Hitch advice

I need to buy a ball mount for my truck hitch. I've never towed anything with a pickup before, always with an SUV. Wondering about tow height. Are the adjustable height ball mounts needed? The center of the receiver is 16" off the ground. Will a straight ball mount work OK for most trailers? The adjustable heights seem to be either a couple hundred $, or several hundred $, a little worried about slop in the adjustable height ones. I don't do a lot of towing and certainly nothing too heavy, not more than 5k.

 

Depends entirely on the trailer you're going to be towing, but a 2" drop is common for full size trucks pulling most trailers. You can always flip it over for a bigger trailer if you need the extra lift.

 

If you always tow the same trailer, I'd just find a ball mount with the appropriate drop you need. Like lukem said, 2" is common. No need to spend several hundred when a simple $40 mount from Walmart will do the job.

 

I'll second the above, if it's one trailer get the cheap solution. Just measure what you need. On the old Ford I had a 2" drop. On the Subie I flip over a 1" (?) drop to get a 1" rise.

Hitches often come up on CL here, might surf there if you really want the fancy kind.

 

Single or dual axle trailer? If single it really does not matter (as long as you can keep your load on board). If dual axle, you need the appropriate hitch height so it rides level and both axles are equally carrying the load.

 

I would eyeball the trailer you are going to haul to level or to an upward angle, figuring it will level a bit with a load and squat of the truck when loaded. Then back up to it and measure the drop/or rise needed. You always want the load to be heaviest just in front of, or directly over the axle but not all on the tounge, and as level as possible to elimante trailer sway!

 

I don't own a trailer currently. Sounds like a 2" drop will work for most as it would most likely be a single axle. The current need is to tow a 5x8 uhaul with the kids stuff in it back to college, just wanted to get something that would work with most other trailers.

How about those interchangeable ball rigs?...any good.
Tow Ready Interchangeable Hitch Ball Set with 1-7/8" and 2" Hitch Balls Tow Ready Balls 63802

 

Just make sure u-haul doesn't have something funky like a 2-1/8" ball .

Gary

 

Here's what I use...

Buyers Tri-Ball Adjustable Hitch - For Life Out Here

 

Make sure you get the interlock ball mount and the interlock ball.

 

Depends on the pickup you are using, when I used u huals dumpy 5x8 wich isn't really 5x8, it measures from the outside of the fender measurement. My trailblazer did fine with its height or lack thereof. Used the same receiver I use for the sled trailer and dual axle car trailer.

I wouldn't count on them having anything or knowing what will work. Some stores are better than others. All they know is tow ratings.

 

Depends. Some trailers are smaller than others. If there small on 13" tires or 15" tires?

Also depends on your truck and the actual hitch and how much it drops or tucks in. Some of the larger trucks need 3" or more.

Harbor freight has some adjustable ones I think. I am going to get the weight distribution hitch and it is adjustable up and down, and I think it's only around $100

 

Yeah thought about their weight distributing hitch, it's 200 made by haulamster. I've always eyeballed it just never tried it.
It's rated for 10k. If I already pull 10k and it makes it handle that much better it will make me want to pull even more?

 

Well it may. But your truck only has so much power and the trasmission is only so strong. Just think of three or 4 thousand dollar transmission . That would be enough for me not to max it even more.

I want to buy that hitch to lift up the back of my sequoia when I haul a full trailer.

 

I build my own transmissions after dealing with " transmission builders" I read up and actually have them not only lasting but take a punding.

It's not a power( cars and trucks have more than work trucks in the 60s 70s 80s or 90s) or durability thing as it is control. Stopping Turning. That's the point of a weight distributing hitch.
For example pulling a TLB on the interstate to do 70+ to keep up and not hinder traffic it sways at speeds over 70. And I can't move the load on the trailer over the axles because of its length.(to keep it from swaying)

That's more to the point of the op, to have the trailer ride correctly.

 

You'll want the trailer as close to level as possible. An inch high or an inch low won't make too much difference.

You want to be sure to have 10% of the trailer weight on the tongue. This is probably the most important part of towing.