How to Choose the Right Rise or Drop Ball Mount to Tow Trailer Level without Knowing the Trailer

Updated 04/07/2016 | Published 04/04/2016

Products Featured in This Question

B&W Tow & Stow 2-Ball Mount - 2" Hitch - 5" Drop, 5-1/2" Rise - 10K - Black

(4717)

$269.00

B&W Tow & Stow 2-Ball Mount - 2" Hitch - 9" Drop, 9-1/2" Rise - 10K - Black

(4717)

$349.00

Question:

I have a 2007 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with a 6 1/4 ft bed it supposedly has a Class IV hitch with a 2 in receiver opening on it and I am looking to buy around a 22-24 ft travel trailer. I really know nothing about hitches and balls but I have been reading a lot. My truck has 20 in tires on it and sits fairly high off the ground but not a monster so Im really confused on drop or rise, I dont think I would be concerned with rise but more so drop. If I purchased a Trailer I wouldnt have anyway of getting it home without a ball mount so my question is would this ball mount fit most pull trailers without knowing the ball size or how much of a drop I will need. According to the Ram charts I should be able to haul about 10,400 lbs of trailer although I dont think I would buy a trailer that big. Should I wait to buy a trailer before I purchase this? Thank you

asked by: Cindi H

Expert Reply:

Any time you are not sure what rise or drop you might need to tow a trailer level it is a good idea to use an adjustable ball mount. The same goes for the ball size needed though most trailers in the sizes you are looking at will have a 2-5/16 inch ball but possibly a 2 inch ball.

Since you mentioned that your 2007 Ram 1500 is perhaps a little higher than most, so a 9 inch drop model, such as # BWTS10043B, would be a better choice in this scenario.

There is no need to wait until you have a trailer to buy a ball mount since using an adjustable ball mount will cover your bases well. But once you have a trailer you can measure from the drop needed. I have linked our shopper's guide to determining the correct rise or drop ball mount needed to tow a trailer level.

expert reply by: Michael H