How To Select A Drop Hitch For Your Lifted Truck

11 October 2016
 Categories: , Blog

Share

When it comes to adding a tow hitch to your lifted truck, you need to measure carefully to be sure that it will not only fit your truck but also attach to the trailer securely. If you've never had to buy a trailer hitch for a lifted truck, there are a few things that you should know.

How To Measure For Your Ball Mount Hitch

Proper measurement is essential for the balance of your trailer and its cargo. Park both the truck and the trailer on level ground. Measure the distance from the ground to the top of the hitch mounting point on the bumper. Make a note of the result so you can reference it later.

Measure the distance from the ground to the top of the trailer coupler and make a note of that as well. When you're dealing with a lifted truck, this measurement should be less than the measurement to the bumper's hitch mounting point. Subtract the trailer height measurement from the bumper hitch measurement to find out how much drop you'll need in your trailer hitch.

The drop refers to how far down the hitch will have to reach to secure to the trailer. It's an important measurement, because you won't be able to adjust the hitch. That means getting the right size the first time.

How To Choose The Hitch Ball For Your Lifted Truck

When you choose the hitch ball for your truck, it needs to be the proper rating for your truck and trailer. Look at the owner's manual for your truck to find out what the maximum weight rating is for your truck's towing capacity. You'll need a hitch that can handle at least that much.

Balancing the truck's towing capacity and the hitch rating is key. Even if your tow hitch is rated for more than your truck's towing capacity, you still won't be able to tow more. Likewise, if your tow hitch isn't rated for as high a weight capacity as your truck, you won't be able to tow as much as your truck is capable of. You're limited by the lowest capacity rating between the two, so try to select a hitch that's rated equally to your truck.

Use the diameter of the trailer coupler to determine the diameter of the hitch ball. The ball needs to fit with the coupler, so this is essential. In addition, the shank length on the hitch should be enough that you can still see a couple of threads when the hitch ball is in place and tightened. This ensures that the towing assembly is secure.

Contact a company like Geny Hitch for more tips about choosing a dropped hitch for your truck.