Trailer hitch height adjustment and chain question

[neu]

Hi everybody!

This is my first time towing any trailers, so please don't judge my question too harshly. The trailer hitch on my car is located pretty low. When I attached the trailer, it looked funny. It was heavily tilted forward. It's definitely not safe to drive like that.


I found these "Trailer Ball Mount Fits Receiver" (see attached photo) on the internet, which allow me to shift the Ball Mount position several centimeters upward. Before I buy it, could you advise me which one from the multitude on the market should I choose, and are there any pitfalls?


The chains from the trailer that I attach to the trailer hitch are also very long for my hitch height and simply drag on the ground (see attached photo). How can I get out of this situation? Should I go to a service center and cut the chains, or are there other life hacks that might be helpful to me?

[neu]

Thank you everyone for your responses. Now I understand everything. I will stick to the 12-15% range for my tongue weight. I have already purchased a scale to weigh it, I just need to weigh the trailer itself.

[Grit_dog]

Reisender wrote:

nickthehunter wrote:
Throwing Europe into the mix is a distraction away from the real answer. What he’s saying is, 10% or less is ok if your not going to exceed 45 mph. If you want to drive at a reasonable speed, your going to need a reasonable tongue weight. Most reasonable people would agree that’s not less than 10% for sure, and better yet 12%.

Yes it was just for context. Stick with 10 to 12 percent and try and pack heavy items close to the axle.

Or more succinctly, tongue weight is still just a rule of thumb and the only 2 things that matter is that it’s not excessive (for whatever limiting factors may apply first) and that the trailer pulls straight and true.
I’ve pulled a lot of fairly heavy trailers (2k- maybe 8klbs or more) that have virtually zero tongue weight by design. Even those, some pull just fine, some get the wiggles at highway speeds.

[Reisender]

nickthehunter wrote:
Throwing Europe into the mix is a distraction away from the real answer. What he’s saying is, 10% or less is ok if your not going to exceed 45 mph. If you want to drive at a reasonable speed, your going to need a reasonable tongue weight. Most reasonable people would agree that’s not less than 10% for sure, and better yet 12%.

Yes it was just for context. Stick with 10 to 12 percent and try and pack heavy items close to the axle.

[nickthehunter]

Throwing Europe into the mix is a distraction away from the real answer. What he’s saying is, 10% or less is ok if your not going to exceed 45 mph. If you want to drive at a reasonable speed, your going to need a reasonable tongue weight. Most reasonable people would agree that’s not less than 10% for sure, and better yet 12%.

[Reisender]

neu wrote:

Reisender wrote:

nickthehunter wrote:

Reisender wrote:
…Try to pack accordingly to keep the hitch weight under control. Front storage compartments are nice but if you are struggling with hitch weight maybe pack the light stuff up front…

That is advice that can take you directly to the scene of the accident if you are not careful. It is worth mentioning that it is essential that you keep at least 10% tongue weight, and preferably 12%. Not doing so can be catastrophic.

Absolutely. Hence the recommendation to weigh everything. But in my experience single axle trailers with batteries on the front and large front storage compartments can result in overly heavy hitch weights. It’s just something to keep an eye on. In North America they recommend 10 to 15 percent whereas in Europe they recommend 6 to 10 percent for hitch weight. (We have a European designed trailer but built in the US). Best to try and pack over or close to the axle. Many European designs have things like fridges, batteries and storage areas as well as water tanks on or around the axle. Works out well and loading the trailer has less of an affect on the hitch weight. Ours is like that. Our hitch weight actually is slightly less when fully loaded although still at that 10 percent mark.

The absolute worst thing I see is these cargo racks on the rear end of trailers. Horrible idea.

Now I'm a bit confused by the numbers you provided as an example :h I just watched a video that emphasized not to let the trailer tongue weight drop below 10%, otherwise there's a very high risk of getting into a fishtail situation. At the same time, you say that in Europe it is NOT ALLOWED to exceed 10% for safe driving. So which of these statements is correct?

In Europe it’s different. Most trailers are pulled by cars and there are speed limits on cars pulling trailers. As well weight distribution hitches are very uncommon and frowned upon. You can google for better clarification of their rules. But North America you will commonly see a recommendation of anywhere from 10 to 15 percent for hitch weight.

Cheers.

[Bobbo]

neu wrote:
Now I'm a bit confused by the numbers you provided as an example :h I just watched a video that emphasized not to let the trailer tongue weight drop below 10%, otherwise there's a very high risk of getting into a fishtail situation. At the same time, you say that in Europe it is NOT ALLOWED to exceed 10% for safe driving. So which of these statements is correct?

In Europe trailers are much lighter. Speeds are much slower. Hitches are designed differently. Both can be correct, in their own settings.

[neu]

nickthehunter wrote:
Did your Audi come with the 4 pin electrical pigtail connector or a 7 pin?

Hi there! It's 7-pin. As far as I know, all Audi comes with a 7-pin with the tow package

[neu]

Reisender wrote:

nickthehunter wrote:

Reisender wrote:
…Try to pack accordingly to keep the hitch weight under control. Front storage compartments are nice but if you are struggling with hitch weight maybe pack the light stuff up front…

That is advice that can take you directly to the scene of the accident if you are not careful. It is worth mentioning that it is essential that you keep at least 10% tongue weight, and preferably 12%. Not doing so can be catastrophic.

Absolutely. Hence the recommendation to weigh everything. But in my experience single axle trailers with batteries on the front and large front storage compartments can result in overly heavy hitch weights. It’s just something to keep an eye on. In North America they recommend 10 to 15 percent whereas in Europe they recommend 6 to 10 percent for hitch weight. (We have a European designed trailer but built in the US). Best to try and pack over or close to the axle. Many European designs have things like fridges, batteries and storage areas as well as water tanks on or around the axle. Works out well and loading the trailer has less of an affect on the hitch weight. Ours is like that. Our hitch weight actually is slightly less when fully loaded although still at that 10 percent mark.

The absolute worst thing I see is these cargo racks on the rear end of trailers. Horrible idea.

Now I'm a bit confused by the numbers you provided as an example :h I just watched a video that emphasized not to let the trailer tongue weight drop below 10%, otherwise there's a very high risk of getting into a fishtail situation. At the same time, you say that in Europe it is NOT ALLOWED to exceed 10% for safe driving. So which of these statements is correct?

[nickthehunter]

Did your Audi come with the 4 pin electrical pigtail connector or a 7 pin?

[Reisender]

valhalla360 wrote:

Reisender wrote:
Absolutely. Hence the recommendation to weigh everything. But in my experience single axle trailers with batteries on the front and large front storage compartments can result in overly heavy hitch weights. It’s just something to keep an eye on. In North America they recommend 10 to 15 percent whereas in Europe they recommend 6 to 10 percent for hitch weight. (We have a European designed trailer but built in the US). Best to try and pack over or close to the axle. Many European designs have things like fridges, batteries and storage areas as well as water tanks on or around the axle. Works out well and loading the trailer has less of an affect on the hitch weight. Ours is like that. Our hitch weight actually is slightly less when fully loaded although still at that 10 percent mark.

The absolute worst thing I see is these cargo racks on the rear end of trailers. Horrible idea.

Take the euro numbers with a big grain of salt. Physics aren't different in Europe. I've seen articles where countries are trying to phase out bumper pull trailers due to safety issues. Plus much more common that they are placed in permanent sites. MH are the standard if moving around.

The OP really should take it to the local CAT Scale loaded for a trip and get real numbers. He's probably in spec but right at the max. He could easily be over, especially if he looks at payload.

Yep. Scaling it is always the best approach. And each axle separately as this allows checking against the axle ratings also on the door. We do this at least twice a year…although it’s hard to be a pack rat with a unit our size. :). Although last year during the fall unload we found a bag of beach rocks in the storage compartment that Angela thought would be fun to paint some day. :).

[valhalla360]

Reisender wrote:
Absolutely. Hence the recommendation to weigh everything. But in my experience single axle trailers with batteries on the front and large front storage compartments can result in overly heavy hitch weights. It’s just something to keep an eye on. In North America they recommend 10 to 15 percent whereas in Europe they recommend 6 to 10 percent for hitch weight. (We have a European designed trailer but built in the US). Best to try and pack over or close to the axle. Many European designs have things like fridges, batteries and storage areas as well as water tanks on or around the axle. Works out well and loading the trailer has less of an affect on the hitch weight. Ours is like that. Our hitch weight actually is slightly less when fully loaded although still at that 10 percent mark.

The absolute worst thing I see is these cargo racks on the rear end of trailers. Horrible idea.

Take the euro numbers with a big grain of salt. Physics aren't different in Europe. I've seen articles where countries are trying to phase out bumper pull trailers due to safety issues. Plus much more common that they are placed in permanent sites. MH are the standard if moving around.

The OP really should take it to the local CAT Scale loaded for a trip and get real numbers. He's probably in spec but right at the max. He could easily be over, especially if he looks at payload.

[Grit_dog]

Stop multiquoting!! Lol

[Reisender]

neu wrote:

Reisender wrote:

neu wrote:

bikendan wrote:

neu wrote:

bikendan wrote:

nickthehunter wrote:
It’s a single axle trailer; I’d be more concerned about the payload rating and tow rating of that car vs. the tongue weight and GVWR of that trailer. Clicky

Totally Agree! I'm betting that the loaded tongue weight is exceeding the car's max hitch weight.

I have an Audi Q5 2018 and according to the specifications, it seems to be capable of handling a 440-lb tongue weight.
Can the 2018 Audi Q5 Tow?

My trailer is called a Viking Saga 16sfb 2017, and I cannot find the specific characteristics for my year of production. However, for the new models of 2022, the Hitch Weight appears to be 363 lbs. If I understand correctly, this falls within the specification range.
Specs for 2022 Coachmen - Viking Saga Floorplan: 16SFB

The towing capacity of my car is 4,400-lb, which should be enough to cover the GWVR of 3,675-lb that my trailer has.

Please correct me if I am wrong about anything. It's all new area for me

Single axle trailers have much higher loaded tongue weights. Using the standard 13% of the trailer's GVWR, for a ballpark loaded tongue weight, puts it over 500lbs. NEVER believe fictitious brochure/website dry weight numbers. They don't factor the weights of batteries, factory options, dealer add-ons, water and trailer cargo. Once you add the weights of those things, the tongue weight really goes up.
You need to weigh the trailer's loaded tongue weight. And you didn't post what the payload capacity of your car is. Should be on a driver's door sticker.

Thank you, that's valuable advice, and I'll definitely take it into consideration.

However, I still have doubts about your statement that the manufacturer has provided an incorrect weight. One of their main tasks is to distribute everything evenly in the trailer, so that the weight is balanced on both sides of the axis. There's quite a bit of furniture located behind the axis in my trailer, and I don't think it's a coincidence - everything has been calculated and thought through. Even if the manufacturer doesn't take into account the weight of the propane cylinder and battery, I can easily detach them and load them into the trunk of my car.

You're a bit off with your calculations: 13% of my trailer's weight is less than 500 pounds, and to be precise, it's 477 pounds. As far as I understand, the tongue weight should be in the range of 10-15% of the trailer's weight. 10% of 3675 lbs is exactly 367 lbs. So, it looks like I just need to keep it within the range of 367-440 lbs to stay within the allowed limit for my car. As I understand it, I can always put something heavy in the back of the trailer (like a bottle of water, for example) to adjust the weight and keep the tongue weight within the desired range.

According to the sticker on my driver's door, my car's carrying capacity is 480 kg (1058 lbs), but I'm not quite sure why we need to consider the carrying capacity of my car. What does it have to do with this equation?

Howdy. The hitch weight counts against the carrying capacity of your car. So if you are allowed 1058 pounds and the hitch weight is 500 pounds you have 558 pounds left for passengers and stuff in your car.

Avoid loading things at the rear of your trailer to lighten tongue weight as it acts like a pendulum and can cause sway and instability. Rather load heavy things close to the axle so the trailer axle carry’s the weight.

Hope that helps.

Thank you, now everything has fallen into place inside my head. Now I understand that the specifications of my car actually cover the hitch weight of my trailer, two passengers, and a bit of luggage. That's all I need. Thank you very much once again for your detailed answers.

Happy to help. Enjoy the camping season. You will have a learning curve but take it one day at a time and learn from the mistakes. Also, SLOW DOWN. Towing short wheel base combos is best done slower than the speeds you normally drive. Don’t let anyone push you and just take your time. The physics changes when you are towing and as long as you respect that you’ll be fine. We tow a similar sized trailer with a similar sized vehicle.

Happy camping.

[neu]

Reisender wrote:

neu wrote:

bikendan wrote:

neu wrote:

bikendan wrote:

nickthehunter wrote:
It’s a single axle trailer; I’d be more concerned about the payload rating and tow rating of that car vs. the tongue weight and GVWR of that trailer. Clicky

Totally Agree! I'm betting that the loaded tongue weight is exceeding the car's max hitch weight.

I have an Audi Q5 2018 and according to the specifications, it seems to be capable of handling a 440-lb tongue weight.
Can the 2018 Audi Q5 Tow?

My trailer is called a Viking Saga 16sfb 2017, and I cannot find the specific characteristics for my year of production. However, for the new models of 2022, the Hitch Weight appears to be 363 lbs. If I understand correctly, this falls within the specification range.
Specs for 2022 Coachmen - Viking Saga Floorplan: 16SFB

The towing capacity of my car is 4,400-lb, which should be enough to cover the GWVR of 3,675-lb that my trailer has.

Please correct me if I am wrong about anything. It's all new area for me

Single axle trailers have much higher loaded tongue weights. Using the standard 13% of the trailer's GVWR, for a ballpark loaded tongue weight, puts it over 500lbs. NEVER believe fictitious brochure/website dry weight numbers. They don't factor the weights of batteries, factory options, dealer add-ons, water and trailer cargo. Once you add the weights of those things, the tongue weight really goes up.
You need to weigh the trailer's loaded tongue weight. And you didn't post what the payload capacity of your car is. Should be on a driver's door sticker.

Thank you, that's valuable advice, and I'll definitely take it into consideration.

However, I still have doubts about your statement that the manufacturer has provided an incorrect weight. One of their main tasks is to distribute everything evenly in the trailer, so that the weight is balanced on both sides of the axis. There's quite a bit of furniture located behind the axis in my trailer, and I don't think it's a coincidence - everything has been calculated and thought through. Even if the manufacturer doesn't take into account the weight of the propane cylinder and battery, I can easily detach them and load them into the trunk of my car.

You're a bit off with your calculations: 13% of my trailer's weight is less than 500 pounds, and to be precise, it's 477 pounds. As far as I understand, the tongue weight should be in the range of 10-15% of the trailer's weight. 10% of 3675 lbs is exactly 367 lbs. So, it looks like I just need to keep it within the range of 367-440 lbs to stay within the allowed limit for my car. As I understand it, I can always put something heavy in the back of the trailer (like a bottle of water, for example) to adjust the weight and keep the tongue weight within the desired range.

According to the sticker on my driver's door, my car's carrying capacity is 480 kg (1058 lbs), but I'm not quite sure why we need to consider the carrying capacity of my car. What does it have to do with this equation?

Howdy. The hitch weight counts against the carrying capacity of your car. So if you are allowed 1058 pounds and the hitch weight is 500 pounds you have 558 pounds left for passengers and stuff in your car.

Avoid loading things at the rear of your trailer to lighten tongue weight as it acts like a pendulum and can cause sway and instability. Rather load heavy things close to the axle so the trailer axle carry’s the weight.

Hope that helps.

Thank you, now everything has fallen into place inside my head. Now I understand that the specifications of my car actually cover the hitch weight of my trailer, two passengers, and a bit of luggage. That's all I need. Thank you very much once again for your detailed answers.