General Towing FAQs

Which Ball Mount Do I Need?

hitchman harry
Let us help you find the right hitch for your vehicle. Either click on our Hitch Finder tool below or give us a call at;
1-877-507-0711
trailer hitch

The ball mount is designed to be inserted into the receiver of the hitch. There are different styles of ball mounts, so please refer to "How to Measure - Where do I Start?" below.

For safe and comfortable towing the trailer should always be set up to tow level. Sometimes a trailer's tongue is higher or lower than the ball mount on the vehicle. In this situation a ball mount with a "Rise" or a "Drop" is required to level the trailer.

correct ball mount selectionBall Mounts come in different lengths and are used in drop and rise positions. When selecting a ball mount make sure to look at the weight rating, it should be equal to or larger than the hitch being used.

How to Measure - Where do I Start?

  1. Step 1: Measure from the ground to the top of the hitch.
  2. Step 2: Level trailer, then measure from the ground to the top of the trailer coupler.
  3. Step 3: Subtract the height of the hitch ball (most are 2-1/2" to 3" high) from Step 2. The example would be 18" minus 3" = 15".
  4. Step 4: The difference between Step 1 and Step 3 would be the "Drop" or "Rise" that is needed for your Towing System. The example would be a result of 8" (23" minus 15") Drop is required.

What to Measure for Class I & Class II

class I & II ball mounts
  1. A: Length = The distance from the center of the ball hole to the center of the pin hole.
  2. B: Height = The distance from the top ofthe shank to the top of the ball platform.
  3. C: Drop = The distance from the top of the shank to the top of the ball platform.

What to Measure for Class III, Class IV & Class V

class III, IV & V ball mounts
  1. A: Length = The distance from the center of the ball hole to the center of the pin hole.
  2. B: Height = The distance from the top of the shank to the top of the ball platform.
  3. C: Drop = The distance from the top of the shank to the top of the ball platform.

Drawbars or Ball Mounts? What are the different names?

Class I & II ball mounts are also referred to as drawbars in the industry. To simplify matters, we will call them all "ball mounts" here. The ball mount typically comes with the hitch because the hitch is designed with a specific ball mount in mind for each vehicle. Refer to your hitch installation instructions for any replacement ball mount.

Class III through V hitches are designed with many different ball mounts in mind because of the variety of SUV and truck suspensions and tire combinations. The ball mounts are typically sold separately from these hitches.


hitchman harry
Not sure which is right for you? We are here to help. Click on one of the pictures below to explore our web site, or give us a call at
1-877-507-0711
trailer hitch

Standard Trailer Hitches
ball mount

Towing Accessories
vehicle to trailer wiring

Vehicle to Trailer Wiring