trailer help

fergie23 · Posted: Oct 10, 2004 6:54 pm Post subject: trailer help

I am going to tow my boat witH a different truck and am trying to figure out how to set-up the hitch height. The one I have has the ball mount facing upward and it is slightly higher than my trailer height. My friend has a drop-down hitch which is slightly lower than the trailer height. I am trying to figure out which would be better for this weekend. I think it should be level with the trailer height ideally but would the lower one be the best choice of the two I have? It feels better when pulling... Does anyone know what the ideal set-up would be? Thx Confused

89 skier · Addict Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 729 City: Dallas

Drop hitches are usually preferable as long as you don't have any clearance issues with the trailer if you go over a bump.

If you're going a long distance, I'd go with the truck that gave you better gas mileage for the road trip.

joedirt00 · Posted: Oct 11, 2004 2:52 am Post subject:

Get a tape measure Confused

If not, use the lower hitch assuming it isn't rediculously low. It will put more weight on the tounge instead of trying to bounce off and it will bring your propcage higher in the back.

fergie23 · Posted: Oct 11, 2004 8:59 am Post subject:

I did measure and the lower hitch is about an inch lower than the hitch height...the higher one is around an inch higher. So lower would be the best option here?

onthewater · Posted: Oct 11, 2004 9:22 am Post subject:

go low

kavlock99 · Posted: Oct 11, 2004 10:15 am Post subject:

fergie23 · Posted: Oct 11, 2004 10:54 am Post subject:

kavlock99, exactly!

salmon_tacos · Posted: Oct 11, 2004 11:34 am Post subject:

Single-axle or tandem-axle?

If it's a single axle, it won't really make any difference. Moving the hitch up and down a few inches is going to do practically nothing to the tonque weight.

If it's a tandem-axle, a lower hitch will reduce tongue weight and a higher hitch will increase tongue weight. I'm not sure which is better.

fergie23 · Posted: Oct 11, 2004 11:40 am Post subject:

it's single-axle

salmon_tacos · Posted: Oct 11, 2004 11:51 am Post subject:

Don't worry about it then. That 2" is a non-issue. Consider instead: wheelbase, weight, pulling power, brakes, comfort, gas mileage, space, etc.

fergie23 · Posted: Oct 11, 2004 11:59 am Post subject:

think I'll go with the lower one then...pulling a 19' boat with our Pathfinder instead of our friend's F350. The weight, etc is all within specs for the pathfinder but the other hitch (higher one) just didn't feel right!