Trailering Question

[jaybyrd]

O.K. I towed our 10ft hard top Jayco tent trailer last summer and the jeep we had already had a hitch and reciever with the ball and the height was almost perfect to make the trailer level.

 

Now with the silverado I need to buy a 2" reciever and a 1 7/8" ball to hook it up to the tent trailer. But how do I make sure the trailer is going to be level. The bottom of the reciever on the truck is about 15 1/2" and the bottom of the hitch on the trailer when sitting level is 15 ". I guessing I need either a 1 or 2 inch drop on the back of the truck to make up for the height of the ball.

 

Any thoughts....

[redvett]

Doesnt your truck already have a receiver/platform hitch? If it does you need to set the trailer level and measure from receiver opening to hitch coupling. The difference is the height you need in an adapter including the ball.

[asilverblazer]

10' tent trailer, I wouldn't worry about it. I'd buy he 2" drop because it will be the most common, and call it good. If that trailer isn't level, it isn't going to matter a bit behind your truck. Jeep, Minivan, car, maybe but not a full size truck.

[jaybyrd]

Doesnt your truck already have a receiver/platform hitch? If it does you need to set the trailer level and measure from receiver opening to hitch coupling. The difference is the height you need in an adapter including the ball.

 

Thanks, yes I've got the tailer tow package on the truck just no hitch and ball to go in the reciever yet. I'll have to actually go the store and look at them I guess to tell what I need. I just figured with a 2 inch drop the bottom of the trailer hitch would sit almost level with the bottom of the trucks reciever when its on the ball.

[VMax2007]

10' tent trailer, I wouldn't worry about it. I'd buy he 2" drop because it will be the most common, and call it good. If that trailer isn't level, it isn't going to matter a bit behind your truck. Jeep, Minivan, car, maybe but not a full size truck.

 

 

Of course the truck won't care, but you want the trailer to track properly, so height is important. I would say a 2" drop would be fine.

[jaybyrd]

Thanks guys, that's about what I figured was a 2" drop but its always best to check with others, especially the knowledgable folks on this board.

 

cheers.

[redvett]

If you were to take the trailer to a hitch place they would measure it the way i stated and then the trailer will tow correctly. A trailer that is too high or low will in an emergency under very hard braking either try to push the truck back end up or down making control of the vehicle much harder and possibly causing back end of truck to swerve out of control.

[JoshS]

O.K. I towed our 10ft hard top Jayco tent trailer last summer and the jeep we had already had a hitch and reciever with the ball and the height was almost perfect to make the trailer level.

 

Now with the silverado I need to buy a 2" reciever and a 1 7/8" ball to hook it up to the tent trailer. But how do I make sure the trailer is going to be level. The bottom of the reciever on the truck is about 15 1/2" and the bottom of the hitch on the trailer when sitting level is 15 ". I guessing I need either a 1 or 2 inch drop on the back of the truck to make up for the height of the ball.

 

Any thoughts....

 

The way drops are measured are from the top of the receiver opening to the top of the ball platform.

 

In this case, it sounds like the top of your opening is 17-1/2", and the hitch ball wants to be at 15". So that's a 2-1/2" drop. Hard to find half-inch drops, so I'd go with a 2" drop as others have said. Your cargo and stuff in your truck will probably get things level.

[asilverblazer]

If you were to take the trailer to a hitch place they would measure it the way i stated and then the trailer will tow correctly. A trailer that is too high or low will in an emergency under very hard braking either try to push the truck back end up or down making control of the vehicle much harder and possibly causing back end of truck to swerve out of control.

 

I certainly would advise a proper drop/rise hitch for a more significant trailer, in this case it is such a small trailer, I don't think it would be able to transfer any adverse motions to the much heavier truck. For example, if I had a large trailer and a small trailer I would buy the hitch for the larger trailer and whatever it does to the smaller trailer so be it. I don't think Wal-mart or the like carries anything that would be so far out of whack for such a small trailer. The chances of getting it perfect are slim to none, based on the fact of how short it is. Thats, why I recommend going with the 2"er as a happy medium.

[Ranger]

Or just get a pintle lock ballmount...They're way overrated in capacity for a 1/2 ton but you can move the ball up and down til you get it at the right level. I have one for my HD but I usually use a regular 2" drop cause when I go offroad the bottom of the pintle plate will drag on the ground.

[workinallthetime]

i had to use a 3" drop on my 07 with the "max" package on it and 4x4. Now im not your average once a month tow guy either, i haul an 18' trailer almost everyday with either a 35 hp tractor or a 2000lb mower on it. 3" works for me and my trailer

[04z71steve]

just be carefull in what you buy, i know that the hitch and ball u buy will fit in fine, but some cheaper brands tend to jostle around a bit, its kind of weird i bought one from pep boys and returned it because when i hooked it up to my reciever it jostled around when i would stop and accelerate... good luck i would say you need a 2" drop for what you have i have a trailer and 2 boats that i haul and i use the standard 2" drop hitch with all of them

 

steve

[jaybyrd]

After some more careful measuring and a trip to the local canadian tire a 3 1/2" drop was the perfect height to make the trailer perfectly level with the truck bed loaded up. Bought a reese ball and 2" hitch. I'm sure 2 or 2 1/2 would have done fine as well, but the 3 1/2 was the way to go.