newbie with ball mount ???

C

chipski

New member
Just picked up an 07 v8 a couple of weeks ago. Got to say I'm lovin' it.

My question is will any ball mount fit? I'm planning on towing a car trailer- about 16' tandem axle. Total weight should be around 4k. Can the ball mount be straight or will I need some drop in it? I have searched some and it seems like most mounts will fit.

TIA
 
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I think anything with a 2" shaft will fit. The ball size does not matter, just get one that matches the trailer. I would go with a slight drop, maybe 2" someone else who tows a lot should chime in and let you know what the best would be. Ideally, you want the trailer as level as possible.
 
I think that's really up to you. If I had the option I would pretty much always go with a trailer with brakes over a trailer without. Your truck should have come with a harness/adapter and I think the owners manual will tell you where to plug it into/how to wire it to a controller.
 
kylebacc said:
I think that's really up to you. If I had the option I would pretty much always go with a trailer with brakes over a trailer without. Your truck should have come with a harness/adapter and I think the owners manual will tell you where to plug it into/how to wire it to a controller.
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I'm with you- I will get brakes on the trailer.

I'll check for the harness/adapter- this was a used truck, so I'm not sure what I have. If I don't have one- I guess I need to go to the stealer for one?
 
Well check out the trailer shop first, maybe they have a cheap alternative to the dealer harness. Get prices at both places before you buy :) And if you have it, it'll probably be in the glove box or one of the trunk compartments. One last place it could be is plugged in where it belongs (if the previous owner ever used it). Take a look around, and if you don't find it, go price it. I've never towed anything more than a couple waverunners with mine, so hopefully someone who has will give their input.
 
I tow a 20 foot Mastercraft X2 that weighs in around 4,500 with trailer, boat, and gas. I use a 2 inch drop and tow just fine. Also, it has hydrolic brakes. It'd be nice to have electric, but the hydrolic brakes for what my needs and uses are is not bad.
 
Any 2" ball mount should fit into the factory hitch receiver, but you have to be careful about the length of the tube. Because of the placement of the spare, in some cases, the longer ball mount tubes can hit the spare and not allow the hitch pin to line up. As for the amount of drop, that is determined by the height of the tow vehicle, and the trailer towed. Idealy, you want the trailer frame to ride as level as possible when towing. This means chosing the correct amount of drop, or rise in the ball mount to result in a level trailer when hooked up. It is easy to figure out. First, with the trailer sitting on level ground, raise, or lower the tongue, until the frame is as close to level as possible. Then measure from the bottom of the socket where the hitch ball fits into, to the ground. Then, with the tow vehicle also on level ground, measure from the inside top edge of the hitch receiver square opening to the ground. The difference between the two measurements is the amount you have to make up with either a drop, or rise on the ball mount. ie, if the trailer measurement is 18", and the vehicle hitch tube measurement is 22", you need a 4" drop on the ball mount to make the trailer ride level when connected. If the trailer measurement is 22", and the vehicle hitch tube is 18", then you need a 4" rise ball mount. FYI, the amount of drop, or rise on a particular ball mount is measured from the top surface of the square tube to the top of the surface where the ball bolts on to the mount. Because the drop, or rise is measured from the top surface of the ball mount tube, a ball mount that has a 4" drop, when inverted, will now have a 2" rise.
 
CameronMagee said:
Curious what you went with and if you rotate it up/down or keep it the same?
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I think techwrench has a good method for determining the height as described above. I've only towed uhaul trailers, but flipping a 2" drop hitch to become a .5" rise was the best for my stock 4runner pulling the uhaul trailer
 
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