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Old     (peter19u)      Join Date: Oct 2006       12-16-2011, 1:06 PM Reply   
I just installed some new tires and rims on my truck and want to know what the distance should be from the ground to the top of the trailer hithc ball. Thought it was 21" before I put new tires and rims on and now it looks like it is 24" from the ground to the top of the trailer hitch ball.

Thanks, Pete
Old     (Txjole)      Join Date: Dec 2011       12-16-2011, 1:30 PM Reply   
Same height as your trailer frame at the wheels.
Old     (FunkyBunch)      Join Date: Jun 2011       12-16-2011, 1:40 PM Reply   
IMO 20-21 inches is average height based on the boats I have towed.

Couple of notes since I do not know about your boat or trailer.

If you have a dual axle trailer and your trailer is level you should be good to go.
In some cases you might have the trailer slightly tilted toward the truck if you have a v-drive boat, it will allow more weight to shift forward since the major weight sits on the rear or the rear axle. You want the weight to be as even as possible to stabilize the load and so you do not over heat the front or rear axle trailer tires.

Hope that helps
Old     (peter19u)      Join Date: Oct 2006       12-16-2011, 1:51 PM Reply   
thanks for the info. It looks like it's 21" to the trailer frame and the bottom of the trailer hitch is 21.5". I think I should be okay since this is where the trailer will sit when it's locked or connected to the ball
Old    SamIngram            12-16-2011, 2:19 PM Reply   
It should be at the height required to make your trailer sit level. If the trailer tongue is low in the front the trailer will be prematurely depressing the surge brakes. If the trailer tongue is high in the front it will require additional pressure before the surge brakes get depressed.

If your tongue is level then the force applied by the momentum of the boat pushing forward is greatest since all the force will be in the X direction (horizontal direction); otherwise, if the tongue is not level some of the force is applied in the Y direction. Applying force in the Y direction (vertical direction) is not good! It is actually unsafe since it reduces braking pressure and increases the tendency for the trailer to want to become unhitched. It will also induce additional wear to the brakes of your tow vehicle...
Old     (camassanger)      Join Date: Oct 2009       12-21-2011, 3:07 PM Reply   
Sams right.

Put a level on your trailer frame, level it with the tongue jack, then measure height to the bottom of the coupler. That becomes the height that your hitch ball (the bottom plate where the ball is bolted to) needs to be. So adjust the drop to match the height of the coupler when the boat is level.
Old     (dougr)      Join Date: Dec 2009       12-21-2011, 3:25 PM Reply   
if you have to choose between to hi or a little to low, take the lower level. although it may cause a little more tonge weight, the trailer will track straight with more tonge weight that less. you will get sway with a higher hitch. sometimes its hard to get it perfect

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