How to Select the Correct Ball Mount for your Hitch

Choosing the correct ball mount for your vehicle and trailer combination is vital to ensuring a safe towing connection.

Having the right ball mount for your vehicle means two things:

  1. A level connection between the towing vehicle and trailer

  2. A weight rating that is equal to or larger than the trailer being towed

Take these 3 steps ensure the ball mount is the proper height for your trailer:

1. Find your hitch height

Measure the height from the top of your vehicle’s hitch receiver tube to the ground

2. Find your coupler height

Level your trailer and measure the height from the bottom of the coupler to the ground

3. Measure the difference

Subtract the height of the trailer coupler from the height of the receiver. This difference is the amount of drop you need in your ball mount.

  • If your hitch height is greater than your coupler height, you’ll need a ball mount with a drop.
  • If your coupler height is greater than your hitch height, you’ll need a ball mount with a rise.

What if I Need to Tow Different Types of Trailers?

If you will be towing multiple trailers, you may want an adjustable ball mount which allow you to adjust the rise and drop of your trailer ball.

Jeff Jenkins, U-Haul’s towing expert, suggests using 18 inches as the trailer height in step two if you plan to tow a U-Haul trailer, as this is the standard coupler height for U-Haul trailers.

You can find the right ball mount for you at any of our U-Haul stores or in our online store.

 

 

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