3000 Mile Trip - Bus Did Fine - But.....

[artvonne]

  The absolute strongest assembly is having everything level in a line between the two mounting points, from the frame mount through to the tow bar mount. That way the towed vehicle trust is only in/out. IIRC standard common hitch height is 14 inches? If everythings set up to standard height, anything can tow anything.

 In mounting a hitch to the frame of a vehicle, I always prefer bolts over welds, and grade 5 bolts over 8's. Grade 5's will bend and stretch and distort long before they fail, 8's will hold until they reach yield and then let go, snap. Just use oversize 5's to reach the same tensile strength your looking for. Rather than drill holes in the frame, often you can use clamps to clamp to the frame, not weakening it, but actually adding strength.

[rv_safetyman]

Paul, many years ago there was a guideline about hitch height as I recall.  Then the receiver hitch took over the market and the receiver height is all over the place and the hitch manufactures make all kinds of offset inserts to adjust the ball height.

Then there is the tow bar manufacturers.  They have absolutely no standard for connection height.  All you have to do is walk through the camping area of a rally and look at all the different heights.  Again the industry takes care of that by making offset receiver adapters.

As I noted earlier, I am going to see what I can do to lower the connection height on the truck.  I think that should be pretty straight forward.

Jim

[artvonne]

  I know what you mean. I too have watched the drop hitches get more and more offset, yet you never see any warnings to reduce tow capacity with bigger drops. I saw a lifted 4X4 recently, the reciever hitch must have been nearly three feet off the ground, and he had an obviously custom made drop hitch out of what appeared to be 3/4 inch steel, I dont know how far it dropped but it was so rediculous looking it wasnt funny. Each time he accelerated or braked you could see the bar stock physically flex.

[eagle19952]

•Capacity: 25,000 lbs
http://www.etrailer.com/Balls/Curt/C40044.html


10000 lbs GTW
http://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts/Curt/D900.html

http://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts/Diversi-Tech/DTALBM7025-3S.html


Product Specs:

10 Inch Drop
11 Inch Rise
Fits 2-1/2 Inch Hitch
12000 lbs GTW
Diversi-Tech

For your safety chains:


http://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts/Tow-Ready/TR63045.html

or a combination of adj,supplemented with:
Fits 2 Inch Hitch
Class IV
14000 lbs GTW
Solid Shank
Diversi-Tech
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Ball_Mounts-sz-14000_lbs_GTW-gw-Aluminum.aspx