, however, put a lot more stress on your hitch. You just need to practice backing up your trailer. Some people can back a trailer up at 20 mph.