1" drop or 0" drop ball mount

[bigtiller]

I think 1 inch low in front on a 20 foot trailer while fully loaded is a pretty good "target" to aim for.

 

[bdog]

If 1" low is outside your comfort zone, I respectfully submit that you are overthinking this by a wide margin.

I wouldn't say it is outside my comfort zone I have towed many trailers several inches high or low it is just that this one may see 50k miles this year and I want it right.

 

[sandman2234]

I wouldn't say it is outside my comfort zone I have towed many trailers several inches high or low it is just that this one may see 50k miles this year and I want it right.

This is why I questioned you...




David from jax

 

[sld]

I would think 1 inch low would be about perfect. I have several draw bar and ball combos for boats, campers, trailers, etc...and I always shoot for slightly below level. There is a much lower chance of getting any sway problems than when you are slightly above level. Plus, on the boat it gives you more clearance for the outboard that is 20 some feet behind the truck. I will go 2-3 inches low and it pulls fine.

I think you are fine at 1 inch low. Try it and see how it pulls before you spend any money for something else.

 

[Orange 08]

Doesn't having the trailer nose low add weight to the back truck axle when brakeing and having it trailer nose high reduce weight on the back truck axle?

 

[Diamondpilot]

There are "bumper pull" drawbars rated to 20,000 lbs, I have a couple.
I've also used gooseneck balls in said drawbars to get a ball rated higher than the drawbar, works fine.
There are also receiver hitches rated to 15,000 or more, regardless of what the truck manufacturer says. Have one of them too.

Buyers Forged Ball Mount — 2in. Drop, 1 1/4in. Ball Hole, 20,000-Lb. Capacity, Model# 1803051 | Ball Mount Hitches | Northern Tool + Equipment

Yes, same here also. My hitch that is on my F-350 is rated at 16,000# and the 2" hitches on the F-250's are rated at 12,000# usually.

Chris

 

[downslope]

This is why I questioned you...




David from jax

It's hard to read the parts you have circled. What year is this spec sheet from? Maybe it's an older one and that's why it has the 10,000 lb restriction.

I looked at the current Ford and GM guides online and they seem to range 12.5 to 17K for conventional towing.

My 4 year old 2008 GM owners manual says 13,000 lb max for a weight distributing hitch. The current 2012 GM guide is a little higher, up to 14K for the gas and 17K for diesel dualies with drawbar ball hitches.

 

[foreman Etexas]

 

[Diamondpilot]

It's hard to read the parts you have circled. What year is this spec sheet from? Maybe it's an older one and that's why it has the 10,000 lb restriction.

I looked at the current Ford and GM guides online and they seem to range 12.5 to 17K for conventional towing.

My 4 year old 2008 GM owners manual says 13,000 lb max for a weight distributing hitch. The current 2012 GM guide is a little higher, up to 14K for the gas and 17K for diesel dualies with drawbar ball hitches.

Yep, trucks of even 10 years ago do not hold a candle to todays trucks.

Chris

 

[sandman2234]

Yep, trucks of even 10 years ago do not hold a candle to todays trucks.

Chris

Well, I am not sure that I agree that the trucks don't hold a candle to todays trucks, but maybe I will agree that Ford has raised the vehicle load ratings of the newer trucks.(probably to keep up with the ever changing ratings of the competition) I would probably put my 7.3 up against most any of todays trucks in a lonegivity test with a couple of tons in the bed. The older ones have a better reputation, on which the new ones are riding the coattails of. The 2011 and up are gaining a better rep than the ones before them, but doesn't make them better than the 10 year ago trucks.
David from jax

 

[Diamondpilot]

Well, I am not sure that I agree that the trucks don't hold a candle to todays trucks, but maybe I will agree that Ford has raised the vehicle load ratings of the newer trucks.(probably to keep up with the ever changing ratings of the competition) I would probably put my 7.3 up against most any of todays trucks in a lonegivity test with a couple of tons in the bed. The older ones have a better reputation, on which the new ones are riding the coattails of. The 2011 and up are gaining a better rep than the ones before them, but doesn't make them better than the 10 year ago trucks.
David from jax

Guess matter of opinion. I have owned well over 15 trucks and can tell you they get better and stronger each and every year in my eyes. I had a 99 F-350 7.3L and it was a good truck, dont get me wrong. Especially for the time but my 06 F-350 is much more truck and my dads new 2011 is much nicer then my 06. Its just the way it works.

I would put any 05 or later 1/2 ton up against any 3/4 ton gas made in the mid 90's any day of the week.

Chris

 

[Reg]

Yes it is fully loaded and the truck has a "permanent" load on it as well so there is no potential for additional sag with more load.

I am like you I never want the front down, but 2" high is a bit. I can see the springs on the trailer axles not level and it looks like it is putting more load on the back axle.

Oh, oh...
Likely as this is to lead to a flame war, I'll say it anyway.
More load on the rear axle is a GOOD thing for trailer stability.
EVEN THOUGH the center of mass should be AHEAD of the front axle's center line.
If the front axle bears more load than the rear the trailer tends to teeter totter over it, often resulting in trailer sway.
NOTE: "tends to" means that and only that.

 

[Reg]

Doesn't having the trailer nose low add weight to the back truck axle when brakeing and having it trailer nose high reduce weight on the back truck axle?

No.
It is (SHOULD be) the other way around.

 

[LD1]

I would put any 05 or later 1/2 ton up against any 3/4 ton gas made in the mid 90's any day of the week.

Chris

I agree with that 100%

No.
It is (SHOULD be) the other way around.

Actually, it doesnt matter either way. The weight transfer is a result of the velocity change, and is going to add weight to the rear wether it is 2" high or 2" low.

In theory though, an EXTREMELY high tongue could cause weight to be taken off, but the truck would have to be raised up in the air like bigfoot with an 8' high hitch, coulped with a low trailer AND no trailer brakes. But an inch or two either way, the difference would be immeasurable.

And to throw more confusion at you'all, "level" for purposes of figuring above is NOT the level of the hitch-to-bed.

You would have to actually draw an imaginary line from the hitch THROUGH the center of gravity of the trailer. AND this center gets MUCH higher with a tractor/car strapped on. So with a load, the CG is going to be WELL above the hitch. Thus a downward angle, and braking will ADD weight to the truck. Again, with a tractor on a trailer, the CG is going to be ~6 foot in the air, and the hitch @~20".

And all this is negating the fact of trailer brakes. Trailer brakes is naturally going to ADD weight to the tongue because the CG is well above where the tire meets the road.

 

[Reg]

I agree with that 100%



Actually, it doesnt matter either way. The weight transfer is a result of the velocity change, and is going to add weight to the rear wether it is 2" high or 2" low.

In theory though, an EXTREMELY high tongue could cause weight to be taken off, but the truck would have to be raised up in the air like bigfoot with an 8' high hitch, coulped with a low trailer AND no trailer brakes. But an inch or two either way, the difference would be immeasurable.

And to throw more confusion at you'all, "level" for purposes of figuring above is NOT the level of the hitch-to-bed.

You would have to actually draw an imaginary line from the hitch THROUGH the center of gravity of the trailer. AND this center gets MUCH higher with a tractor/car strapped on. So with a load, the CG is going to be WELL above the hitch. Thus a downward angle, and braking will ADD weight to the truck. Again, with a tractor on a trailer, the CG is going to be ~6 foot in the air, and the hitch @~20".

And all this is negating the fact of trailer brakes. Trailer brakes is naturally going to ADD weight to the tongue because the CG is well above where the tire meets the road.

We can better discuss this some time after you have sorted out your confusion between weight, mass and force.
Then I will help you to move onto moments - and perhaps eventually... Ahh, never mind, you will argue crap into it WAY before then.

 

[LD1]

No crap. Just facts and physics.

But I am curious to hear your opinion on why you think a low hitch will take weight OFF the hitch under braking and why a high hitch will will somehow ADD weight

oh...nevermind

we are hijacking the thread and the point is moot. an inch or two difference either way aint gonna mean squat to the truck or trailer in the OP's case.

 

[sandman2234]

Guess matter of opinion. I have owned well over 15 trucks and can tell you they get better and stronger each and every year in my eyes. I had a 99 F-350 7.3L and it was a good truck, dont get me wrong. Especially for the time but my 06 F-350 is much more truck and my dads new 2011 is much nicer then my 06. Its just the way it works.


I would put any 05 or later 1/2 ton up against any 3/4 ton gas made in the mid 90's any day of the week.


Chris

Creature comforts are way up and beyond on the newer trucks, no arguement there. My thoughts were in longevity. Lets see how many of the 06 and 2011's are still out there working every day compared to the 10 year old and more 7.3 trucks in the future. There were a lot of good trucks built 10 years ago that are still being sought after, by a lot of people, so there must be a reason for it. I realize spending $55,000 for a truck is on the high end of a lot of peoples budgets, if they just do weekend hauling of their tractor to mow their couple of acres, so that might encourage the current 7.3 truck hunt, but what I am seeing is too many people can't see risking that much money on a truck that really hasn't proved itself, when the last few years has been so disheartening as far as the diesel crowd.

I really wasn't talking about 1/2 ton gas, but I do know my 2001 didn't, and still doesn't hold a candle to my 1991. Same basic truck in size and driveline, but the newer v8 just doesn't have the guts of the old 350. The things I did to the 91 would couldn't even begin to happen with the 01, but that is older than your example, so a mute point.
Diesel technology definitely has improved over the last 10 years, give you that, but has longevity? Only way to know for sure is to sit back and wait. My thoughts on all those neat gadgets, are they are just another thing to break or maintain, though some are nice to have.

David from jax