Stinger Hitch Extensions: How Far Can You Extend a Trailer Hitch?

Stinger hitch extensions can be extremely useful when attaching your trailer to your vehicle, moving the heavy load further away. They give your hitch additional leverage, but how far can you extend a trailer hitch?

Different trailer hitch extenders vary in length and dimensions, but you can generally extend a hitch up to 8 to 18 inches. Quality stinger hitch extensions, like CURT and REESE extenders, provide some of the longest extension lengths. 

Keep reading to learn how far you can extend a trailer hitch. We’ll also share our list of suggestions for seven hitch extenders. We’ll detail their maximum extension lengths, safety factors, specs, and pros and cons. 

How Far Do Trailer Hitches Extend?

Trailer hitches can extend to varying lengths, and typically, you’ll want to extend your trailer hitch according to your desired tongue weight. The stinger (also known as the ball mount) is the portion of a trailer hitch that carries the ball and fits into the receiver. When installed, your hitch extension will be between the stinger (ball mount) and the trailer getting towed. 

Some trailer hitches extend as little as eight inches, whereas others extend up to 14 inches, 16 inches, or 18 inches. 

A few key differences exist in how far stinger hitch extensions can stretch your hitch (and how that affects tongue weight). Explore these differences in the example extenders in this table:

Hitch	Extension Length	Tongue Weight
CURT 45791 Trailer Hitch Extender	8 inches	350 lbs
Reese Towpower 7060100 Dual Hitch Extension	16 inches	400 lbs
CURT 45796 Trailer Hitch Extension	18 inches	350 lbs

How Stinger Hitch Extensions Affect Load Capacity

When using a hitch extender, one thing to keep in mind is that it will significantly reduce the load you can tow. It reduces the max “tongue weight” (the static force the trailer tongue exerts on the hitch ball). 

Not exceeding your tow vehicle’s hitch or tongue weight is critical to safely towing a trailer, navigating turns, braking, etc. Too high tongue weight can destabilize your moving vehicle by overloading its rear tires. 

You need to reduce your tow load when using an extender. With most hitch extenders, you need to know that the extension process can reduce your tongue weight by up to 50%. 

7 Best Stinger Hitch Extensions to Use 

Below, we’re giving a brief guide to seven of the best hitch extenders on the market. These extensions come in varying lengths, with slightly different tongue weight capacities to be aware of. Follow along as we explore their comparative features, benefits, and costs. 

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Prices change, so check the links for the most current cost.

1. CURT 45791 Trailer Hitch Extender

This CURT 8-inch hitch extension is designed for a 2-inch hitch receiver. It’s a carbon-steel, powder-coated extension with a 2×2″ stinger. Some of the specs and benefits include:

• 3,500 lbs gross weight
• 350 lbs tongue weight
• 12 lbs extension
• Corrosion-resistant materials
• Adds clearance for a hitch-mounted accessory
• Fast installation 

The 45791 is robotically welded with incorporated resistance to chipping and UV damage. It has an excellent star rating for its relative sturdiness, and it’s well-rated for easy installation and value for the price. The product currently has over 600 Amazon customer reviews. 

One notable downside is that the purchase doesn’t include a hitch pin. However, this extender is an ideal, affordable choice if you only need to extend your hitch by fewer than 10 inches. 

2. Reese Towpower 7060100 Dual Hitch Extension

The Reese Towpower is a dual hitch extension (16 inches), meaning you can get two receivers in one product. The upper receiver is for non-towing objects like bikes, while the lower receiver is for towing a trailer. 

Some of the notable specs and benefits of this extension include:

• Two 2-inch receivers
• 13.6-lbs extension
• Metal-shield finish (rust- and corrosion-resistant)
• 4,000 lbs gross weight capacity
• 400 lbs combined tongue weight capacity

While this stinger hitch extension is roughly twice as expensive as the CURT 8-inch extension, this one does extend twice as far. It also has a greater weight capacity and multiple receivers, making it a top choice. It has an excellent rating for sturdiness, making it a safe choice. And it’s well-rated for its value for the price.

3. CURT 45796 Trailer Hitch Extension

This CURT extension adds a whopping 18 inches to your trailer hitch. It’s designed to be used with standard 2-inch hitch receivers made from high-strength steel heavier than the other extenders on this list. 

Some of the specs and benefits of this extender include:

• 2×2″ stinger
• Carbon steel
• Powder-coated finish
• 21-lbs extender
• Corrosion-resistant finish
• Resistant to UV damage, rain, and dirt
• Easy installation 
• 3,500 lbs gross weight capacity
• 350 lbs tongue weight capacity 

One possible downside to this extender is that the hitch pin is sold separately (as with most CURT extensions). This extension is a great budget choice if you need a large hitch extension and has hundreds of good reviews on Amazon.

4. Fullwatt Trailer Hitch Extension

This Fullwatt hitch extension extends your hitch by 12 inches and fits a standard 2-inch hitch receiver. It’s an ideal extender for slide-out campers with overhangs and has a larger capacity than most extenders of this length. 

Some of the specs and benefits of this extender include:

• 4,000 lbs gross weight capacity
• 550 lbs tongue weight capacity
• Alloy and carbon steel composition
• Powder coated finish
• Dust- and corrosion-resistant
• 5/8″ Pin Hole

This extender is an extra durable option with a moderate extension length compared to other products. It’s affordable, has excellent reviews, and has high ratings for sturdiness and value. We can recommend it confidently. 

5. Blue Ox BX88264 Receiver Extension

This Blue Ox 12-inch hitch extension is a heavyweight trailer hitch. Unlike the other extenders on this list, it is made to fit in a 4×4″ hitch receiver. 

Some of the specs and benefits of this extender include:

• 20-lbs extender
• Alloy steel composition
• Powder coated finish
• Class 4 rated
• 10,000 lbs gross weight capacity
• 250 lbs tongue weight capacity

This extender is well-liked among customers, especially its value, sturdiness, and easy installation. Although this hitch extender has a relatively low tongue weight capacity and costs more than the others, it’s still a quality choice. 

If you’re interested in Blue Ox weight distribution hitches, check out some of our articles.

6. HiTow Dual Hitch Trailer Receiver Extender

HiTow is a quality hitch and hitch accessory producer, and this 10-inch dual hitch extender is an excellent choice for trailer towers. It’s designed to be used with 2-inch standard hitch receivers. One receiver is for towing, and the other is for bike accessories. 

Some of the specs and benefits of this extender include:

• Made of robotically welded heavy-duty alloy steel
• High-quality fittings
• ⅝” hitch pinhole (pin not included)
• Black powder-coated finish
• Corrosion- and dust-resistant 
• 4,000 lbs gross weight capacity
• 400 lbs tongue weight capacity

With highly satisfied customer ratings and an ideal tongue weight capacity, we recommend this 10-inch dual hitch extender if you have multiple things to tow. It’s budget-friendly, not too heavy, and perfect for taking on the road.

7. MAXXHAUL Dual Hitch Extension

Last but not least, we want to recommend the MaxxHaul 8-inch dual hitch extension, which fits a standard 2-inch receiver and gives you great clearance. Use one receiver for a bike rack and the other for trailer towing. 

Some of the specs and benefits of this extender include:

• 4,000 lbs gross weight capacity
• 400 lbs tongue weight capacity
• Forged alloy steel composition
• Powder-coated finish
• It fits class 3 and 4 receivers 
• ⅝” hitch pinhole (pin not included)

This is another great budget-friendly option for a dual hitch extension setup. It is highly reviewed on Amazon by nearly 1,000 customers. Furthermore, the extender has received good ratings for its sturdiness, value, and easy installation. 

Final Thoughts

Finding good stinger hitch extensions doesn’t have to be difficult, so we’ve compiled this list of suggestions. Hitch extenders can extend your trailer hitch by 8 inches, 10 inches, 14 inches, 16 inches, and even up to 18 inches, on average.

Depending on the extension length, your hitch’s max tongue weight capacity will change. This ensures a safer, more sturdy movement for the trailer and your vehicle. 

Consider the above seven stinger hitch extensions and dual hitch extenders to expand your clearance and space between your stinger and trailer. These quality products are a great choice with value, safety, and durability in mind. 

Don’t forget to check out our Recommended RV Equipment list!

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