CCCT

Have a buddy that might need me to pick up his new boat for him 19' or something like that. not huge. Anyways, i don't currently have a ball mount or ball., so figured I'd just pick up a cheapo for using a few times a year, maybe snowmobile trailer etc. Without being able to measure the tongue heights on the trailers, is a 4" drop around the usual for most people and their f150s? Again, average boats, utility trailers, sled trailers etc.


Thanks!
'18 xlt sport crew

doyall

I have an '18 STX Crew short bed bone stock and a 22' boat/trailer with 14" tires pushing 6000# with ~360# tongue weight. The 2" drop ball mount I had was not enough to level the trailer and the 4" drop ball mount I purchased was too much to level the trailer. Couldn't find a 3" drop in a Class IV ball mount so I finally put air bags on. (Even if I had got a 3" drop mount I probably would have wound up with air bags anyway. Generally tow every weekend during the summer.) A 19' boat/trailer probably is not as heavy gross or tongue so you could probably go with a Class III mount (7500#) and find an inexpensive one with ~3" drop.

BlackBoost

Ask your friend or the place where the boat is now (dealership?) to measure the height of the tongue off the ground with the trailer level (the bottom of the tongue).
Then take a measuring tape and see how high that is next to your hitch receiver on your truck. For example, if there's a 4" difference between that height and the top of your receiver, then you need a 4" drop.
If the tongue weight is over 300 lbs, subtract 1 inch of the drop for sag.
That will at least get your close enough to pull it.

ColoFatherOf3

I use a 6" drop on mine for towing a utility trailer.

seanmclean

Depends on the trailer. 19' boat will probably need a 2" drop.

ccmead

Have someone measure the trailer height. We had to flip our hitch for 1" rise to tow our 20' boat level.

All Hat No Cattle

Good advice, Absolutely depends on the trailer, there is no average.

And is the truck 2 WD or 4x4? Different hitch heights.

My 26' boat trailer, 7,500 towing weight, needs a completely straight hitch to be level.

Stricnine

CCCT

Mines a 4x4. Thanks folks.i may just go with a 4" (or and see how that works. Again, only a few times per year, and not very far. Of course would get the proper size for longer distances. Was looking to see if most people used a 4 or 2 or 3" etc.

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tvsjr

Pulling utility trailers, I've been fine with a 2 inch drop on a 4x4... but I don't tow often, and usually short distance, so I'm not looking for absolute perfection.