Can a Trailer Ride With the Tongue at an Upward or Downward Angle

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Question:

I recently lifted my trailer and it now looks like I need between an 8 and a 10 to tow my trailer. I think the 8 might make the trailer coupler slightly higher than level. Does this cause a problem?

asked by: Randy

0

Expert Reply:

Yes, a trailer that is nose up can cause big problems. A level trailer is ideal and worth working toward for safety. The good news is that you can get the trailer almost exactly level with switching ball mounts. This is where an adjustable ball mount like Convert-a-Ball # TK5007 comes in handy.

If you are unable to achieve level even with an adjustable ball mount, it is better for the trailer to be slightly nose down so long as the tongue weight capacity of the hitch and vehicle is not exceeded. If a trailer is nose up too much, the tongue weight is low enough that the trailer may begin to sway.

So in short, level is best. If level is not possible, then try to go slightly nose down. Slightly nose up can be fine, but keep an eye out for trailer sway.

You can view some additional information on towing a trailer at the links provided.

expert reply by: Patrick B

0

Martin N.

3/3/2020

Will increasing the towball height on the towing vehicle decrease noseweight on a twin axle trailer or does this only apply to single axle ones?Thanks.

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Chris R.

3/4/2020

Towing a tandem axle trailer nose high could potentially lead to sway and more weight on the rear tires and axle just like a single axle unit. Regardless of the trailer size it's always best to tow as level as you can. If the ball height was raised on the truck because of a new lift (or new truck), then I recommend countering it with a new ball mount that provides the needed drop to match the coupler height.

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Joe

9/20/2020

Does the hitch hight have anything to do with backing up a short trailer i been back up trailers for years but this trailer is hard to back its a high but not bad

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Jon G.

9/21/2020

@Joe I mean you want to have your trailer leveled out (which is the point of having an adjustable ball mount) so if it is pretty uneven then that would probably be contributing to difficulty backing up. With that being said, if you've only backed up longer trailers then backing up a short trailer will be more difficult simply because any turning will be more aggressive because of how close the trailer axle is.

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See All (4) Replies to Martin N. ∨

Answer 1

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 2

The hitch ball angle adjustment on weight distribution systems is designed to provide more or less distribution of the tongue weight on your trailer hitch to the trailer and vehicle axles. If you adjust the ball angle farther away from the towing…

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Answer 3

Choosing a ball mount with the proper rise or drop is not an exact science. I typically recommend allowing for 1 to 2 inches for sag once the trailer is coupled. This figure can increase of decrease depending on the trailer tongue weight and the…

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Answer 4

You will need to use a cheater bar on the end of the wrench to get enough leverage to loosen the nut on the ball on ball mount #C45036. Chances are the crescent wrench has a wide and flat handle so you will likely need to go to a hardware store to…

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Answer 5

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Answer 6

Weight Distribution lift brackets can sometimes interfere with a trailer's structural components or with certain frame-mount accessory items like propane tanks. Reese offers a set of chain hangers that bolt on to the sides of your trailer frame,…

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Answer 7

The installation instrucutions of many of the weight distribution systems will tell you how far back on the trailer frame the lift brackets would attach. For instance, with the Curt #17301, the bracket would attach approximately 30 inches rearward of…

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Answer 8

For sag from towing a trailer the best recommendation I can make is actually a weight distribution system. Suspension enhancement will help level your truck while towing. But the advantage to a weight distribution system is that it levels the vehicle…

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Answer 9

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Answer 10

We don't have a combo of the Curt Hitch Ball #C40008 and Curt Ball Mount #C45340. The ball mount is extremely heavy-duty, rated up to 17,000 pounds. I think it's safe to assume you don't have a torque wrench rated up to 450 foot pounds…

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Answer 11

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Answer 12

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Can a Trailer Ride With the Tongue at an Upward or Downward Angle

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