Ball Size

EddieWalker · Mar 19, 2015

I'm looking at buying a 16 foot bumper pull stock trailer and I'm not sure that I understand the significance of the two sized available for the ball. Some say they have a 2 inch ball, others are 2 5/16. I understand that bigger is better, but why? Does one hold more weight? If it has the smaller 2 inch ball, wont that be enough?

Thank you,
Eddie

Norm W · Mar 19, 2015

It depends on the gross weight of the trailer. The capacity of the ball should be stamped on the ball. If you have an accident, and the hitch was to small for the load, you could have a major problem with your insurance.

aczlan · Mar 19, 2015

As long as its rated for the weight, the only advantage to the 2 5/16" over a 2" is that less friends will be able to borrow that trailer.

Aaron Z

dstig1 · Mar 20, 2015

2 5/16" seems pretty standard for any serious trailer... And they can be rated much higher (if it is the right material/design). I would stick with it.

TomSeller · Mar 20, 2015

aczlan said:
As long as its rated for the weight, the only advantage to the 2 5/16" over a 2" is that less friends will be able to borrow that trailer.

Aaron Z

Are you saying size matters?

Scooby074 · Mar 20, 2015

If you really want to keep friends from borrowing your trailer, go with ring and pintle

Or even better the Euro Ringfeder style ring hitches. Self aligning hookup FTW!

Im only partly joking. Eventually Id like to have all my trailers with rings. Was looking at these guys products and if you use their rings and pintles, there is supposed to be less play than normal.

newbury · Mar 20, 2015

TomSeller said:
Are you saying size matters?

Reads more like he's writing the strength of your balls matters.

Eddie -
First - you should have both size ball's. I've a 2 5/16 trailer but occasionally pull U-Hauls etc., which are 2". Bigger balls are better.
Second - what's the GVWR on the trailer - make sure your balls exceed that, but I know from experience that finding a 2 5/16 ball w/ a 12K plus rating is difficult at auto stores and Walmart, easy on-line.
And third get rust resistant balls, there's nothing worse than having cruddy balls except having cruddy weak balls.

Investing in an extra ball is only about $10, for an extra $10 I'd rather have 2 balls than one.

And pay attention to the size of your shank, make sure it's 1 inch and your balls fit.

For the trailer I don't think size matters, as long as it's a low GVWR trailer.

Ken45101 · Mar 20, 2015

2" balls do not come in the higher GVWR ratings.

One drawback to 2-5/16 hitches is that it is possible AND DANGEROUS to hook them up to a 2" ball by accident. You can't do it the other way around.

If the trailer sits at the right height, one of the "3 way" inserts with 1-7/8, 2, and 2-5/16" balls is great to have and solves the issue. Of course, many trailers require a drop hitch to sit level.

newbury · Mar 20, 2015

Ken45101 said:
2" balls do not come in the higher GVWR ratings.

What's a "higher" GVWR?
Here's a Curt for 10,000 lbs. Hitch Ball with 2" Diameter and Medium Shank, 10,000 lbs GTW - Chrome Curt Balls A-90

/edit - and here's a 12K rated 2" ball
CURT Manufacturing - CURT Trailer Ball #40038

aczlan · Mar 20, 2015

newbury said:
Reads more like he's writing the strength of your balls matters.
Eddie -
First - you should have both size ball's. I've a 2 5/16 trailer but occasionally pull U-Hauls etc., which are 2". Bigger balls are better.
Second - what's the GVWR on the trailer - make sure your balls exceed that, but I know from experience that finding a 2 5/16 ball w/ a 12K plus rating is difficult at auto stores and Walmart, easy on-line.
And third get rust resistant balls, there's nothing worse than having cruddy balls except having cruddy weak balls.
Investing in an extra ball is only about $10, for an extra $10 I'd rather have 2 balls than one.
And pay attention to the size of your shank, make sure it's 1 inch and your balls fit.
For the trailer I don't think size matters, as long as it's a low GVWR trailer.

From what I have seen, in a 1" shank class, both 2" and 2 5/16" are available with ratings up to 12,000#. To get a higher rating, you have to go to a larger shank (such as 1 1/4") and there you can get ratings up to 30,000# for a 2 5/16" ball.

If it were me, and I got a trailer that needed a 2 5/16" ball, I would get a ball mount for it so that I didn't need to swap balls because that it just a pain in the neck so do.

Aaron Z