Your journey trailer ball hitch is a vital a part of your towing setup. With out it, your trailer isn’t going wherever. However issues can get somewhat complicated. Why are there 4 totally different sizes for journey trailer ball hitches? How are you aware which one is best for you? How are you aware you’re utilizing journey trailer ball hitches accurately? We’ll let .
Fortunately, it’s not as difficult because it appears. Let’s check out the totally different sizes of ball hitch for journey trailers. Plus, we’ll take a look at some ideas for utilizing your journey trailer ball hitch and among the greatest manufacturers to purchase.
The 4 Most Widespread Journey Trailer Ball Hitch Sizes?
The most typical journey trailer ball hitch sizes are:
- 1-7/8 inch hitch balls are used for light-weight towing beneath 3,500 lbs. Some smaller trailers, significantly older pop-up campers, would possibly use this ball. However in any other case, this measurement can’t deal with sufficient weight for many RV towing.
- 2 inch hitch balls are for medium-weight towing, with weight scores as much as 12,000 lbs. accessible.
- 2-5/16 inch hitch balls are for heavyweight towing and might have scores as much as 20,000 lbs. (or barely extra). As a result of they deal with extra weight, these are the journey trailer hitch ball sizes you’ll see for many towable RVs.
- 3 inch hitch balls are solely used for gooseneck towing. This sort of towing hitch isn’t sometimes used for hauling fifth wheel RVs.
For many RVers, the usual journey trailer hitch ball measurement might be 2” or 2-5/16”. Smaller journey trailers will often use a 2” ball, whereas heavier trailers will want the 2-5/16” ball.
In addition to the diameter of the hitch ball, there are another measurements you’ll see. Two measurements are the size and diameter of the “shank” – the threaded stem beneath the ball. There’s additionally the rise, which is the peak the ball sits off its base.
6 Suggestions For Utilizing Your Journey Trailer Ball Hitch
Once you use your journey trailer ball and hitch, there are some things you need to remember for the most effective expertise. Following the following tips will maintain you secure and assist maintain your trailer in good situation.
1. Watch Your Weight
It’s extremely essential to by no means exceed your towing system’s weight capability. Going over by even a pair kilos might be extremely unsafe.
The burden restrict of your trailer ball is known as the ball capability. You may often discover this quantity on the highest of the hitch ball or on the base of the shank.
Remember that your hitch ball isn’t the one a part of your towing system. Your hitch and your RV trailer hitch ball mount even have their very own weight limits.
The weight restrict in your hitch might be on a label someplace on the hitch. The ball mount’s restrict will often be on a label on the entrance or alongside the shaft that slides into the receiver.
Your max weight restrict is just as excessive because the lowest restrict for all three. So in case your hitch is rated for 10,000 lbs, your ball is rated for 8,000 lbs, and your mount is rated for six,000 lbs, your towing restrict is 6,000 lbs.
2. Use Lubricant
You should utilize your journey trailer ball hitch with out lubricating it first, however lubrication is extremely really useful. Lubrication ensures structural integrity and prevents noise, however it additionally retains your ball from getting rusty.
It is best to grease up your hitch ball not less than twice a yr. In the event you’re eager to maintain the hitch ball in high efficiency, it’s really useful to use some lubricant earlier than leaving on a visit. Once you placed on a brand new coat, be sure to wipe off the outdated one first.
3. Use a Hitch Pin Lock
You’d suppose that no person would attempt to steal one thing as large as a journey trailer, however sadly, you’d be fallacious.
A journey trailer isn’t any small funding, to not point out that if it will get stolen mid-trip, you’re out of a spot to sleep. So to maintain somebody from driving off with your property on wheels, it’s good to use a hitch pin lock to maintain your trailer secure.
A hitch pin lock will maintain anybody from disconnecting your trailer from the trailer hitch or from connecting it to their car if you’re not utilizing it. There are two totally different varieties: receiver-style and coupler-style.
A receiver hitch lock is a steel pin with a lock on one or each ends. These defend your trailer when it’s hitched as much as your car. Nonetheless, they received’t enable you to when the trailer isn’t hooked up.
Coupler hitch locks defend your trailer even when it’s not hooked up to your tow car. They’re like an enormous U-lock in your hitch. With out the right key, connecting a trailer is not possible.
4. Use a Weight Distribution Hitch
A weight distribution hitch is usually really useful if you tow a journey trailer. These hitches assist distribute the burden of your trailer evenly.
With improperly distributed weight, many of the drive is borne in your tow car’s rear axle. This has a massively unfavourable affect on steering, traction, and your skill to cease. Or, you can even have the other downside. You probably have too little tongue weight, your trailer will turn into extra vulnerable to sway.
A weight distribution hitch makes use of a pair of spring bars that go out of your flat-tow car to the trailer. These springs apply leverage to unfold the load out evenly onto your car’s entrance axle and your trailer’s rear axle. This gives you a steady, degree, and clean experience stopping your car from sagging.
Not all weight distribution hitches have sway management, but when your hitch does, it should additionally keep away from loads of sway.
There are some minor downsides to weight distribution hitches together with tougher turns and extra time spent hitching and unhitching. For bigger masses and heavier trailers, it’s a good suggestion to make use of one. In the event you’re uncertain when you want one, verify your tow car’s handbook for steering.
5. Hold Every little thing Degree
It’s completely important that your journey trailer and tow car degree with the bottom.
Nonetheless, most automobiles and trailers received’t line up completely. The distinction in top is known as the “rise” or the “drop” – relying on if the camper trailer ball hitch is increased or decrease than the coupler.
The way to Calculate the Rise or Drop in your Ball Mount
To calculate the rise or drop of your ball mount, measure the space between your trailer’s coupler and the bottom to get your coupler top. Then, measure the space between your hitch receiver to the bottom to get your hitch top.
Subtract your coupler top out of your hitch top and also you’ll have your rise or drop. A constructive quantity means a drop and a unfavourable quantity means an increase.
For instance, when you have a 17” hitch top and a 13” coupler top, you want a 4” drop. For a similar coupler on a 12” hitch, you would wish a 1” rise.
You’ll want an RV trailer hitch ball mount that matches this quantity. Many ball mounts might be put in in both route to provide a drop or an increase. There are additionally adjustable journey trailer ball hitch mounts that may be set at no matter top you want.
6. All the time Match Your Hitch Ball and Coupler Sizes
Your RV trailer hitch ball measurement doesn’t imply a factor if it doesn’t match your trailer’s coupler. The coupler is the a part of the trailer that connects to the hitch ball. It slides over the ball and is clamped shut to offer a sturdy maintain that may nonetheless transfer with you on the highway.
The variations between journey trailer hitch ball sizes don’t appear too main. Couldn’t you simply use a 2-5/16” coupler on a 2” ball?
The reply is completely not! Even that small distinction can result in your trailer detaching out of your car. That can lead to a broken trailer and will even put different individuals at risk.
All the time make sure that your coupler and your camper trailer ball hitch are the identical sizes. Doing in any other case is a recipe for catastrophe.
What are the Benefits of Utilizing Adjustable Journey Trailer Ball Hitches?
Your hitch ball and your RV trailer ball mount can each be adjustable in numerous methods.
Adjustable drop ball mounts allow you to change the peak of the ball mount to fulfill the rise or drop required in your trailer to be degree. This precision and management allow you to get all the things completely degree.
There are additionally totally different sorts of ball hitches for journey trailers that may be adjusted in varied methods.
A swap trailer ball is principally a trailer ball shank with a detachable head. You turn out the totally different sizes of balls as you want them.
There are additionally hitch balls which can be double and even triple-sided. These have totally different sizes of hitch balls on a single mount. Merely rotate to the ball you want for any given circumstance.
In the event you solely anticipate to tow the identical trailer on a regular basis, these totally different hitch balls won’t be a lot use to you. However when you tow different issues moreover your journey trailer, they will actually come in useful.
The Greatest 5 Manufacturers of Journey Trailer Ball Hitches
Now that all about ball hitches, let’s take a look at some choices for the most effective ball hitch for a journey trailer.
1. Equal-i-zer
Equal-i-zer weight distribution hitch is likely one of the hottest manufacturers of trailer hitches with 75 years of historical past. They had been additionally the model that created the primary sway management hitch.
These hitches present even weight distribution and their particular “4 level sway management” to remove trailer sway. Plus, Equal-i-zers are 100% American made utilizing high-quality American metal and embrace a lifetime guarantee.
The heavy-duty mannequin is rated as much as 16,000 kilos and has a terrific weight distribution system. The corporate recommends a 2 5/16 ball for the most effective pairing.
2. CURT
CURT Manufacturing Adjustable Journey Trailer Ball Hitch Mount is an trade chief in manufacturing USA-made trailer hitches. They provide an enormous array of hitches for any want and are all rigorously security examined to provide you peace of thoughts.
CURT has any type of hitch you can want together with weight distribution hitches. In the event you want any equipment, like hitch locks or wheel chocks (if that is your first RV, you undoubtedly want these), they’ve received you coated there too.
This explicit mannequin comes with a 2 inch and a couple of 5/16 inch ball hitch. It’s rated at 14,000 kilos and might present a 6-inch drop.
3. Weigh-Secure
Frightened about your weight? A Weigh-Secure adjustable journey trailer ball hitch mount may give you some peace of thoughts.
Weigh-Secure’s declare to fame is that their hitches are the one ones on the planet with a built-in scale. This measures the tongue weight of your tow load, serving to you stability your load and enhance efficiency. Plus, Weigh-Secure makes all their merchandise from high-quality supplies to the very best specs.
4. Reese Towpower
Reese Towpower is an enormous identify in towing that has been round since 1952.
RVers would possibly know Reese Towpower greatest for his or her heavy-duty fifth-wheel hitches, that are a well-liked alternative for you guessed it – fifth-wheel trailers. However in addition they carry nearly any towing product you want, and it’s all coated by a 1-year guarantee!
Check out their starter package with a 3-¼” drop mount and a 2” hitch ball rated for as much as 5,000 lbs.
5. Draw-Tite
Draw-Tite produces top-quality, rigorously examined trailer hitches they usually’ve been doing it since 1946. This makes them one of the vital trusted manufacturers for journey trailer ball hitches. Each Draw-Tite hitch can be backed by a lifetime guarantee.
Take into account their starter package with a 2” drop mount and a 2” hitch ball included, in addition to a receiver lock.
Journey Trailer Ball Hitch Sizes Don’t Need to Be Complicated
Your journey trailer ball hitch is likely one of the most essential components of your complete towing system. One little ball is the place your trailer attaches to your car, so it’s essential to have the correct one.
For almost all of RVers towing a journey trailer, the acceptable trailer hitch ball measurement goes to be 2″ or 2-5/16”. It doesn’t matter what measurement you’re towing, it’s important to make sure your setup is right and calibrated in your rig. What your buddy is doing is probably not precisely best for you.
Now all the things it is advisable learn about journey trailer ball hitch sizes, it’s time to hitch up and hit the highway!
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In regards to the Writer
Jennifer is a full-time RVer and part-time van lifer. She is one half of DashboardDrifters.com and the founding father of RVSpotDrop, an online service for full-time RVers.
