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

Question

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Hey Joe, welcome back! I'm not entirely sure where our 15" measurement came from but you will be able to add your 13" diameter tank to the inside of the #3371701385. The front to back measurement is 16.16" and then the lip will…

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Answer 3

The original B&W Tow & Stow, like the #BW54FR didn't work well with your tailgate, as the front face of the shank would contact the tailgate which isn't good. The excellent news is that B&W has developed a Tow & Stow model…

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Answer 4

Hey Frevent! B&W does have options for a 2-1/2" hitch that work with the MultiPro but the rise/drop is going to be a little bit more. We have the B&W Tow & Stow 2-Ball Mount #BWTS20066BMP with a 7" drop/7-1/2" rise or the…

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Answer 5

Hey Nick, thanks for reaching out! The B&W Tow & Stow #BWTS20048B is going to hang down 7-1/2" from the center of your hitch pin hole, while the Tow & Stow #BWTS20067BMP (designed for your tailgate) will hang down 9-3/4".…

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Answer 6

For your 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 I recommend the Redarc Tow Pro Elite #RED63RR. You can use it along with the Plug in Adapter #3064-P for a plug and play install, since you already have the factory tow package. The Redarc controller is going to be…

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Answer 7

Curt recommends the use of 250 ft/lbs of torque when tightening the nuts of their hitch balls with a 1 inch diameter shank like the part #C40034 that you referenced. The general rule is for a 3/4" shank tighten to 150 ft/lbs For a 1" shank…

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Answer 8

There are a couple of differences between the wiring harnesses for your 2016 Ram ProMaster. The biggest difference is the technology used. The Curt #C56270 uses what is called Surface-Mount Technology. Essentially what this does is almost eliminate…

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Answer 9

I'm assuming that you are asking about length of the ball mount and not the drop or rise. The Convert-A-Ball Ball Mount for 2" Hitches #AMSC4 is 12 1/4 inches in length from the end of the shank to the center of the ball hole, and 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

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 12

This Cushioned Ball Mount, part #AMSC4, has a ball mount hole that measures 1 inch in diameter. If you are looking for a ball with a 1 inch shank that also has a 10,000 lb capacity I would recommend the Convert-A-Ball Interchangeable Ball Set, part…

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

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