Recommended Ground Clearance For B&W Tow And Stow Ball Mounts

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Question:

I noticed you recommend a minimum clearance distance from ground to the lowest point of the hitch of 11. Does that take into account the ball not being used in a dual or tri-ball combination mount? I have a 2021 F-350SD with a factory Class-V receiver hitch, and the distance from level ground to the bottom of the 2.5inch square hole for the drawbar is exactly 19.5. I have an ATV trailer I used to haul with my older F150 which used a 2inch receiver, a straight drawbar with an 8inch and a 2inch ball to tow level. I am looking at getting a BandW Stow and Go model BWTS20049B for this new truck, but upon checking measurements I believe I will need to set the ball assembly to the lowest possible adjustment to tow level once again. The 7.5inch maximum distance on that model is really the only one that would fit the bill for my specific truck and trailer combination. As the distance on the drawbar itself is already over 8inch from the bottom of the drawbar to the bottom on the vertical adjustment channel, wont that mean that the 2and5/16inch ball Ill not be using will extend far past the 11inch minimum clearance recommended here on your website? Does BandW make a dual-ball attachment for this assembly where the balls are designed at a 90 degree right angle to themselves, rather than a 180 degree opposing orientation?

asked by: Steve

0

Expert Reply:

You are right that the minimum recommended ground clearance is 11". Using the # BWTS20049B in its lowest position would leave one of the trailer balls lower than the vertical portion of the ball mount. There really is no work around in this case. B&W does not make a separate attachment with the balls at 90 degrees like you described. Maybe they should start making one though, this is not the first time this has come up. In some cases folks can get away with less that 11" clearance, but you would have to be very careful on steep inclines.

expert reply by: Jesse M

0

Answer 1

It sounds like you have a pretty nice trip planned! Bias trailer tires do not have a set range you can travel as they meet DOT standards for a tire. With that said before you start your trip I would make sure to check your tires for any dry rot or…

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Answer 2

The B&W Tow & Stow Adjustable 3-Ball Mount #BWTS20049B has a 2-inch ball rated for 7500-lbs. You are right that standard individual 2-inch hitch balls can carry much higher ratings, such as Curt 2-inch ball #A-90 which is rated for 10K. All…

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Answer 3

There are two Class IV trailer hitches that fit your 2019 Ram 1500 the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver item #14374 and Draw-Tite Trailer Hitch Receiver item #75232. Both of these trailer hitches have a 2" receiver, 10,000 lb maximum towing capacity…

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Answer 4

From my research on the Harbor Freight 4x8 folding trailer uses 4.80-12 tires on a 12 inch wheel for the 1195 lb capacity trailer and a 5.30-12 for the 1720 lbs capacity trailer. It is a good idea to check your existing tires to see which size they…

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Answer 5

The Kenda 5.30-12 Bias Trailer Tire with 12" White Wheel #AM30859 will fit your Harbor Freight trailer as long as it uses the same 5 on 4-1/2" bolt pattern. The larger pilot hole diameter is not a problem since the wheels are lug centric…

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Answer 6

Blue Ox does not offer the SwayPro part #BXW1000 with a 2-1/2 inch shank or without a shank so to use this setup with a 2-1/2 inch hitch you'd have to also order the shank 2.5 inch shank #BXW4028 with the #BXW1000.

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Answer 7

Since you already have the Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution w/ Sway Control item #BXW1000 I would not recommend buying a new one to go with your Grand Design Imagine 2970rl. The tongue weight range on that Blue Ox is 750-1,000 lbs so you're…

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Answer 8

You are correct, you'll just need a WDS shank that is capable of working with your 2017 Ford F-250 with a 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" trailer hitch receiver. I recommend checking out the: -Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution Shank for 2-1/2"…

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Answer 9

The best solution to lift a tandem axle trailer like yours 2 inches is the 2 inch lift for tandem axles from Lift Kit #RR23QX. This attaches to the suspension hangers and gives you a safe and very stable 2 inch lift like you are needing!

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Answer 10

Hey Phillip, welcome back. It looks like the top of the receiver with the stock tires is 23-1/4" above the ground on your 2020 Ram 2500. You can confirm this by measuring from the ground to the top inside edge of your trailer hitch receiver. If…

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Answer 11

The Curt Rebellion XD part #C57UR measures 10 inches from the bottom of the shank that inserts into the hitch opening to the bottom of the ball mount. So you would lose 10 inches of ground clearance measured from bottom of your hitch.

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Answer 12

It sounds like you are trying to decide between the B&W Tow & Stow 3-Ball Mount part #BWTS20049B which has 7" of drop and the B&W Tow & Stow 3-Ball Mount part #BWTS20048B which has 4-1/2" of drop. If that is the case then…

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Recommended Ground Clearance For B&W Tow And Stow Ball Mounts

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