TC Hitch Extension/Motorcycle Carry

jimh425 wrote:
Wow, btggraphix, that's super high. Do you need that much ground clearance?

It's all about departure angle. Do I need it? Not sure, but probably. Have I ever scraped the hitch? Nope! What if the motorcycle is on there, and I have my trailer under that.....now I go through a dip. The motorcycle is way up there, but also extended out to the back. Would the trailer (E.G. tongue battery box or tongue jack) swing up enough to hit the motorcycle rack? Maybe!

You can't really tell from those photos, but I have added an extension...but it is hardly a "hitch" extension. It is more of a "frame" extension that mounts via some giant bolts in the side of the frame, has upper and lower steel "sides" that come together at the height of the hitch opening and essentially intergrates a regular hitch extension as a part of a "deck". At the rear of the deck is a 2" opening for a more traditional extension that only has to be 16" or something. Hard to explain without a better picture, but it is freakin' silly-seriously-strong and heavy. In any case, the lights and license plate are mounted to that frame extension/shelf, the trailer electrical plug is there also, as well as steel loops for the trailer chains. When I go into a culvert, even with the motorcycle on there, the first thing that hits is the license plate. That's fine. The next thing that would hit would be the lower part of that piece for the motorcycle if it is in place. If the MC isn't there, the rear of that deck would be next to hit. So, I have reduced my departure angle a bit and I want to minimize that. Trying to release my truck from a 'stuck' would be no fun! I'll look around on this SD card I have and see if I have any pictures of the frame extension handy.

The bottom line though, I put the bike up that high to keep it the heel out of the way of everything. It's the only brand new vehicle I have ever bought so I have to be nice to it. :)