How Will You Measure A Hitch Ball’s Size
When you buy a hitch ball, you will need to make sure that its size is equal to that of your trailer’s coupler and can pull the weight that you wish to. Read on to know how you can measure a hitch ball.
Hitch balls that are used for connecting car hauling trailers generally come in 3 diameters. To determine whether a ball fits or not, its shank length and diameter has to be measured carefully. The larger the diameter shank is, the more weight a ball would be able to pull. Manu facturers usually segregate hitches into distinctive classes. In general, balls having smaller shanks and with a diameter of 1⅞ inch can pull as much as 2000 lbs. Besides that, 2-inch options can be rated for pulling equal to or more than 3500, sometimes even up to 5000 lbs. In general, it is important to buy a hitch ball whose size matches that of the coupler of your trailer and is also rated for the weight you want to pull.
Given below is the correct procedure of measuring the size of hitch balls, irrespective of whether your trailer is a 6, 5 or 4 car hauler :
** Hold a scale or ruler in horizontal position above the ball and directly sight down from above. Bring the first mark of the scale with its widest portion on one particular side. Now note the position where the opposite side is aligning. The measurement should be either 1⅞, 2 or 2 5/16 inches.
** Lay down the threaded portion of the shank on the scale and then sight down for measuring the diameter of the shank. The shank normally descends from beneath the ball and its diameter would be either ¾, ⅝, 1, 1¼ or 1⅜ inch. In case you have any difficulty while sighting down, wrap a ½ inch wide paper strip around the broadest portion of the ball. Mark the position where the strip overlaps itself and then unwrap & measure it. Divide the result by the value of pi for calculating the diameter.
** Now it’s time to measure the shank’s length. Start right underneath the broad base propping the ball and continue to measure till the end. Though the length has no effect on the towing capacity, it must be adequately long for fitting the mounting platform of your towing unit.
Make sure that the hole in your mounting platform for the shank is not larger than 1/16 the size of the shank. Go through the manuals of both the towing vehicle and trailer for information about towing capacity, safety advice, fitting the hitch and other necessary equipment.
Hitch balls come in regular height and high rise also. The high rise options possess a longer base that and provides additional height for leveling a trailer with a coupler higher than the hitch of the vehicle.
