The caravan industry ‘rethought its position’. If the trailer measurement was higher in this case you would need a rise. these are tight and the tighter the better. Grease is one of the most effective tools for preventing rust, corrosion and heat build-up on a trailer hitch ball. What to Do if the Tow Ball is High. If you have an adjustable tow ball assembly, simply lower the tow ball on the bracket so it stays well within legal limits. The difference between the two measurements is the “drop,” or “rise.” Find the ball mount that’s closest. Write down these readings – they reflect the proper alignment of the tow vehicle. Installing trailer balls and switch balls is a relatively simple process as long as you have the correct ball size for your receiver hitch. Lv 4. The fit between the ball hitch and the trailer coupler should be tight enough to prevent a disastrous decoupling while on the road, but not so snug that the trailer will have trouble making turns. The wrong tow ball weight can be illegal. Invest in the correct hitch. Hook your trailer back up and measure how much your vehicle squats from the weight of the tongue. you should use grease i will tell you why , first of all big rigs regular maintence is to grease fifth wheel , think about all the weight pivoting on the kingpin ? Measure from the ground to the skirt of the ball. Post by Rick Morel We're new to RV'ing after years of sailboat cruising. Ball weight refers to the weight on the front end of the trailer not carried over the axles. Lock the coupler and ball into place; there is a device known as a coupler clamp that is used to lock this down. Backing a trailer into a specific spot at a specific angle is mostly in the set-up. How can I check my ball weight? To keep the truck level, a set of supplemental airbags is a … Add the squat number back into your calculation to get a 1” ball drop mount needed. One question many people have regarding the maintenance of the trailer hitch ball is – Should I grease my trailer hitch ball or not? Swan neck tow balls can’t usually be dropped. If you will be towing multiple trailers, you may want an adjustable ball mount which allow you to adjust the rise and drop of your trailer ball. Verify coupler & ball connection and then secure safety latch with pin or lock. 5. Inspect safety chains for wear or cracks. Also, most hitches are designed to work with a mount that will end up so close to this measurement. So even though you’re within the permissible range, the difference is still high. 6. re-assemble ball back on to tow bar at least 140Nm (Very, Very, tight) and lubricate ball with a light coating of grease or drylube. A Solid Approach. On the tow vehicle, measure the distance from the ground to the high point of the wheel wells, at one front wheel and one back wheel. Each man will vary depending on his girth what size cock ring he uses. The receiver hitch is made up of several parts: a ball on top, a long, cylindrical threaded shaft, the lock washer, and the nut, which… It seems to me it should be relatively easy to move by hand. you do not realize how much movement the hitch sees again friction & heat . A tow bar must meet the following criteria: - The towbar should be normalised (ISO50). They will all have different torque specs, but I tighten them by "feel." Recheck that the handwheel is tight. For example, 17”-15”= a 2 inch drop ball mount. same goes for your trailer ball [friction & heat ] by greasing the ball you will increase life of the components . Back off (Anti-clockwise) the adjustment screw half a turn. At this point, the top of the hitch ball should be about an inch higher than the top of the trailer’s coupler. Location North Port, Florida. At the ball joint end? The tag on the ball said to torque it down to 430 ft-lbs. Now, depending on the source that you read the tolerance may vary: Some say between 7 to 14%. Using something like a cable clamp can give you an idea as to how tight you want a potential ring to be. The hitch and tow vehicle’s receiver must ride high enough from the ground to avoid scraping, even on potholes and bumpers. As a rule of thumb your caravan‘s tow ball weight should be about 10% of its total weight (Aggregate Trailer Mass). Permalink. this is why tow-balls wear out and the friction pads wear out as well. Check play in coupler and adjust if necessary. Frank Tabor 2010-06-25 12:29:07 UTC. Then while holding the screw so it can't move, tighten the lock-nut. Also: Check your compliance plate. It virtually overnight advised that lower tow ball weight, but few vendors indicated how to do this safely. not many people realise just how much the metal wears away and have tow balls that don't fit properly. You should also be sure the hitch size matches the coupler size and that all hitch components are tight before coupling the trailer to the tow vehicle. Verify trailer ball is tight on vehicle tow bar. A little bit of play is acceptable, the coupler should be tight enough that the coupler won't come off the ball, but not so tight you can't close the latch. Use tow-ball scales to check a range of loading configurations. The principles are the same whether you have a 53’ tractor/trailer rig or a rented 8’ U-Haul. These simple steps can get you the correct ball mount needed to tow your trailer level. If your ball weight is too heavy, then this places more stress on your car’s rear suspension as well as the tow bar. Generally there should be no issues with adding a 50mm drop plate to the vehicle tow bar to lower the ball height according to Witter as long as it is a bar designed for this. Filling your ball with air is like striking the perfect balance when you purchase a new mattress to sleep on: You don’t want it to be too hard, and you definitely don’t want it to be too soft, either. Step 3: 15 inches (18 inches minus the ball trailer hitch ball height of 3 inches) Rise or Drop Required: 23 – 15 = 8 inch drop. There is a nut on the bottom that you can tighten to make it tighter on the ball. At the bottom of the handle, the pinky through middle finger should be close together. Then measure from the ground to the top of the vehicle hitch receiver. You should check the handbook to check the details for your particular model. If it is not, adjust the height of the hitch ball. This results in a considerable unloading of the steering axle. While tow-ball weight is essential, vehicle makers continue to decrease that allowed. Typically, trailer hitch height is about 17 inches, from the ground to the bottom of the coupler. Measure the height of the front of the tow vehicle. We bought a slightly used Stehl tow dolly for our Caravan, which seems to work fine, but something seems not quite right. 100mm drop plates can be used on some tow bar systems but this would need to be confirmed with the manufacturer. The guys used an air-powered torque gun to tighten up the nut and when I asked them how we would know if it had been tightened down to the proper 430 ft-lbs, they said the gun was rated at 1,000 ft-lbs. In 2015, many reduced it from 350 kg (770 lb) to 250 kg (550 lb). 4. hold shank (Thread)of tow ball and move the ball around in the coupling while slowing tightening (Clockwise) the adjusting screw with a large screwdriver until the ball stops moving. It should never be tight that it cuts off circulation, that is asking for severe trouble. Check all connections at each stop. Measure again. First things first: roll down your windows. We’ve got the hook up on how you should get your tow hitch set up to pull a trailer. Secure the coupler clamp with the hitch pin that came with the hitch. trailer. All Hayman Reese towbars have a compliance plate which states the maximum tow rating and the towbar ball weight capacity. When you’re certain the two are locked in you can move on. Your fingers should end up in an angled position along the handle. Back off (Anti-clockwise) the adjustment screw half a turn. Check all connections at each stop. - The distance between the tow ball and the car bumper should be at … There’s a big difference between filling your ball with air so it’s tight like a drum and filling it with just enough air so that it’s firm and stabilizing as it should be. 5. Frontier-Lawn LawnSite Silver Member . The index finger should be separated and in a trigger-like position. Then while holding the screw so it can't move, tighten the lock-nut. Many people won't because it is messy but it will make things last longer. Reading this article is not going to substitute for practice, but it should prepare you to start. - The maximum load capacity of the tow bar must certainly exceed the weight of the bike rack AND the weight of the bicycles you wish to load. When the handwheel becomes tight, move the tow vehicle forward slightly or push rearward on the trailer to ensure that the hitch-ball is properly seated inside the coupler. Our Pajero is rated to have a tow ball download of 250 kg. Jeff Jenkins, U-Haul’s towing expert, suggests using 18 inches as the trailer height in step two if you plan to tow a U-Haul trailer, … Hitch ball on the towing vehicle should be 15” to 19” from the ground to the top of the plate that the trailer ball mounts through. Is the turning pad in fact should be so tight? Checking the suspension, hitch, ball mount, and frame for signs of stress should be done before every tow. A proper tennis grip should feel firm but not tight, similar to a firm handshake. Before you hitch your trailer to your tow vehicle, you need to become familiar with your trailer’s coupler. “Tight-fitting shoes lead to blisters and black toenails and that kind of thing. When the handwheel becomes tight, move the tow vehicle forward slightly or push rearward on the tow dolly to ensure that the hitch-ball is properly seated inside the coupler. The short answer is that you should if you want to maintain it properly. 3. If the tow ball is at 350mm on a fully laden vehicle and the trailer coupling is at 510 mm on an empty trailer, the difference in height is extreme. Reese sells special grease for this very application. Good and snug, then line up the cotter pin hole if it uses one. in usethe alko hitch acts like a disc brake on the tow-ball and it causes wear on the actuall metal of the tow ball. Note: If coupling still to tight on the ball, back off screw another quarter turn. Make sure the hitch and hitch-ball are securely attached to your tow vehicle and that the trailer coupler is properly connected to the hitch-ball. A V-shaped groove should form at the top, between the thumb and index finger. Your trailer should always be set up to tow on a level plane. 1 decade ago. This tow ball weight is known as tow ball download… and if it’s too light then it can make your caravan sway. Recheck that the handwheel is tight. Others 8 to 12%. I typically tighten the coupler up until I feel a slight resistance when closing the coupler latch, then I'll back it off slightly from there. Rick. The coupler and ball hitch should be locked into place. Let’s say the front raises 2” then they want you to set the torsion bars so the front raises 50% from its solo position or in this case 1” higher than its solo position. The receiver hitch is made up of several parts: a ball on top, a long, cylindrical threaded shaft, the lock washer, and the nut, which keeps the ball secured on the receiver's ball mount. Drop the trailer on the ball without torsion bars. How to Install a Tow Ball to your Vehicle: Fitting a Tow Ball to your vehicle is relatively simple process as long as you have the correct ball size for your receiver hitch. (I think 100mm is the max legally allowable drop plate). When you are adding a significant weight to your rear suspension and tow ball like a heavy caravan plus the load you have packed in the caravan, a weight distribution hitch can evenly spread that weight across the vehicle and the front axels. Make 100 percent sure the coupler is not floating on the ball hitch. The Tow Ready 2 Inch Hitch Ball, part # 63845, you have referenced needs to be torqued to 250 foot pounds.It is recommended to frequently check that the ball is tightened to these specifications. 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