ball mount ratings

[getoffmyass]

I looked at a 2 5/16" Reese hitch ball at Home Depot and the rating was 6000 lbs. Does this mean the GVW of the attached trailer should not exceed 6000 lbs? Or does this mean the tongue weight should not exceed 6000 lbs?

Also, many of the Reese ball mounts (the square receiver that the hitch ball mounts to) have a tongue rating of 500 lbs. And then a "/5000 lbs" which I guess is the GVW of the trailer.

I did find just now a Reese 10000 lb rated hitch ball. This is what I need. But I don't know if they make a ball mount to match that.

My load is going to be a 24 ft enclosed trailer, with a miata in the rear, and various personal belongings in the front. I'm concerned that the tongue weight is too much for the ball and/or ball mount. The tow vehicle is a 2008 F350 long bed crewcab 4 door with a conventional towing capacity of 15000 lbs.

I am planning on loading the miata rear first, so the heaviest part of the car - the engine - is located behind the axles, and will help offset the tongue weight of the furniture in the front.

Any thoughts, warnings, forecasted disasters, palm reading appreciated.

Stephanie

 

[mthieme]

Re: ball mount ratings

First you need a class IV hitch to handle >10K #, III for 5K# to 10K#.
I have seen 2 5/16 balls rated up to 10K# but would recommend a pintle hitch for >10K#. It sounds like you're in between these weights (?).
The rating would be the gross weight of what's you're pulling.
Can't help with tongue weight as you really don't know that until it's loaded and have a way to measure it. SO I would say get the heaviest receiver you could.

 

[87rocket455]

Re: ball mount ratings

The 6K is the GVW... they do sell 10K GVW 2 5/16" balls at tractor supply i seen them before. I would get the 10K ball and the 10K receiver to go along with it.

Be sure that your load is balanced... with the car being in the back you need to have enough weight up from to give you a ~500lbs tongue weight or your trailer will sway alot. You may need to bring the car forward a little.

Good luck hauling.

 

[mphy98]

Re: ball mount ratings

uh, a miata might weigh 3200lbs all day. why would you need such a big weight for this type of towing? is the trailer a 6500lb trailer? seems overkill to me

 

[Mark42]

Re: ball mount ratings

FYI a 2006 Mazda Miata weighs 2549 lbs.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: ball mount ratings

I own a 24 foot travel trailer that weighs 5800#. An enclosed car hauler would not go anywhere near that empty but put a 2600# car and a bunch of stuff in there with it and it would get close to 6000. I also agree that you need to calculate the tongue weight (the actual downward force on the hitch ball) which should be about 10% of the total trailer weight. If you do end up loaded at the 6000# point, you should have about 600# on the tongue. The numbers on the ball and ball mount are indeed tongue weight and GVW. Again tongue weight being downward weight on the ball, ball mount, and hitch platform. All components must have equal or greater rating than the anticipated load. You would be best off putting some heavy stuff up front, then the Miata (engine forward) but primarily centered over the axles, then load the remainder in the rear. You can then move the car forward or backward slightly to compensate. It will be the heaviest of the load so slight fore-aft movement can affect tongue weight significantly.

 

[rubberbelly]

Re: ball mount ratings

Silvertip explained it well. Just wanted to stress it would be best to error to the side of safety on the ratings. You have a lot of truck and a lot of trailer there.

Regularly I pull my 4200# Jeep on a custom trailer which probably weighs in at 900# with my Excursion. Typically I have another 500# in gear. That said, all my connections are rated at 10K# even though I linger around the 6K mark.

I think you will see 6K# easily fully loaded.

Keep in mind the 10K rated ball is probably a larger shank than the 6K ball so make sure you match those up as well.

Make sure you are tagged correctly for the weight as well, that could be another discussion by itself though

Jason