What size trailer hitch ball on a 16-18' deck trailer?

[Lineman North Florida]

Seems like the best bet is to stop by a Harbor Freight and get the one that is a tri-ball, it has 1"7/8, 2" and 2&5/16, I keep one on both of my trucks.

 

[fried1765]

Neighbor rented a Bobcat with grapple and heavy bucket...

Trailer from rental 9980 tagged...

Neighbor was using a 5k two inch ball.

He said that were busy so he just hooked up and left...

SCARY....and LOTS of others doing the same!
In my opinion, trailers are the most dangerous things on the road,.....mostly due to owner neglect!

 

[Johnkn]

Well I’m guessing the OP auction didn’t work out in his favor, no follow-up.......

 

[s219]

Well I’m guessing the OP auction didn’t work out in his favor, no follow-up.......

Either that or he bought it and he's now stranded on the side of the road with flat tires and seized wheel bearings. Used trailers are a crapshoot.

 

[RandyT]

SCARY....and LOTS of others doing the same!
In my opinion, trailers are the most dangerous things on the road,.....mostly due to owner neglect!

There is enough blame to go around. Trailer manufacturers using hitches that are not rated for the capacity of the trailer they made, or not installed trailer axle brakes on 7K trailers even though they are required in every state. Which is funny because they derate single axle 3.5K trailers to 2990 to avoid the brake requirement in some states. Trailer owners using underrated towing balls and hitches. Not using required weight distributors when required.

 

[CoyPatton]

Bottom line for this discussion is no one can determine what is on it without inspection!
it is extremely unlikely to be 1 7/8”!
But from there it could be a pin style or pintle style or 2” ball coupler or 2 5/16” ball coupler.
Try calling the auction house and see if they can tell you.

 

[deezler]

Neighbor rented a Bobcat with grapple and heavy bucket...

Trailer from rental 9980 tagged...

Neighbor was using a 5k two inch ball.

He said that were busy so he just hooked up and left...

Terrifying. This happens every day on the roads all around us.

My elderly neighbor, bless his heart, bought a fancy 10k dump trailer (that he lets me borrow, wahoo). First he hauled it with a ford ranger until he bent the frame. Upgraded to an F150 (V6, overweight on tow rating, but it survives the abuse).

Then when I first asked to borrow it, he showed me how he was using a 2" ball. On the trailer's 2-5/16" coupler. He hauled dozens of full loads like that already.

Then he explained how to drive carefully, since you can only use the brakes on the truck to slow everything down. I had him hop into my truck w/ brake controller, and made sure he saw my foot wasn't on the brake pedal when I grabbed the lever on the brake controller to drag us to a stop. His mind was kinda blown, but, not enough to go buy a brake controller. Oh well.

 

[Maineuropa]

Good morning,

Heading to an auction today. They have a 16' dovetail deck trailer on the list. I don't know if they are including the dovetail in that length measurement, it would be more common to have an 18' trailer with a 2' dovetail given my research. Would the ball for a trailer usually be a 2" or 2 5/16"? I don't have the larger, I would need to go purchase one.

I have an 18 foot beaver tail trailer with W 16 feet of flat deck. It is very rugged, over 20 years old and it takes a 2” ball. You would be wise to simply go there, see if you win the trailer at auction, and if there is a nearby auto parts, Home Depot,or Lowe’s buy the needed ball. Best thing I ever did was buy a couple of three way ballhitches: 1 7/8”, 2” and 2 5/16”. Previously I always had the wrong hitch on the truck or tractor.

 

[varmint]

As posters have noticed, people do a lot of unwise things with trailers. I have a friend who was towing his tandem axle car trailer with a one ton pickup... 2 5/16" ball, trailer brakes, good load binders, everything just as it should be... except he had a burned out license plate lamp. A state trooper who must have been in a bad mood pulled him over. My friend stupidly was smart with the trooper, who proceeded to pull out his rule book and go over the truck and trailer with his flashlight and a note pad. When all was done, he got a ticket for $1100 worth of infractions, starting with no fire extinguisher and going down the list. "Yes Sir, sorry Sir" is the lesson?

 

[kentrodngun]

I have a 2 5/16 ball on mine, I typically carry max weight and wouldn't feel comfortable with a 2 inch but it's got to be one for the other - bring both.