How Do I Know How High The Ball Should Sit Above the Ground

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Question:

How many inches above the ground should the trailer hitch ball be?

asked by: Dan H

0

Expert Reply:

This will depend on the hitch used and the height of the trailer coupler. You want the trailer to be as level as possible. We have a page on calculating hitch height and coupler height to help you find what ball mount would work best.

Most light duty trailers are 16-17 inches in coupler height, so we recommend ball mounts on the hitch pages that will give that particular vehicle 16-17 inches on the ball mount. The ball mount that provides 16-17 inches height for a 2008 Hyundai Entourage is part # 2753.

expert reply by: Patrick B

0

Rob T.

4/10/2020

I have a fairly steep driveway. Before I purchase a trailer I would like to figure parameters for when my hitch might bottom out. I suspect it has to do with the angle of the driveway and length of trailer from coupler to axle? An illustration on what to find to figure out would be ideal.

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Chris R.

4/11/2020

This is a difficult question to answer because of all the variables involved. There isn't really a set formula or diagram you can use for it. If bottoming out is a big concern, your best route will be to actually mock up a trailer setup with your tow vehicle on the driveway to see where it bottoms out, and what needs to be changed to prevent it. The driveway angle, actual coupler height when hooked up (the rear of your vehicle will likely sag a bit upon hookup), angle you actually come up or down the driveway, etc will all factor into play.

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Ed F.

6/19/2024

@ChrisR I am in a similar situation and have made a pyramid shoring set that will decrease the angle, it takes an extra step to place them in the low spot but works fine for raising the trailer axle 4''

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Answer 1

The ideal height will actually have to do with how tall the coupler of the trailer is from the ground. The Draw-Tite #76020 will sit at 13 1/2 inches from the ground to the top of the hitch when installed on a 2016 Mazda CX-9. From what I could find…

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Answer 2

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 3

Both rise and drop are measured from the top of the drawbar's shank to the top of the hitch ball platform. The length of the drawbar is measured from the center of the hitch pin hole to the center of the hitch ball hole. I've added a link to…

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Answer 4

Normally trailer coupler height is around 17 inches, from the ground to the bottom of the coupler, and most hitch manufacturers design their hitches to work with a ball mount that will end up very close to this measurement. I am including a link to…

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Answer 5

Thank you for the measurements, they helped a great deal. With those measurements you need a carrier that is going to be less than 5-3/4", which would be the Curt #C18109. This is a steel carrier that is 60-1/4" long x 19-5/8" wide and…

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Answer 6

I have a solution for you that SHOULD work well, the Curt Cargo Carrier part #C18109. When we installed a hitch on a similar CR-V as yours we measured from the center of the hitch pin hole out to the furthest point out on the rear spare and found…

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Answer 7

Hey John, I reached out to Dexter and they stated that they don't have these measurements for the Replacement Dexter Bolt-On Shock Kit #K71-697-00. I was able to get my hands on one and get the fully retracted length (pictures below), but…

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Answer 8

While we don't have a custom fit trailer wiring kit that would fit your 2000 International 3800 you could use the part #C59236 to add a 4-way. If you needed a 7-way instead you'd need the part #37185 as well to convert it to a 7-way.

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Answer 9

The side brackets of the Curt hitch part #C14082 are 9-3/4 inches long so you'd have the clearance needed to fit this on your frame since you have 10 available inches.

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Answer 10

The best trailer hitch option we have for an International 3800 School Bus is the Draw-Tite Ultra Frame Service Body Trailer Hitch Receiver part #41990-16. This hitch is a great option as it can be bolted-on (once drilled) or welded, the brackets can…

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Answer 11

If the trailer is less than 1 inch off of being perfectly level either up or down then it will be perfectly fine. Having it slightly higher would be better because presumably the tongue weight of the trailer will pull it down a little. You could also…

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Answer 12

If you check out the picture I attached you will see where I pointed out where the sticker is that has the VIN on the Yakima Rack and Roll trailers like the part #Y08106. If somehow the sticker is worn off or unreadable my contact at Yakima said that…

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How Do I Know How High The Ball Should Sit Above the Ground

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