Hitch Clearance Issue

[maxdestruktion]

Just bought an '06 Liberty. I installed a receiver hitch. The clearance issue is that I cannot hook the trailer to the ball because the spare tire is in the way. I tried a drop hitch, too. Still not enough clearance. Help?

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Flipping the spare tire bracket around has helped some people.

 

[CzarKJ]

How heavy is the trailer? If its not that heavy you could use an extender.

 

[Cardhu]

lots use a 4 inch drop with the bracket flipped and will give you enough space to get the trailer on the ball.

That said, it isn't oodles. i've got to close my once its off the ball to jack it up enough to clear it otherwise the coupler handle on top hits my tire on the way up.

 

[tommudd]

First thing to do is install a 4 inch lift:emotions33:
Next with a stock KJ hitch grab a 4 inch drop (like mentioned above)
then hook up and go


With the RL rear bumper I have to run a 6 inch drop and that's even with my trailer sitting on 265-70-16's

 

[Cardhu]

First thing to do is install a 4 inch lift:emotions33:

I always forget step 1.

Is the RL hitch in the bumper rated for anything? or is it just built like your standard class III?

 

[Paul M]

Baffles the mind what the geniuses at Jeep were [n't] thinking when they came up with this arrangement. There's an implied assumption when offering tow capability for a vehicle that you can actually hitch anything to it without a bunch of convoluted steps. (rant over) Aside from those already suggested, here are two other options: 1) take the spare off and stick it somewhere else, or 2) first hitch the tow bar to the trailer then slide it into the receiver (works in a pinch).

 

[John3seventeen]

This will take care of it without flipping the tire.

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Just a longer hitch bar.

 

[tommudd]

Also one that I never see anyone mention is to simply open the gate
hook the trailer up and then close the gate back up. My open trailer was close but I could do it by hooking from the side. The enclosed had a shorter tongue which you couldm't so would just remove the spare and toss it inside the trailer. A lot of trailer tongues should be long enough to do that, if not resort to Plan 3 Section b

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

Aside from those already suggested, here are two other options: 1) take the spare off and stick it somewhere else, or 2) first hitch the tow bar to the trailer then slide it into the receiver (works in a pinch).

Also one that I never see anyone mention is to simply open the gate hook the trailer up and then close the gate back up. My open trailer was close but I could do it by hooking from the side. The enclosed had a shorter tongue which you couldm't so would just remove the spare and toss it inside the trailer. A lot of trailer tongues should be long enough to do that, if not resort to Plan 3 Section b

I do both of these.

With my boat I just open the rear gate after getting the ball and trailer lined up pretty close then roll the trailer over the ball and drop it. With my utility trailer I attach the ball/tow bar to the trailer and then roll it to the Jeep, line it up and slide the bar into the receiver. Helps that I have a concrete driveway to make these two options easier - if it were gravel or dirt it would make it tougher. Guess at that point I'd take off the spare and just drop the trailer on the ball.

Bob

 

[Paul M]

Also one that I never see anyone mention is to simply open the gate
hook the trailer up and then close the gate back up. My open trailer was close but I could do it by hooking from the side. The enclosed had a shorter tongue which you couldm't so would just remove the spare and toss it inside the trailer. A lot of trailer tongues should be long enough to do that, if not resort to Plan 3 Section b

:hmm: Now that's thinkin' outside the box...hitching up at an angle to clear the jack when closing the gate.

 

[tommudd]

I do my best thinking when "they " let me outside the box for a while :icon_razz::icon_razz: