I use my truck hitch for 2 things - bike rack (2 bike Thule T2 that folds up when not in use) and kayak trailer. The bike rack goes directly into my 2" receiver. The kayak trailer uses a 4" drop ball.

I need to keep attaching / detaching the bike rack or hitch ball depending on whether I want to bike or kayak. And I don't have a solution if I want to do both.

https://www.curtmfg.com/part/45810

I'm looking at this dual hitch receiver extender. I think my truck tongue weight is 500lbs so 50% or 250lb should still be fine when loaded with 2 bikes and trailer. I'd guess the bike rack w/ bikes is probably about 130lb (70lb + 2x30lb) and the trailer tongue weight is about 50-70lb (I can lift at the coupler with one hand). So, I think the tongue weight is probably w/in spec.

I'm mostly curious about driving around w/o the trailer or bikes (just the bike rack in the folded up position). It looks like the bike rack would be a further 8" behind the truck then where it would be if I put the bike rack directly into the truck hitch receiver.

I'm buying this extender (not really for the extension feature but for the dual receiver) so that I don't have to keep attaching / detaching the stuff I want to "tow" but so that I can keep the bike rack and ball both always attached.

Is the additional 8" rearward of the bike rack when folded up an issue for driving around? Or is it okay - I'm not what, if any, regulations or recommendations exist here.

Maybe no help to you, but I always would disconnect the ball when it wasnt in use. Because I would bang the crap out of my shins on it if I didnt.

As long as you're within the tongue weight limits, I'd say you're OK. The only caveat is if you go 'wheeling and need the departure angle. But then, even a regular hitch would negatively impact that.

Years ago, I did go 'wheeling with friends who had a Jeep. They had a hitch mount bike rack, probably like yours. Going into and coming out of ditches, it actually dragged the bike wheels. On my Jeep, I used a spare tire mounted rack which kept my bike much higher.

Thanks guys. I'll watch the shins And I'd remove the everything from the hitch receiver for wheeling trips.

Mostly just concerned about whether it's okay to drive around town w/ the folded bike rack further back from the truck by another 8"

Zero issue driving around town the way you just described.

Well, once again I have encountered a term on the forum that I’m not familiar with:
Does “wheeling” refer to what was once called “four-wheeling,” i.e., off road travel?

Does it block the view of your license plate?

Just make sure the bike rack won't be in the way of the trailer tongue if you're making a sharp turn. And use a locking pin because people will steal nice hitch accessories. Ask me how I know...

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Well, once again I have encountered a term on the forum that I’m not familiar with:
Does “wheeling” refer to what was once called “four-wheeling,” i.e., off road travel?

It did when I was living in Alaska, don't know about now.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Maybe no help to you, but I always would disconnect the ball when it wasnt in use. Because I would bang the crap out of my shins on it if I didnt.

That and I just don't like extra crap hanging off the back of my vehicle if it's not actually fulfilling a function.

Takes no time at all to attach/detach stuff to a ball receiver.

I found some links where it sounds like 'overhang' from the rear of the vehicle is acceptable to 4 feet; after that, you need flags and such. Sounds like extending an additional 8" rearward is okay. The ball is already a 4" drop so I think it will have sufficient clearance. I'll need to watch the kayaks during turns and/or inclines. May need to push the kayaks back a little more; but the tongue is really long (it's made for kayaks).

Rack blocking my rear view camera, disabling my parking sensors, and enlarging my parking space size. I don’t leave it on.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Takes no time at all to attach/detach stuff to a ball receiver.

Unless you have one of those nice anti-sway/anti-rattle clamps and a good lock in place. That can lead to a mild wrestling match...

I have found CURT to be a good vendor and haveexcellent customer service.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Takes no time at all to attach/detach stuff to a ball receiver.

Unless you have one of those nice anti-sway/anti-rattle clamps and a good lock in place. That can lead to a mild wrestling match...

Yeah, I've got that stuff. Also, despite the application of lubrication those locking pins tend to get stuck or not work when you need them to.

Eventually you do learn to walk around them...

Leaving them installed gives the added bonus of discouraging fender-benders from idiots, or at least limiting the damage from slow-speed bumps.

quote:

Originally posted by AKSuperDually:

Eventually you do learn to walk around them...

Leaving them installed gives the added bonus of discouraging fender-benders from idiots, or at least limiting the damage from slow-speed bumps.

That's been my experience over the years, and one of them even limited the damage to me from a pretty good rear ender I got around 20 years ago.

I put a receiver and ball on every truck/SUV I buy as soon as I get the vehicle.

quote:

Originally posted by AKSuperDually:
Leaving them installed gives the added bonus of discouraging fender-benders from idiots, or at least limiting the damage from slow-speed bumps.

Yessir. And that's the major part of why I leave my hitch in place all the time. It's worth the occasional shin-knock.