Newbie: Ball hitch questions

[CompleteTruckNewbie]

I'm a total newbie here, I bought a (used) 2023 F150 XLT with the intent to buy a travel trailer sometimes in the next year.
The trailers we're looking at are 6500-7500lbs fully loaded (19-22 foot trailers) and we're looking at renting a few first.

I need a ball hitch (I think that's what you call the "stem" and ball combo that the trailer hitch latches onto). I just started learning about them but this forum is a great shortcut. What do you recommend for my situation? I think I need both 2" and 2 5/16 balls, because some trailers I'm looking at use one or the other. Do I need drop capabilities?

Is something like this what I want? Overkill? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SMGAJ6

Is the "stow" capability of something like this worth it? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000S0N2RU

Would I regret not having the 1 7/8 option even though I have nothing I'm aware of that I need it for, but never having a hitch before, there may be a new realm of possibilities I'm not aware of, like pulling some rental tool (many years ago I rented a power auger from home depot and had to rent one of their trucks to pull it home)

Sponsored

 

[Buyer2021]

IME 99% of the trailers suitable for towing with an F150 use a 2" ball.

More IME, 3-1/4" drop 2" ball 'stinger' has met 99% of my dead-weight towing needs through the years (owned utility trailers and rental equipment trailers). Note that you can equip yourself with several stinger/ball combinations (different drops) at much less cost that a fancy adjustable unit (and they're quick / easy to swap when needed).

If you tow an RV trailer with a GTWR of 6500-7500# you are in WDH (Weight Distributing Hitch) territory and your WDH will have its own height-adjustable stinger with the proper ball; if you rent such a trailer for a 'trial' the rental vendor should also have suitable WDHs for that purpose. Then, if you buy a trailer, you will buy a WDH to match your trailer.

You can spend a lot of money on fancy adjustable-height / multiple-ball dead-weight setups like those you link, but IMO it's a lot cheaper and easier to just buy the 'fixed' stinger / ball combination(s) you really need for the trailer(s) you tow and quickly swap-out the inexpensive 'fixed' stinger+ball assembly.

Just for your consideration.

 

[CompleteTruckNewbie]

Thanks I will definitely want a WD hitch, but that's the extent of what I know. I didn't realize they also had weight adjustment.

The stinger you point to is rated at 5000lbs max, is it because the weight distribution system would effectively reduce the perceived weight? The 2 5/16 ball also says rated at 5000lbs also (so is the 2" but that seems common)

I love the idea to save a buck but don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish. Of course this one is very similar in price and rated at 7500lbs

I definitely see some of the trailers are 2 5/16 but many manufacturers don't seem to make that info easily accessible, but I'd be OK manually swapping a ball if I occasionally need to tow something different. I could get 2 of those simple hitches rated for 7500lbs, one 2" and one 2 5/16 for under 50 bucks. I'm still feeling a little queasy at the idea of pulling at 7500lbs trainer with a hitch rated at 7500lbs unless the weight distribution truly makes it under spec. Of course $70 will buy me a hitch rated at 17,000lbs and that makes the pair still under $100, which beats the adjustable ones still.

I'd probably want to add on of those keyed pin locks

 

[UGADawg96]

If you're towing a TT over 5k lbs, most likely you'll have a WDH with a 2 5/16" ball. If you're towing anything else, most likely you'll have a regular 2" ball. You want the right tool for the right job. We've been through two different WDH styles, one with bars (Recurve) and one with chains (Andersen). They both came with the 2 5/16" ball. We also have a regular 6k lb 2" ball for utility (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-To...8-inch-Pin-Class-III-Black-2-inch-Ball/876876), for anything else that pops up. If we needed something specific or adjustable for somethings larger and on a regular basis, would maybe consider something beefier and adjustable. But if that was the case, we'd probably be in a super duty.

 

[cdestuck]

Anything over 3000 pounds will have electric brakes and a 2 5/16 inch ball. I have never seen a travel trailer with a 2 inch ball.

 

[Buyer2021]

The stinger you point to is rated at 5000lbs max, is it because the weight distribution system would effectively reduce the perceived weight?

A dead-weight stinger

Has nothing to do with / no relation to a WDH stinger

Don't confuse / confabulate the two.

 

[Buyer2021]

Anything over 3000 pounds will have electric brakes and a 2 5/16 inch ball. I have never seen a travel trailer with a 2 inch ball.

Just FYI, all bumper-pull Escape trailers with a GTWR of 5k# or less have a 2" ball, which is typical of the many RVs in that weight range.

 

[grayDawg]

I'm a total newbie here, I bought a (used) 2023 F150 XLT with the intent to buy a travel trailer sometimes in the next year.
The trailers we're looking at are 6500-7500lbs fully loaded (19-22 foot trailers) and we're looking at renting a few first.

I need a ball hitch (I think that's what you call the "stem" and ball combo that the trailer hitch latches onto). I just started learning about them but this forum is a great shortcut. What do you recommend for my situation? I think I need both 2" and 2 5/16 balls, because some trailers I'm looking at use one or the other. Do I need drop capabilities?

Is something like this what I want? Overkill? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SMGAJ6

Is the "stow" capability of something like this worth it? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000S0N2RU

Would I regret not having the 1 7/8 option even though I have nothing I'm aware of that I need it for, but never having a hitch before, there may be a new realm of possibilities I'm not aware of, like pulling some rental tool (many years ago I rented a power auger from home depot and had to rent one of their trucks to pull it home)

There are numerous options for towing a camper with the weight you describe. First consideration is the tongue weight of the trailer. Has a big impact on towability, performance, and safety. Then a good quality load leveling hitch is required (I used this one https://www.equalizerhitch.com/products/equal-i-zer-hitch/) for towing a 28' Airstream with a GVWR of 7800 LB and a tongue weight of 1000 LB. Also, some rear suspension upgrade may be required to eliminate the squat factor. Happy camping!

 

[CompleteTruckNewbie]

A dead-weight stinger

Has nothing to do with / no relation to a WDH stinger

Don't confuse / confabulate the two.

Ah thanks, see being a newbie, I thought weight distribution hitches still needed to connect to a ball, I didn't realize they have their own stinger.

 

[CND Supercrew]

I've towed for 20 years, RV tech for 4 years w/ schooling. Buy this and forget the rest...

https://www.equalizerhitch.com/

 

[Buyer2021]

I thought weight distribution hitches still needed to connect to a ball, I didn't realize they have their own stinger.

WDHs do use a ball, sized to match the trailer coupler, but the stinger is different than a dead-weight version due to the various adjustments required to properly set-up a WDH for a particular rig / load / torsion transfer system (bars, chains, whatever) specific to the WDH assembly.

 

[CompleteTruckNewbie]

yes, sorry, I shouldn't have said ball, I meant the ball type from your top picture (dead weight)
I get it now, but I didn't before your post. thanks for that.
Half the battle sometimes is knowing the right terminology.

 

[CND Supercrew]

Those type of hitches are okay for light loads, boat, utility trailers etc.
For reference, yesterday our seasonal camping opened up. Unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating but oh well.
My trailer is 7k after battery and 2x 20# tanks. Add a good 500# of gear and etc... Another good 500# in the box plus the wife and me, say 8k. Wind is 35 gusting 55kph at my 2 or 3 o'clock the whole trip. Very stable trip averaging 90-95kph

 

[CompleteTruckNewbie]

Thanks all, I now understand that a 2" drop 2" ball is a great all-around for light duty towing (say, one of those UHaul or Home Depot rental) but that anything requiring 2 5/16 will be a WDH.

I got a $21 Maxxhaul 2" drop 2" recover 2" ball off Amazon for that general-purpose towing.
I'll likely get an Equal-i-zer 4 WDH when I get a travel trailer.

 

[Calson]

There are many RV specific websites where you can get a great deal more information. These websites have trailer manufacturer subforums that can provide information about defects for certain models and years.

Changing the ball on a hitch is not a big deal if you have a large enough wrench for the nut. I carry the two different size balls in my truck as the tool yards use both size for their trailers.

Sponsored