My Jeep toad is 5" higher than the new RV. The 5K riser is either 4" or 6" and the 10K is either a 3" or 7". I called Blue Ox and tech support said that they didn't care if the toad was an inch or two higher or lower as long as the differential didn't exceed 3". What is your opinion? Should I go one to two inches higher or lower?My second conundrum is whether I need the 5K or 10K capacity riser. The GVWR of the Jeep is 5700 lbs. That is with passengers, cargo, etc. The gross weight of the vehicle appears to be 4800 lbs. empty. When towing the Jeep we have a bike rack and probably a couple hundred pounds of junk in the Jeep. So, we are probably right at 5K pounds. The difference between the 5K and 10K is about $30 and change. I'm leaning towards the 10K for a margin of safety.Thanks in advance for your opinions and advise.

The towbar needs to be close to level. My opinion MH is slightly higher.I would opt for the 10K.

Imagine an accident in which the RV comes to a complete stop very quickly (as in hitting a semi-truck that just pulled out of a side street right in front of the RV.If the tow bar angles down from the RV to the Jeep, the momentum of the Jeep is going to try to go under the tow bar and raise the RV in the air - which it won't be able to do, so it will just stop more suddenly.If the tow bar angles up from the RV to the Jeep, the momentum of the Jeep is going to try to rise up above the front tow bar connection and slam the jeep into the rear of the RV above the RV hitch.My guess is that tow bar angle is of little importance regarding the damage to the RV from the collision (it's going to be totaled), but in the "angle down" case, the Jeep might have less damage.YMMV

When I bought my Blue Ox base plate and tow bar about five years ago I recall a four inch rule. It seems a no-brainer to go with the 10,000 pound riser. And finally, why would you seemingly ignore the advice of the experts and instead ask a yahoo like me?

The Jeep's end should be lower than the RV's end. That way, in an emergency stop, the tow bar won't be lifting the Jeep's nose, and front wheels, off the ground.If the Jeep is 5700 pounds, the 5k bar is insufficient.

Bobbo wrote:The Jeep's end should be lower than the RV's end. That way, in an emergency stop, the tow bar won't be lifting the Jeep's nose, and front wheels, off the ground.If the Jeep is 5700 pounds, the 5k bar is insufficient.I bet there are a few engineers wondering how you figure that is good advice.

Toad higher or lower than RV and 5K or 10K capicty riser?

11 Replies

discovery4us
Explorer
Feb 05, 2016
I feel the +/- 3" rule is a good benchmark. Keep in mind once you leave the level spot where you do the original setup measurements you will seldom be level again. Pull up next to a MH pulling a dinghy while it is going down the road and see how much movement up and down there is. On CA's maintained roads I have seen a 12" difference between the dinghy bumper and the MH receiver hitch.
et2
Explorer
Feb 04, 2016
mowermech wrote:
et2 wrote:
Bobbo wrote:
The Jeep's end should be lower than the RV's end. That way, in an emergency stop, the tow bar won't be lifting the Jeep's nose, and front wheels, off the ground.

If the Jeep is 5700 pounds, the 5k bar is insufficient.

I bet there are a few engineers wondering how you figure that is good advice.

Shucks, I am jus' a dumb ol' retired airplane mechanic (A&P), and I'm wondering about it...

From the OP:
"The gross weight of the vehicle appears to be 4800 lbs. empty. When towing the Jeep we have a bike rack and probably a couple hundred pounds of junk in the Jeep. So, we are probably right at 5K pounds."
IMO, the 5K setup is perfectly adequate.
However, the OP has indicated he will probably go with the 10K ball mount. too much is probably better than not enough...

For what it's worth, I'm a private pilot and would never dream of overloading any aircraft I'm flying. Much less want to be with or behind someone who discards load limit specs.
Hikerdogs
Explorer
Feb 04, 2016
We use a 10K 6" riser from Roadmaster. It's available through e trailer for about $100.00.

http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Roadmaster/RM-048-6.html

They have several others depending on your needs.

http://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=6+inch+drop

As a side note the Jeep we were towing was rear ended when we were going through Illinois a couple years ago. We were doing the speed limit of 65 when we were hit from behind by a kid going about 75 while texting. The towbar, baseplates, and drop hitch were destroyed. The impact was hard enough to bend the drop hitch.

Fortunately there was no damage to the motorhome. However I believe if we had used the lighter drop hitch it would have collapsed and the Jeep would have hit the rear of the motorhome.
Ductape
Explorer
Feb 04, 2016
Unless your MH stops with +10G's of deceleration, a couple of inches angularity will never lift the toad.

If you do experience that much decel, you have bigger problems to worry about.

You need brakes on the toad, too.
eheading
Explorer
Feb 04, 2016
This discussion on hitch height is interesting and enlightening. I have two thoughts about it. I have always tried to get the motorhome and car heights as close as I can, but if there is some variance I have thought that it might be better to have the car higher. My reasoning for this is that if I slam on the brakes, the back of the motorhome should come up a little, minimizing the height difference. Secondly though, if the manufacturers (both Roadmaster and BLue Ox) say +/- 3", either should work okay.

Having said that, your ideas as to why the motorhome should be higher, make sense too.

Ed Headington
mowermech
Explorer II
Feb 03, 2016
et2 wrote:
Bobbo wrote:
The Jeep's end should be lower than the RV's end. That way, in an emergency stop, the tow bar won't be lifting the Jeep's nose, and front wheels, off the ground.

If the Jeep is 5700 pounds, the 5k bar is insufficient.

I bet there are a few engineers wondering how you figure that is good advice.

Shucks, I am jus' a dumb ol' retired airplane mechanic (A&P), and I'm wondering about it...

From the OP:
"The gross weight of the vehicle appears to be 4800 lbs. empty. When towing the Jeep we have a bike rack and probably a couple hundred pounds of junk in the Jeep. So, we are probably right at 5K pounds."
IMO, the 5K setup is perfectly adequate.
However, the OP has indicated he will probably go with the 10K ball mount. too much is probably better than not enough...
et2
Explorer
Feb 03, 2016
Bobbo wrote:
The Jeep's end should be lower than the RV's end. That way, in an emergency stop, the tow bar won't be lifting the Jeep's nose, and front wheels, off the ground.

If the Jeep is 5700 pounds, the 5k bar is insufficient.

I bet there are a few engineers wondering how you figure that is good advice.
Bobbo
Explorer III
Feb 03, 2016
The Jeep's end should be lower than the RV's end. That way, in an emergency stop, the tow bar won't be lifting the Jeep's nose, and front wheels, off the ground.

If the Jeep is 5700 pounds, the 5k bar is insufficient.
Two_Hands
Explorer
Feb 03, 2016
When I bought my Blue Ox base plate and tow bar about five years ago I recall a four inch rule. It seems a no-brainer to go with the 10,000 pound riser. And finally, why would you seemingly ignore the advice of the experts and instead ask a yahoo like me?
Popsie
Explorer
Feb 03, 2016
Imagine an accident in which the RV comes to a complete stop very quickly (as in hitting a semi-truck that just pulled out of a side street right in front of the RV.

If the tow bar angles down from the RV to the Jeep, the momentum of the Jeep is going to try to go under the tow bar and raise the RV in the air - which it won't be able to do, so it will just stop more suddenly.

If the tow bar angles up from the RV to the Jeep, the momentum of the Jeep is going to try to rise up above the front tow bar connection and slam the jeep into the rear of the RV above the RV hitch.

My guess is that tow bar angle is of little importance regarding the damage to the RV from the collision (it's going to be totaled), but in the "angle down" case, the Jeep might have less damage.

YMMV