adjustable drop hitch

georgecdisc · July 22, 2020

im looking to get a new adjustable drop hitch. currently have a 0" drop hitch and own an equipment trailer with adjustable coupler. I have access to a utility trailer and want to get my own (small single axle) , coupler height around 15"+.

my quick measurement on not so perfectly flat terrain is 23" to top of shank.

I'm undecided between 6" and 8" drops. I want a buy-it-once hitch, but don't want limited ground clearance after truck sag on a loaded 14k lb trailer. fairly certain 10" would be obscene on a stock truck.

truck is 100% stock 2020 gasser with 18" wheels (not sure if standard wheel/tire options changes ride height).

anyone running trailers in this realm? 8" seems ideal for the range of normal tongue heights but I'm nervous about ground clearance. no plans to go offroading but I do see some rocky uneven terrain, or what I like to call make-shift "parking lots" in the sticks.

greatmizzou · July 22, 2020

I had to buy a specialty 6" drop shank from fastway for me e2 setup. My trailer actually has a low hitch height. The previous towing veh used a 2.5" drop shank and the lowest setting was not low enough to tow the trailer level. While I dont use the lowest setting on the 6" max drop, I will tell you the difference in hitch height from my 2002 chevy to my 2020 chevy was an increase of just under 4". I calculated the 6" drop would put me in the sweet spot.

Edited July 22, 2020 by greatmizzou

greatmizzou · July 22, 2020

So some context on the pictures,

top of shank is 23". Per fastway the couple should be no more then an inch or so from the hitch height at level. Level hitch coupler is like 20.5". The drop shank got me to about 20.5". There isnt much squat but the squat goes away with the appropriate washer setting and equalizing bars loaded.

To reach 15" coupler height, its going to look really odd lol.

Edited July 22, 2020 by greatmizzou

Dan Forsythe · July 24, 2020

I'd go with the 8" drop. I got the B&W 7" drop hitch thats designed for these multipro tailgates. It's worked great for my trailers, touch high for my boat but not enough to go out and get another one.

georgecdisc · July 24, 2020

13 minutes ago, Dan Forsythe said:

I'd go with the 8" drop. I got the B&W 7" drop hitch thats designed for these multipro tailgates. It's worked great for my trailers, touch high for my boat but not enough to go out and get another one.

I think I looked at the 7" B&W, believe the ground clearance was same as 8" weigh safe (I've removed this from my list of options already).

what's the coupler height on your boat trailer when level?

Dan Forsythe · July 24, 2020

Not sure on the boat but i just measured from ground to top of the 2" ball when its in the lowest position and its 17". i highly recommend the hitch tho, love not having to worry about hitting the tailgate ever, or someone else forgetting/not knowing. Its spendy, like $350+ but worth it imo

greatmizzou · July 24, 2020

I once accidentally bought a curt hitch with a big drop in it to accomodate a lift gate.

Does anyone think, long run, on these tall trucks it would make better sense to install a dropped hitch that was not 4-5" taller then hitches of yesterday so we arent running these massive drop hitches? Or is it kind of a moot point and not that critical

Edited July 24, 2020 by greatmizzou

Chepachetchevyguy · July 25, 2020

Look at gen-y hitch, they have just about anything you can imagine. Yes they’re expensive but they’re super heavy duty, very quick and easy to adjust and versatile. I have a 2020 2500 and a 0-9” drop and nothing but happy with it, it will do anything you need to do and it’s a Pintle as well, can be flipped over for a 0-9” raise hitch. Paid about 400 bucks for mine with a locking pin. I would never buy another hitch after owning this one

skorpyd · July 26, 2020

I tow several different trailers, some with 2" ball and some with 2 5/16" ball. Sometimes I switch a couple times a day. I use the weigh safe 180 and love it for the ease of change back and forth and height adjustability for the different trailers I use.

I use the 8" drop and it worked well for me on my 2016 2500, and my 2020 3500

Edited July 26, 2020 by skorpyd

SkidooSteve12 · July 27, 2020

I have a 10" drop Weigh Safe hitch that I use with my inline snowmobile trailer and with 5 snowmobiles and 800 lbs of tongue went, it is level. I just took the trailer on a trip with a 2 person quad, 1 seater RZR and 2 seater RZR and had 1000 lbs of tongue weight. The truck and trailer also had enough gear for our week long vacation, so I raised the hitch up 2 inches to level out the trailer. I use a non-adjustable 8" drop hitch with my bass boat and landscape trailers.

Info and pics here: