Anyone built a hitch load extender

[fourjeepin]

I’ve thought about it many times and should have built one years ago but started one Monday night. My wife wants a cattle panel for her garden and they are 16’ long. I have a trailer, but it is less than 8’ long. I often bring home lumber using my CJ as it has a full roll cage but the Jeep is only about 12’ long, nose to tail. But it does have a front hitch and with a hitch extender, this would cut the unsupported length of the panel down the 4’, only 2’ per end.

Here’s a commercial version of what I am building. Mine will be round tubing as that is what I have available

 

[Cheesy1]

Hauled hundreds of them growing up on the farm. Just bow them up in an arc and haul them in your truck (trailer in your case).

 

[fourjeepin]

Here’s where I am at the moment, but not shown is the main vertical and horizontal bars. These are both 48”. The ~6” tubing shown sitting on the hitch will be welded on. Vertical piece will slide inside and be pinned on. The tee will mount to this vertical and will also be pinned. Pins so this can breakdown for easier storage. The horizontal will be either bolted or riveted to the tee. Originally I had planned to weld it, but mechanical fasteners will allow for easier changes/repairs if needed in the future.

The other little pieces are planned gussets. I’m considering plates for the ends of the horizontal but might just cap them...

 

[fourjeepin]

Hauled hundreds of them growing up on the farm. Just bow them up in an arc and haul them in your truck (trailer in your case).

No, that would be too logical! I need an excuse to have some shop time. Plus it will be good for dragging home other long things that need support like trim, siding, roofing panels, etc.

 

[larry_g]

We have a ton of panels around here. We use cattle panels in both 8 & 16 foot lengths. Many times the 8 footers are better suited to the job. We also use a bunch of hog panels where the height of a cattle panel is not needed. As said above the long ones are just bowed up in the back of the pickup to haul.

However I can see the use of your project beyond just hauling panels. Consider putting a couple of rings on the vertical post to hook ty-down straps into.

lg

 

[FigN⋅m]

Perhaps add a hitch tensioner? The sway at that length could be something to consider.

 

[RTM]

I need an excuse to have some shop time. Plus it will be good for dragging home other long things that need support like trim, siding, roofing panels, etc.

And buy a bigger canoe and kayak that fit the new rack too!

 

[larry4406]

I bought mine. Briefly toyed with building one but said no.

Mine folds up nicely, has handles, and is well balanced when folded.

I have an 8' bed and it has hauled a lot for me.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Erickson-Big-Bed-Tailgate-Extender-07600/204996248

 

[fourjeepin]

And buy a bigger canoe and kayak that fit the new rack too!

Yes! I probably should have built one for this event

 

[fourjeepin]

Consider putting a couple of rings on the vertical post to hook ty-down straps into.

lg

I will have some at the tee. Can never have enough tie down spots though

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I built one for the front of my siding truck, it has a ladder rack and I have a front receiver. Not needed often but...
I used 2 ratchet straps from the top outside to the bottom kitty corner of the bumper. In an X shape. That stopped side to side sway. Tying the load down to the extender stopped fore/aft movement.

 

[bassJAM]

I get the satisfaction of building something yourself, but these are like $55-65 on Amazon. The time and materials to DIY doesn't seem worth it. I use mine a few times a year to haul my 13ft kayak.

 

[fourjeepin]

I get the satisfaction of building something yourself, but these are like $55-65 on Amazon. The time and materials to DIY doesn't seem worth it. I use mine a few times a year to haul my 13ft kayak.

I didn’t look for one prior to starting my build, but had the same thought yesterday. I’ve not bought anything for this project and it doesn’t look like I will need to.

Does the satisfaction of diy cover my time and consumables? If I was retired and had nothing else to do, I would say yes.

 

[Copymutt]

Retired and thrilled about that

 

[fourjeepin]

I ran out of argon while welding it up tonight but I got it stuck together well enough to drill holes for most of the rivets and pins. Hopefully I can finish this up tomorrow and get the 16 ft cattle panel this weekend.

The tee tacked, riveted, and pinned. After fully welding it, I will add the gussets which have tie down holes.




The hitch is welded but still needs to be drilled for pins. And need to weld on a couple of support straps.

 

[The Cobbler]

I had one for the vans when I was working to haul long stuff( mostly trim) . I was going to make one too, but I found one @ Princess auto for a price that I couldn't say no to I guess .

 

[whateg01]

View attachment 2523640

That looks cold af

 

[fourjeepin]

F

 

[FigN⋅m]

Bungees wouldn't have been my first choice, but glad it worked out!

 

[fourjeepin]

Bungees wouldn't have been my first choice, but glad it worked out!

I usually ratchet strap stuff down but the cattle panel was light and very secure with a few bungees. and even more so since I used 8 of them to minimize rattling.

 

[whateg01]

I’m no expert welder for sure but had the heat set for the tubing thickness. I guess I should have turned it up due to the thickness of the hitch material. It doesn’t help that I was completely out of shielding gas.

Yes, you should have turned up the heat. Better than looking at a chart, learn to read the weld. Especially for something that, when it fails, is going to cause a bus full of nuns, babies, and kittens to die, you need to understand what the weld is doing.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I've bought many cattle panels with a 5'x8' trailer or full size truck bed. Just make them into an arc and tie down at both ends. The wind won't grab them too much.

I do have a hitch bed extender for my truck for 16' boards. It was $59. I can't build one for that price.

 

[Bert_]

I would not trust that with any load until you get it welded better.

 

[mike93lx]

Grind those welds and redo them before it fails and causes an accident and injury

 

[PCustoms]

Even with a proper weld I wouldn't trust that joint, needs some gussets.

 

[knucklehead 61]

years ago i built a bulletproof rack that mounted into the 3 receivers on my toterhome so i could haul my RZR & jeep or truck. very solid & secure. made the trip from san jose to oregon many times without a problem.

 

[mike93lx]

Even with a proper weld I wouldn't trust that joint, needs some gussets.

Not even with bungee cord triangulation?

 

[PCustoms]

Not even with bungee cord triangulation?

Only if he flicks it and says "that ain't going nowhere"

 

[NUTTSGT]

I would put some heat into that hitch before trying to weld that smaller tubing to it.