Thoughts on adjustable drop hitch—

[corneileous]

Thinking about investing in an adjustable drop hitch for my 2018 1500. So far the only two hitches I’m interested in is the B&W TS10048C...

...the Weigh Safe 180° Hitch...

I’m also looking at the normal Weigh Safe Drop Hitch...

...that has the little built-in scale on it but, not necessarily for the scale but for the fact that it’s flat bottom and just has an interchangeable ball. I don’t really need an 1-7/8ths ball but it’s nice to have one just in case. That’s why I like the B&W because it gives you all three. The Weigh-Safe 180° doesn’t, I’d have to buy either or but at least the other Weigh-Safe hitch makes it to where if you need the 1-7/8ths ball, you can buy it extra.

I’m kinda interested in how both of these brands of hitches hold up to being stored in the receiver tube, or if it’s just better to pull them out when not in use.

Pros and cons of each? I probably don’t tow anything heavy enough to really warrant the cost of one of these high-prices things but, I do like the adjustability for whatever may come up. So far just my little 10-foot utility trailer is all I pull but there may be a time I may need to pull another car somewhere like I did when I had to pull a friend’s car to a shop. I really don’t like having to have a whole bunch of hitches lying around for different uses. I have a 2inch drop aluminum Smittybuilt hitch with a 2 inch ball on it and I have one of those Walmart-special heavy duty steel straight hitches that has the 1-7/8ths, 2” and 2-5/16ths. The aluminum hitch for my utility trailer is far too tall for that trailer, and even the other hitch is way too tall. That’s why I want an all-around hitch that will cover all, and I can set for whatever height. I realize I may never pull anything heavy enough to justify having a 10,000 pound capacity hitch but as I said, having one hitch that will do all and will set to whatever height, is what’s important.

Thanks y’all. I’m also open to other brands but those two(three) are what I’ve been eyeing.


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[corneileous]

And also, keep in mind I have the air ride suspension too, in case that may affect something....


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[OC455]

B&W is good set up. The nice thing about the Weigh Safe hitch is you can use the scale to adjust the load you are carrying to get the percentage with the tongue weight.

The B&W can stay in the hitch and all you have to do is, pull the pins, run it down and flip it underneath. Pin it in place.

Weigh Safe same thing. Just have to look at what is cost effective for you.

 

[OC455]

Also not a fan of leaving a hitch in the receiver. Just me personally, would be more worried about some dirtball wanting to relieve me of an expensive item. That and a locking hitch pin, would be worried about it corroding in place. I already had an issue with that once.

 

[corneileous]

B&W is good set up. The nice thing about the Weigh Safe hitch is you can use the scale to adjust the load you are carrying to get the percentage with the tongue weight.

The B&W can stay in the hitch and all you have to do is, pull the pins, run it down and flip it underneath. Pin it in place.

Weigh Safe same thing. Just have to look at what is cost effective for you.

They’re all about the same in price except the weigh-safe 180. Not sure if it has the scale on it like the other one but, it’s the cheapest at $229. The B&W tri-ball is $282 and the flat bottom one with the interchangeable balls, is $299. And that’s only for the 2” and 2-5/16ths that comes with it. If you want the 1-7/8ths to complete the set, that’s another fifty bucks.

I guess that scale would be nice on the Weigh-Safe but how reliable is it? I read a few reviews where it leaks oil.

I guess maybe I could, but I don’t suspect I’ll ever be pulling anything heavy enough to make full use out of that scale.




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[corneileous]

Also not a fan of leaving a hitch in the receiver. Just me personally, would be more worried about some dirtball wanting to relieve me of an expensive item. That and a locking hitch pin, would be worried about it corroding in place. I already had an issue with that once.

Yeah, I could see that. I read that not only can they not steal the slider on the B&W, but they can steal the two pins that secure it in place.

If I did leave the hitch in the tube, it would only be during the summer months when corrosion(I would hope) would be at minimum and then definitely removed for the winter.

The only thing I would worry about with either of the Weigh-Safes, is that soft aluminum. I’m sure it’s probably forged aluminum alloy but, that Smittybuilt 2” drop receiver I said I had in my opening post, was that same forged solid aluminum alloy, and it took some pretty good wear on the bottom of the shaft and in various other places. And that was just from dragging my little utility trailer a little over an hour away empty, loaded it down with house-moving stuff from the old house on a 20-mile trip to the new house, back to the old house, and then back on that little over an hour trip home to complete the day.

I dunno, maybe that Smittybuilt hitch isn’t as good of a hitch that I thought it would be but I just wondered about that since the Weigh-Safe’s are made out of the same material.

But yeah, either way, I don’t have to leave the hitch in the tube. As long as it comes apart pretty easy, I have a couple of containers I keep in the bed that I could store it in.


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[OC455]

The B&W I would be more apt to try. The Weigh Safe is a nice setup for sure with the tongue measure....B&W for easy of change for the size ball needed. The Weigh Safe you'd have to pull the mount off of the shank and then un-pin the ball and change out then slide it back on the shank.

B&W you pull the pin and rotate it to what ball mount you need. And it's all there.

 

[BWL]

Also not a fan of leaving a hitch in the receiver. Just me personally, would be more worried about some dirtball wanting to relieve me of an expensive item. That and a locking hitch pin, would be worried about it corroding in place. I already had an issue with that once.

If you pull the locking pin apart occasionally and lube it it will not seize, but if it does or you lose the key a grinder with a zip disc will get it out pretty quick.

 

[OC455]

If you pull the locking pin apart occasionally and lube it it will not seize, but if it does or you lose the key a grinder with a zip disc will get it out pretty quick.

This year, the one I had froze in place during the winter....heating it with a torch and not destroying it was lucky on my part.

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[BWL]

This year, the one I had froze in place during the winter....heating it with a torch and not destroying it was lucky on my part.

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i lost the key on one so I didn't save it. Just cut it off. I usually pull it out now so I just use a regular pin. Too many knee injuries with it in.

Yeah, I could see that. I read that not only can they not steal the slider on the B&W, but they can steal the two pins that secure it in place.

If I did leave the hitch in the tube, it would only be during the summer months when corrosion(I would hope) would be at minimum and then definitely removed for the winter.

The only thing I would worry about with either of the Weigh-Safes, is that soft aluminum. I’m sure it’s probably forged aluminum alloy but, that Smittybuilt 2” drop receiver I said I had in my opening post, was that same forged solid aluminum alloy, and it took some pretty good wear on the bottom of the shaft and in various other places. And that was just from dragging my little utility trailer a little over an hour away empty, loaded it down with house-moving stuff from the old house on a 20-mile trip to the new house, back to the old house, and then back on that little over an hour trip home to complete the day.

I dunno, maybe that Smittybuilt hitch isn’t as good of a hitch that I thought it would be but I just wondered about that since the Weigh-Safe’s are made out of the same material.

But yeah, either way, I don’t have to leave the hitch in the tube. As long as it comes apart pretty easy, I have a couple of containers I keep in the bed that I could store it in.


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Do any of those have a pintle option? Most of my trailers use them instead of a ball.

 

[BossHogg]

I guess that scale would be nice on the Weigh-Safe but how reliable is it? I read a few reviews where it leaks oil.

I guess maybe I could, but I don’t suspect I’ll ever be pulling anything heavy enough to make full use out of that scale.

I've been running the Weight Safe, now in its fifth season of towing, zero issues. I don't know how many they sell versus the number of issues they have with the scale but given their rep, I doubt it is many and I'm sure they would stand behind their product. FYI, the scales accuracy is 50 pounds.

I'm running a 10-inch drop off the back of my 3500, needed that drop for my car hauler trailer. With that much drop, a flat bottom hitch is important, no need to worry about dragging an upside down ball.

All of the hitches you have selected are high quality from quality manufacturers, don't shop on price but on fit. You only have to buy it once.

 

[TigreST]

I've got a 2018 Sport CC 4x4. Shortly after purchase I went looking for a drop hitch set up that would allow my small motorcycle trailer to connect and keep the trailer somewhat level. My new Sport sat much taller in the rear then my 2003 2wd QC SLT. I needed like a 8 inch drop hitch and looked at the adjustable units, but found a standard hitch and bought it for a cost saving.
Fast forward April 2019 and I installed 2” drop rear springs., hey presto, my old 5” drop hitch from the 03 SLT days works perfectly again.

Given my limited use I do not leave the hitch in the receiver. I also hate walking in parking lots with those that do,....OUCH those things hurt like **** when you walk into one!

For receiver corrosion control I keep the receiver lubed but I also keep it sealed from the weather, as I’m in the Great White North where salt use rules the day. I’ve got a RAMs head logo brake light receiver hitch cover for the rear of the receiver that helps keep that opening sealed. For the front opening (the one under the truck that faces the rear end) I use a standard receiver plastic plug cover which helps keep crap from entering the receiver from the front. It stays in place even when the hitch is in use.

T.

 

[corneileous]

The B&W I would be more apt to try. The Weigh Safe is a nice setup for sure with the tongue measure....B&W for easy of change for the size ball needed. The Weigh Safe you'd have to pull the mount off of the shank and then un-pin the ball and change out then slide it back on the shank.

B&W you pull the pin and rotate it to what ball mount you need. And it's all there.

Yeah I forgot about that.... both the weigh-safe hitches, the slider has to be removed from the vertical part in order to pull that pin behind it to either turn the ball to the other size ball that it comes with, or change out the ball on the other one.

But then again, the weigh-safe with the flat bottom slider with the single interchangeable ball on it, would be nice if ground clearance ever was an issue. The B&W hitch is going to be just the same as the 180° hitch in both respects whether it’s the tri-ball or the 2-ball. The only time that one wouldn’t have a ground clearance issue is if you had all three and were using the 1-7/8” trailer ball.


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[corneileous]

i lost the key on one so I didn't save it. Just cut it off. I usually pull it out now so I just use a regular pin. Too many knee injuries with it in.

i’m assuming you’re referring to smacking your shin bone into a regular trailer hitch?… LOL. If so then yeah, them damn things is only inside the hitch while it’s being used for whenever I pull a trailer because I, myself, have fallen victim to a straight receiver hitch as well. That’s why I stated that if I get one of these and if there ever was a time that I would leave the hitch inside the receiver that, it would be one of these, where you can flip the trailer ball to the other side of it so that it’s out-of-the-way and it’s not making a tripping hazard.

Do any of those have a pintle option? Most of my trailers use them instead of a ball.

No, I’m pretty sure all these that I’ve put links to are just regular ball hitches. If you’re wanting something for a pintle hook, there’s these Gen-Y- hitches that are basically just a 4, receiver-tube adapter that gives you four receiver tubes in one, but with a shock-absorbing torsion system built in. Supposedly you can use it with a weight distribution hitch or virtually any hitch you want to slide in there, and even gives you the option for if you’ve got a receiver hitch bike rack, you could slide that in the top tube and use any of the three bottom tubes for whatever you want.

Not a bad receiver hitch but, that’s about twice as much as I care to spend on a receiver hitch and besides, that’s not really what I’m looking for anyway. Not to mention, that thing weighs about as much as two of the steel B&W hitches. lol.




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[corneileous]

I've been running the Weight Safe, now in its fifth season of towing, zero issues. I don't know how many they sell versus the number of issues they have with the scale but given their rep, I doubt it is many and I'm sure they would stand behind their product. FYI, the scales accuracy is 50 pounds.

I'm running a 10-inch drop off the back of my 3500, needed that drop for my car hauler trailer. With that much drop, a flat bottom hitch is important, no need to worry about dragging an upside down ball.

All of the hitches you have selected are high quality from quality manufacturers, don't shop on price but on fit. You only have to buy it once.

I’m sure they do probably stand behind their product and as a matter of fact, when I was looking on YouTube, I found a video of somebody who basically printed off three sheets of paper for three different types of adjustable drop hitches, and was basically doing what doing, asking for product advice. Two of the ones that he was interested in is the same two that I’m interested in and in the comment section where people wrote their experiences/reviews and comments, there was quite a few people who said that theirs were starting to leak oil and that that little tongue weight scale was not as accurate or reliable as they had hoped but at least somebody from the manufacturer came in there and kept saying that if you have any problems just let them know and they will take care of it so at least that made me feel good anyway.

But it sounds like you use your hitch a lot so, I’m curious; being that your hitch is made out of aluminum, how does it hold up on the shank that’s inside the receiver tube? Is yours having that same kind of wear that I talked about in my post of a few posts up where I talked about how that Smittybuilt hitch of mine had quite a bit of wear just for the one day’s worth of use that really wasn’t even that much?

I’ve seen where they make some kind of anti-rattle device that basically has a couple U bolts and a flat piece of steel that basically it clamps your receiver hitch to the inside of the tube to keep it from rattling but, I wasn’t sure how that would work out when you’re actually pulling a trailer. I could see how if you left the hitch in the tube, that it would keep it from rattling that way.

But since you said the shop on fit, rather than on cost, I don’t think I really need a 10 inch drop, I just assumed the 6 inch drop would be real close to plenty because I figure that would make my little utility trailer about as level as it ever could be since I’m only going to be using this hitch with a half ton pickup. But, like I said though, I do have air ride so even if I do load it up, or hook on to something else fairly heavy, the back end of my truck’s not going to squat like a normal half ton will because my air ride will compensate for that and air itself up.


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[BWL]

i’m assuming you’re referring to smacking your shin bone into a regular trailer hitch?… LOL. If so then yeah, them damn things is only inside the hitch while it’s being used for whenever I pull a trailer because I, myself, have fallen victim to a straight receiver hitch as well. That’s why I stated that if I get one of these and if there ever was a time that I would leave the hitch inside the receiver that, it would be one of these, where you can flip the trailer ball to the other side of it so that it’s out-of-the-way and it’s not making a tripping hazard.



No, I’m pretty sure all these that I’ve put links to are just regular ball hitches. If you’re wanting something for a pintle hook, there’s these Gen-Y- hitches that are basically just a 4, receiver-tube adapter that gives you four receiver tubes in one, but with a shock-absorbing torsion system built in. Supposedly you can use it with a weight distribution hitch or virtually any hitch you want to slide in there, and even gives you the option for if you’ve got a receiver hitch bike rack, you could slide that in the top tube and use any of the three bottom tubes for whatever you want.

Not a bad receiver hitch but, that’s about twice as much as I care to spend on a receiver hitch and besides, that’s not really what I’m looking for anyway. Not to mention, that thing weighs about as much as two of the steel B&W hitches. lol.




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Looks like bw make a tow and stow pintle

 

[corneileous]

Looks like bw make a tow and stow pintle View attachment 171685 View attachment 171686

Yeah, that’s a nice hitch of all you primarily pulled was pintle-hook trailers but for one, that one doesn’t look like it gives you a whole lot of rise/drop adjustment and, you’re only limited to what looks like a 2-5/16” ball unless you break out the wrenches or just carry a whole ‘nother hitch.


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[BWL]

It looks like you could put the multi ball on the same slide. As far as adjustment it looks like you can go reasonably low or straight or flip it and go higher, which is what I mostly run. Its just pins and the piece not being used should fit in a floor bin. Nice thing about a pintle and air suspension is if you set the jack while in or2 you can drop to entry exit and drive away or back in in entry exit and air up to hook in.

 

[corneileous]

On the other hand, that gen y hitch, I could use that with the straight 3-ball hitch I already got.... basically turn what I have into a drop hitch that has a bounce-control torsion system.........hmm. [emoji3166]

But nearly 600 bucks tho, dang. Lol.


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[MADDOG]

I an adjustable drop hitch I got from eTrailer.com some years ago.

I like having the dual ball configuration (most guys do, right? ) in case I have to tow something that uses a different ball size than my trailer.