need help setting up my tow rig for my trailer

[clstolten]

Can somebody tell me how the ratings on the ball and tongue work? I figure my trailer with k5 will weigh about 7500lbs. The 2 5/16 balls that I have seen are stamped 6000lbs. Would I be overloading that ball? Same question about the drop tongue reciever end that I will be using. Does the rating on that need to be over 7500lbs as well? The guy that sold me my trailer said the 6000 lbs ball rating was for max tongue weight, but I don't really believe that. My truck is an 05 dodge with the factory class IV hitch. Thanks

 

[3 on the tree]

Every hitch I have ever had, the tongue weight was 10% of the rated load.

 

[yoshisv]

I believe that is tongue weight. I have towed more than that with a 2 inch ball, So you should be ok.

 

[78Buford]

Can somebody tell me how the ratings on the ball and tongue work? I figure my trailer with k5 will weigh about 7500lbs. The 2 5/16 balls that I have seen are stamped 6000lbs. Would I be overloading that ball? Yes, you are overloading the rating. Go to TSC and buy a 25,000 lb. rated ball. They are black. Same question about the drop tongue reciever end that I will be using. Does the rating on that need to be over 7500lbs as well? Yes, you are overloading the rating. Go to TSC, and buy a HD 10,000 lb drop tongue receiver. They are solid steel, and beefy. The brand name is Valley. The guy that sold me my trailer said the 6000 lbs ball rating was for max tongue weight, He lied to you but I don't really believe that. My truck is an 05 dodge with the factory class IV hitch. Thanks

I'm not lecturing, just pointing out facts. I'm not a saint in regards to towing more weight than components are rated for. My off-road rig & trailer weigh approximately 9000 lbs together. The hitch on my '93 F350 is rated at 6000 lbs weight carrying, and 12,000 lbs weight distributing. I towed once with a 6K pound rated 6" drop reciever, and a 6K rated 2 & 5/16" ball.

I bought a weight distributing setup. The problem is that it has a 4 & 7/8" drop shank (takes the place of the tongue reciever). Point of this: I still haven't bought the $100 6 & 1/4" shank that I need to have everything within spec/recommendations, and have the trailer level with the WD setup...so I am towing 9,000 lbs (weight carrying). I do at least however, have a HD 25K pound rated ball, and a 6" drop 10K pound rated tonque receiver. I need to get off my arse & spend the $100 on the proper weight distributing shank for the WD setup I have.

If your Class IV hitch is rated at 7500 lbs (weight carrying) or more, all you need are the HD 25K pound ball (about $25) and the HD 10K solid tonque receiver (about $40), and you are within spec, and good to go.

Roy

 

[clstolten]

Roy,
Thanks for the info.

 

[gmc4cw]

the number stamped in the ball is max trailer weight. not tongue weight. A weight distributing setup would be the best way to go. wouldn't hurt to invest in a sway control too. Good luck.

 

[6.2Blazer]

Trailer balls generally just have the max. trailer weight rating on them and not a tongue weight also (simply because the tongue does not really matter to the actual ball). Saying that 6,000 lbs. is the tongue weight is just ridiculuous because that number is so far off.....putting that much tongue weight on any bumper hitch would probably cause the front tires to leave the ground on any pickup. I have a 2 5/16 ball from TSC rated for 10,000 lbs.

My drop receiver is also from TSC and rated for 9,000 lbs. max. trailer weight and 900 lbs. tongue weight.

The factory hitch on my 2500HD says 10,000 max. weight and 1,000 lbs. tongue weight.