Hitch Height?

[DavePhelps]

Glad you heard back from Oliver.

 

I would still recommend weighting up your Taco to 360+ pounds in the rear and measuring the drop. I suspect it will be more than 1". Consider how much weight you plan to carry in the bed as well as that will drop it even more. Sounds like you're zeroing in on it though. Good luck!

 

Dave

[roguebooks]

Glad you heard back from Oliver. I would still recommend weighting up your Taco to 360+ pounds in the rear and measuring the drop. I suspect it will be more than 1″. Consider how much weight you plan to carry in the bed as well as that will drop it even more. Sounds like you’re zeroing in on it though. Good luck! Dave

 

The good news is I know my new heavy duty hitch will work and which way I need to attach it. My gizmo allows me plenty of room to raise the ball easily if needed. Skalywag says his Taco (exactly the same as mine) drops an inch and a half with same trailer, so mine should be close. Plus he has a beautiful cap over bed and all I have is my vinyl cover. Thanks again for all your help. Proof again that a carpenter can do anything.

[skalywag]

Mike,

 

Just returned from a very nice stay at Big South Fork Nat Park @ Bandy Creek - the trees were changing to their autumn colors as we watched.

 

As previously discussed, I carefully measured the drop when hitching and My 2017 Toyota Taco TRD Offroad Double cab w/130 lb. ARE shell (the one you saw when we met) lowered at the hitch 1.75"  (24"- 22.25") on level ground.  As always, it yielded a level and smooth ride.

 

I hope this helps and please let me know if this helps.

 

Terry

 

 

[roguebooks]

Mike, Just returned from a very nice stay at Big South Fork Nat Park @ Bandy Creek – the trees were changing to their autumn colors as we watched. As previously discussed, I carefully measured the drop when hitching and My 2017 Toyota Taco TRD Offroad Double cab w/130 lb. ARE shell (the one you saw when we met) lowered at the hitch 1.75″ (24″- 22.25″) on level ground. As always, it yielded a level and smooth ride. I hope this helps and please let me know if this helps. Terry

 

It certainly helps knowing the trailer load lowered the hitch 1.75". That is good news. What is still troubling to me is the height of your ball. The pic Dave included above shows the inside top of his bulldog hitch on his LE1 at 19.5".  It would be very helpful to know what your bulldog hitch measures compared to Dave's. I am hoping they are exactly the same, but they can't be if you are still getting a measurement of 22.25" on your truck when loaded. Loaded, the top of ball should measure 19.5", same as trailer. Or am I missing something here?

[KarenLukens]

So Terry's new 2017 Elite is 22.25, while Dave's 2015 is 19.5... It sounds like there has been a change, it would be nice to know tire sizes for both and go from there. It could also be different springs, etc but either way it's 3" and on mine, I like to run an inch low and my ball could still be raised maybe an inch if it was needed.

[roguebooks]

So Terry’s new 2017 Elite is 22.25, while Dave’s 2015 is 19.5… It sounds like there has been a change, it would be nice to know tire sizes for both and go from there. It could also be different springs, etc but either way it’s 3″ and on mine, I like to run an inch low and my ball could still be raised maybe an inch if it was needed.

 

I too would like to know if there has been a change. When I contacted Richie at OTT he responded, ” It depends on the type of tow vehicle you have. The tongue weight on the elite is considerably less than the elite II…I do agree, sometimes it’s hard to know for sure until you drop the trailer onto the ball, however at 20.5 you should be good.” So there seems there has not been any change, but for some reason it suggests otherwise. But Reed, your trailer is an LE2 which Richie did say is definitely different. I am preparing my TV for an unloaded top-of-ball height at around 21". If it ends up needing to be 24" like Skalywag's then my dual hitch receiver for my bike rack and LE1 will be useless as there is only 11" available from bottom of open tailgate to bottom of receiver hitch. Would appreciate getting a confirmation about this. Skalywag is probably my best bet if he provides the measurement of his actual trailer bulldog hitch like Dave did.

[KarenLukens]

Yup, Richie's answer doesn't cut it because the TV has nothing to do with the level ball height of the trailer because that's trailer only... Your 21" sounds perfect but I would call Oliver again and ask them for a leveled confirmation pic from them being that they have given you 2 different conflicting answers, when Terry's measured in at 22.25". The only thing that will make a difference is just how much you pack into it. Dave has has his awhile and very well could be taller unpacked. This could be where the different heights are coming in to play, because full tanks and full of water and gear with the single axle will definitely bring it down, so the actual height for you will be different just because of what and how you end up packing. I can vary a couple inches on my Elite II if I'm running with full tanks all around.

 

 

[roguebooks]

Terry's answer of 22.25" was for his TV ball height and not his trailer's bulldog hitch (top of inside) which is what I really need.

 

Yup, Richie’s answer doesn’t cut it because the TV has nothing to do with the level ball height of the trailer because that’s trailer only… Your 21″ sounds perfect but I would call Oliver again and ask them for a leveled confirmation pic from them being that they have given you 2 different conflicting answers, when Terry’s measured in at 22.25″. The only thing that will make a difference is just how much you pack into it. Dave has has his awhile and very well could be taller unpacked. This could be where the different heights are coming in to play, because full tanks and full of water and gear with the single axle will definitely bring it down, so the actual height for you will be different just because of what and how you end up packing. I can vary a couple inches on my Elite II if I’m running with full tanks all around.

[skalywag]

I should have included that all tanks were empty ( except for the 20# LP tanks). and the truck bed was moderately (approx 125#) loaded. This could make a difference as well.  The next time I hook up on a level pad, I will take another measurement to the inside of the bulldog.

 

Terry

[roguebooks]

To be safe I am ordering from Amazon a CURT 45270 Class 3 Extender Ball Mount (3/4" rise and rated at 7500 lbs) for the trailer so the bulldog hitch will clear the bike rack above it.  I am guessing I will be able to "fine tune" my rig at Oliver when I go to pick up the trailer. Yesterday I purchased at Ace Hardware seven stainless steel one-inch x two inch washers to also get the ball closer to perfection. :)

[Mainiac]

I was told time and again, by Anita, that my hitch height was to be 23 1/2" to the top of the ball. She didn't seem to understand that different TV will sag more than others when hitched That being said, my 2500 Ram only settles bout an 1 1/2", and the Oliver is level. She only knew the standing height to the top of the ball. Guess she was just repeating what she said as told?

[roguebooks]

I was told time and again, by Anita, that my hitch height was to be 23 1/2″ to the top of the ball. She didn’t seem to understand that different TV will sag more than others when hitched That being said, my 2500 Ram only settles bout an 1 1/2″, and the Oliver is level. She only knew the standing height to the top of the ball. Guess she was just repeating what she said as told?

 

Hate to beat a dead horse, but are you saying that sitting level your Ollie measures 22" up from level ground to the inside top of the bull hitch?