Ball Height

dinzzy

@verna,  thanks, great advise from experience I'm sure.  I don't think I would have thought of that.  I do still have the spare mounted under.   

dmerzbac

marknjudy said:

That's better than what I did and much more practical. I calculated that mine was about 3/4 to an inch lower based on clearance below the wheel. Then I took my hitch into the Uhaul store and said I wanted one an inch shorter. I hope that works out. In retrospect, I shoulda done what you're doing, but I am several miles from my trailer and, until the weather turned for the worse here with storms, high winds, hail and tornados predicted, I was gonna go camping so was in a sort of bind. Let me know what you find. I haven't used the hitch, so if I need to go shorter...

@marknjudy Well, I finally got out to do those measurements. The top of the ball is right at 16" when the TV is unhitched. The top of the coupler at level was closer to 15 (with spare on front). I hitched everything up and measured again. When hitched the top of the coupler was right at 15", so it looks like you were correct on your estimations. And I could not get the jack wheel off. I need to be also looking for a hitch bar an inch shorter than what I have. I didn't thing the spare on the front would make that much of a difference.

marknjudy

@dmerzback, awesome! I'm very glad to hear that. And thanks for the updated info. I didn't think it'd make that much difference either, but apparently so. I'm not a math person, so I don't know if moving forty pounds from back of the axel to front constitutes a 40 lb change or and 80 lb change. That may be why it makes the difference.

dsatwork

marknjudy said:

@dmerzback, awesome! I'm very glad to hear that. And thanks for the updated info. I didn't think it'd make that much difference either, but apparently so. I'm not a math person, so I don't know if moving forty pounds from back of the axel to front constitutes a 40 lb change or and 80 lb change. That may be why it makes the difference.

I spent an entire morning comparing tongue weight before and after I added my second battery moving the spare tire with and without my generator on the tongue. As I recall the swing in weight increase was about 1 1/2 the actual weight and I thought the spare tire was closer to 30 lbs so it was about 45 lbs adder to the tongue. 

dmerzbac

@marknjudy I hitched up again this morning to check on the level of the T@b since I did not do that the other day. I have not purchased a shorter hitch like we were talking about the other day. I made sure to have all stabilizers raised, and the wheel lock off. I don't know if I measured incorrectly the other day, but it was sitting dead level at 16 inches and I could barely get the wheel off. Of course, this is fully unloaded. I think I will really need to watch how I pack the TV (Ford Escape) and T@b. So for now I'm not changing anything. I have a camping trip to Chattanooga next week, do I'll see where things stand after that trip.

marknjudy

Thanks for the update. I'm hooking up the T@B this weekend to move it from storage to her new home in my new garage (but not camping ) so I'll have the truck fully loaded. I'll report back as well. I think I'll make before, during and fully loaded as well since I have to bring all of her toys with me.

dsatwork

Hey guys my 2017 320 S sits at about 15" fully loaded and I can always get my wheel off. The only time I have an issue is if I'm parked with TV high in the front and the trailer high in the back leaving the tongue lower and not leaving enough room to remove the wheel. That can happen when I don't back it up far enough in the driveway. A real pain in the butt.

marknjudy

Hmmm... I might be sitting at 14 1/2 then with the bigger drop because I could loosen the wheel and lean it a little bit, but not enough to get it off. So I got a hitch an inch shorter to see how it works.

luvmytab

i am wondering if an adjustable hitch might serve better. I measured ground to top of hitch at 22" with trailer hitched and no battery or propane tank. This means a 6" drop is needed. But I may relocate tire at some time. So, am thinking an adjustable might be smarter. Thoughts?

marknjudy

I just realized I didn't report back on this. Fully loaded with everything we normally take camping, the 1 inch shorter hitch was absolutely perfect and gave me back my 3/4 to 1 inch clearance for the wheel. Now on to my next issue - the alley entrance to my garage is too narrow to make the sharp turn into my driveway and back the T@B into her new home, so I'm searching for a motorized trailer dolly. We managed with a HF tow dolly but the people who assisted won't be available most of the time.

jason330i

marknjudy said:

I just realized I didn't report back on this. Fully loaded with everything we normally take camping, the 1 inch shorter hitch was absolutely perfect and gave me back my 3/4 to 1 inch clearance for the wheel. Now on to my next issue - the alley entrance to my garage is too narrow to make the sharp turn into my driveway and back the T@B into her new home, so I'm searching for a motorized trailer dolly. We managed with a HF tow dolly but the people who assisted won't be available most of the time.

expensive but should work well:

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessories/Trailer-Valet/TVXL2.html

marknjudy

I looked at that one and have it tagged. I'm hoping to get by with cheaper. Although that would definitely be cheaper than getting run over by a rogue trailer that ultimately crashed into a rock wall, huh?

Verna

With my sloping driveway, I would choose a motorized over manual. I gave my HF dolly away because I know I can't hold a T@B on that slope!  Plus, I must say that I'm getting rather good at slowly backing the T@B the first time 75' to the exact spot on top of 1 1/2" leveler with a rubber chock.

marknjudy

@verna, 75' is an awesome feat. I can manage the 30 or so feat of car width and a half alley to my house, but the driveway takes an abrupt 90 degree right turn with fences close on each side. I can get it turned about half way but then I have no more maneuverability of my big, long truck to make the rest. I agree with you about the motorized dolly. Maybe I should start another thread about it. I've looked through the forum and a couple are mentioned but nobody seemed to have good recommendations.

Verna

Yes, @marknjudy, that 90* turn with a truck is the killer. 

atlasb

When I have a problem removing the dolly wheel, I carry a pair of 2X8 about 18 inches long with a 45degree bevel on one end.  I place them either behind the rear TV wheel or in front of it and drive up on it.  I have a rubber pad mounted on the bottom of the blocks. That usually gives me enough extra to remove the wheel.  If that doesn't git it, i take out my small scissor jack, place it under the lowest part of the hitch ball and raise it enough to get the wheel off or on what ever is needed. 

atlasb

Does any one know what the top of the hitch ball measurement is for the 400?  I think I heard they had gone to the newer axle with more pitch.