What is the average ball height on a 2" receiver type of hitch

gordon21 · Feb 12, 2008

There is no correct answer for this question without seeing the truck or the trailer in question. It will vary with heights of the hitch, trailer height, etc.

This answer is pretty good though. Hook up the trailer with a load, any load. Adjust the trailer until it slopes downward from the front axle to hitch about 2-6 degrees. The amount will vary depending upon the load in the trailer and where the load is distributed on the trailer. Level is OK; slight down slope is better. If you change the load or trailer, you may need to adjust the ball height.

Example: Take a 16' landscape trailer and put a couple 800# implements up against the front rails. The front will sag a lot. Put them over the axles and the trailer will be level. These two scenarios are livable. Put them against the back gate and you will have the time of your life keeping the trailer and the tow vehichle in the correct lane and both going the same speed at the same time in the same direction on a bumpy road.

People will often make the mistake of measuring an EMPTY trailer on a perfectly flat surface and determining that the trailer hitch should be at a certain height (use 16" for an example). They then load the trailer and the trailer drops 2" due to a full load of 5000#. Now they hook up the ball to settle at 16" and the rest of the trailer slopes backward. The hitch is higher than the center. This is not good. This problem is more prevalant with boat trailers. the emptry boat trailer looks level. Now load a rear heavy boat with an I/O hanging out there on a too short trailer and problems can develop very quickly.

The only time you can accept a hitch much higher than the center of the trailer is when the tow vehicle is grossly oversized for the trailer. A 250/2500 pickup towing a 10' utility trailer can easily handle a front tongue coming UP at a 5-10 degree angle or more. The 6500# vehicle will not be overwhelmed by the 800# trailer. It is bigger, longer and heavier. But once you start towing big trailers, the loaded trailer can weigh MORE THAN THE TOW VEHICLE. This is when it is critical to have proper weight distribution.

Skyco · Feb 12, 2008

Many years ago I read where the trailer ball height standard was supposed to be 21". Wouldn't it have been nice if that had actually worked out

BTW you NEVER want to tow a tandem torsion axle trailer at anything other than dead level. The torsion axles don't load equalize like leaf springs with the center "equalizer", so one can overload an axle easily if near capacity.
I have a huge assortment of different drawbars all made up for my 8 trailers..and a couple of adjustable ones for other trailers that may pop up. I tow ALL my trailers as close to dead level as I can get them.

MrJimi · Feb 12, 2008

Skyco said:
Many years ago I read where the trailer ball height standard was supposed to be 21". Wouldn't it have been nice if that had actually worked out
BTW you NEVER want to tow a tandem torsion axle trailer at anything other than dead level. The torsion axles don't load equalize like leaf springs with the center "equalizer", so one can overload an axle easily if near capacity.
I have a huge assortment of different drawbars all made up for my 8 trailers..and a couple of adjustable ones for other trailers that may pop up. I tow ALL my trailers as close to dead level as I can get them.

Very good point, my 14 K trailer is a torsion tandem axle .
Thanks for the reminder

gordon21 · Feb 13, 2008

Skyco is right about the torsion axles. My earlier post referred to regular spring set ups which are more prevalent on boat trailers and open landscape type trailers under 20'. Dual axle models can self equalaize up to a certain point. Torsion axles are found on bigger and more expensive trailers.

The 21" height sounds awfully high for a trailer rated under 7500#. I'll measure mine, but I seem to remember it being closer to 15" when loaded.

Another thing to consider is where your brakes are if you have multiple axles and only one set of brakes. If the trailer is too front heavy and your brakes are on the rear axle, then your braking power is diminished. The weight will not be there to keep the tire firmly gripping the ground. Keeping the trailer level or within a couple degrees of level will insure that the brakes are effective when you need them.

tommu56 · Feb 13, 2008

MrJimi
My travel trailer has torsion axles and the top of ball height loaded was in in the 14-15" range.

The dealer leveled the trailer measured the height to the coupler top and set the ball at that heigth plus a little, my truck dosent drop mutch with the tung weight on it.

tom

art · Feb 13, 2008

From what my help have brought back from the DOT boys they are supposed to be level as far as the trailer deck and frame! So depending on the tow veichle it might be different depending on the hitch. Most that we sell are from 16" and up to about twenty but on the heavier capacity hitches many are adjustable after you get over 12.000lbs. They use the 2 5/16th ball in this size or the pintle hitch.
I know it's not the law but when the tongue is a little high the trailers normally tow nicer! If the weight is not perfect it will keep it from swaying but it does hurt on the braking as the axles don't have the same pressure on them.

Diamondpilot · Feb 13, 2008

Actually, most of the new boat trailers are all using torsion axles with disc brakes.

Chris

RobertN · Feb 13, 2008

I'm not sure on the ball height. I have two receivers though. The three trailers I tow use 2" ball, so both receivers have one. Our Scout trailer, and personal utility trailer balance out just right with a 6" drop receiver. My 16' dual axle flatbed works out just right with a 4" drop receiver.

I usually have one always in the hitch, and the other under the back seat. I also carry a 1-7/8 and a 2-5/16 ball. Also have a couple pig tails in case I have to adapt wiring, plus a couple type adapter plugs for the 7-wire on my pick em up truck.

George2615 · Feb 14, 2008

16-18" is about right but it depends on what height makes the trailer sit level. In your case you can set the ball height of the trailer. Start with the trailer sitting level then back your truck and hitch up to it. Where the trailer ball looks level with the truck hitch, lower it one more set of bolt holes to account for trailer tongue weight and boltin place.

Treemonkey1000 · Feb 15, 2008

Ok to show my ignorance a little here. I just bought a home made dual axle trailer to carry my little Kubota L3750. The weight on that is 3800 lbs or so. I am using my 1 ton Chevy to tow it. What I don't know is what the Torsion bar axles are mentioned in the post. I am learning from this discussion is how I should load the tractor to be able to load the tongue weight correctly.