Trailer Hitch

[tsnk4040]

Should the tongue of the trailer be level with the tow vehicle? My tow vehicle is a Ford Explorer. The tongue is lower than the receiver and I am thinking of buying a receiver with a 5" angle to level each other.

Please help!

[flyfisherman]

Should the tongue of the trailer be level with the tow vehicle? My tow vehicle is a Ford Explorer. The tongue is lower than the receiver and I am thinking of buying a receiver with a 5" angle to level each other.

Please help!

You want to pull your trailer as level as possible. If you can park the trailer on a flat area (like maybe a supermarket parking lot ...or your driveway if it's flat & level), unhitched, measure the distance from the bottom of the frame to the ground, both in the front and the rear; then using the trailer's tounge jack, get these two measurements to agree. When having done so, measure from the top of the coupler to the ground ... this is your hitch height. Any first class hitch installer would understand this measurement. The measurement for the tow vehicle would be form the top of the ball to the ground. Now the rub will be when you load the TV & the camper and then hitch-up just how much "squat" or sag you'll get from the rear suspension of that Explorer.

We'd all like to be toolin' down the road level ... first step in making for a smooth tow, but if it's going to be a little off,  I think it would be better for the trailer tounge to be down a little rather than up a little.


Good luck!


Fly

[batsignal2]

Should the tongue of the trailer be level with the tow vehicle? My tow vehicle is a Ford Explorer. The tongue is lower than the receiver and I am thinking of buying a receiver with a 5" angle to level each other.
 
 Please help!

I have an 03 Explorer and you do need a significant drop with your ball mount with any newer Explorer.  To measure the difference, check here for instructions with pictures:

http://www.hitchesonline.com/ball_mount_main.htm


I wish I could remember the exact ball mount drop I needed, I know it was close to the 6" drop (5 7/8 inches??).  The issue I found was if you have a Class II hitch, it is more difficult to find a drop long enough to fit a smaller hitch.  If you have a Class III hitch, it is significantly easier to find them long enough (ie online, RV dealers in stock, etc).

The //www.hitchesonline.com is where I purchased mine.  I am fortunate that they are right down the street from me so I get most of my stuff from them.  They are very nice and very helpful.  They did have the Class II drop for Explorers, they also have the Class III.  If you do not get the information you need online, I would call them 717-556-0278.

Good Luck!

Jeff

[wynot]

Should the tongue of the trailer be level with the tow vehicle? My tow vehicle is a Ford Explorer. The tongue is lower than the receiver and I am thinking of buying a receiver with a 5" angle to level each other.
 
Please help!

Determine the tongue weight of your trailer and your "normal" cargo weight in the rear cargo area of the truck, and then put that amount of weight in the Explorer and see where it needs to be then.
 
Otherwise, you will probably have a nose down trailer.
 
If the Explorer has a leveling option like the Tahoe, then it becomes a moot point, but if you don't you have to account for it.

[tsnk4040]

Thanks for the info.

I purchased a 5 1/4" drop and was perfect. The PU to seemed to tow much better as well.