packrat1969

I went with brand new stainless hardware when I bought my truck back in 2016. I was tired of wiping rust on my pant leg every time I inadvertently rubbed up against the old plain steel ball I migrated from my old truck. The problem I ran into with the stainless steel tongue and ball was that every trailer I connected to it, ground its own amount of regular non-stainless steel into the surface of the shiny new ball. Then after a rain or two (or the damn winter-time road salt), the new stainless ball would be almost as rusty as my original trailer ball. I guess I have a choice, rust or grease. I may end up just lopping off one side of an old tennis ball and plopping it on the hitch ball....

packrat

etothen

After you sort the hitch and wiring check on the tires and wheel bearings on the trailer, that is a good long tow.

ProfessorP

iTrader: (1)

Sherlock

iTrader: (1)

Because I never know who's/what trailer I will be pulling, nor what size ball I will need, I went with a B&W tri-ball hitch. Pricey, but the ball will tun around, and you will not hit your knee. (I believe it's called a stow and go). There are several choices, they are American made, and VERY well built !!! ALSO, if your garage room is short, It won't be in the way of your garage door.

Just my $0.02

Sherlock

iTrader: (1)

ProfessorP, I wonder what would happen if you sprayed your ball with some say Fluid Film, before putting the ball cover on. I have used them in the past, but only on a unit that had "1" ball. Now that I have a tri-ball unit, I'd have to find a couple more of them.

PerryB

As mentioned a couple times in previous replies, don't over-complicate it. Figure out how much drop you need and get a standard ball mount. Both of the items pictured are unnecessarily large, heavy, expensive and complicated.

Flamingtaco

Ditto. I'll add that the adjustable height draw bars extend the ball out, which increases the torque on the receiver and effective tongue weight, which impacts handling. Those with 1-piece cast steel or aluminum shank/riser push the ball out the least, but are also the most expensive.

I've got two short draw bars in the truck. A two-inch drop with a 2-5/16" ball, and a 3-1/4" drop with a 2" ball. I would have gone to 4" for the 2" ball, but wanted Reese Interlock draw bars. These drop/ball combos work for most trailers that don't need a WDH, and both fit in the under sear storage.