Hitches, Receivers & Ball Mounts
What Size Drop Hitch Do I Need?
Everyone guesses this and most guess high. Two measurements and one allowance give you the answer in about five minutes.
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How we assessed these: The method below works on any vehicle and trailer combination. Mounts are assessed from each maker's published drop, rise and rating figures.
Short answer
Measure from the ground to the bottom of your level trailer's coupler, then from the ground to the top of your receiver tube. Subtract the second from the first: a negative result is the drop you need, a positive one is a rise. Then allow about an inch for the vehicle squatting under tongue weight.
Drop is the one hitch dimension people buy on appearance, which is why so many rigs on the road tow nose-high or nose-down. It is not a styling choice. A trailer that is not level does not share load correctly between its axles, loses or gains tongue weight depending on which way it tips, and in the nose-high case gives away exactly the tongue weight that keeps it stable behind you.
The two measurements
Measuring for drop or rise
Get the trailer level, on flat ground
Wind the tongue jack until a spirit level laid along the trailer frame reads level. Flat ground matters - a sloped driveway invents an inch or two out of nothing.
Ground to the bottom of the coupler
Measure to the underside of the coupler socket, the face that will sit on top of the ball. Note the number.
Ground to the top of the receiver tube
On the vehicle, unloaded, measure to the top inside surface of the square receiver opening. Note that number too.
Subtract
Coupler height minus receiver height. A negative number means the coupler sits below the receiver and you need a drop of that size. A positive number means you need a rise.
Allow for squat
Add roughly an inch of drop to account for the rear of the vehicle settling once tongue weight is applied. A half-ton or a crossover squats more than a three-quarter-ton; a vehicle with air springs levels back up and needs less allowance.
Drop mounts are sold in common increments, so round to the nearest available size rather than hunting for an exact match. Half an inch out is invisible in how the rig tows. Three inches out is not.
Why nose-high is the failure mode to avoid
If the trailer tows nose-high, weight shifts rearward, off the tongue and behind the trailer axle. Tongue weight should be 10 to 15 percent of the loaded trailer weight, and the nose-high error walks you down out of that band - which is precisely the condition in which trailers start to sway. Nose-down is less dangerous but still wrong: it overloads the front trailer axle on a tandem, drags the front of the trailer in dips, and pushes extra weight onto the tow vehicle's rear axle.
| Measured difference | What to buy | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Coupler well below receiver | A drop mount, sized to the difference plus about an inch | Common with lifted trucks and tall pickups behind low trailers |
| Coupler within an inch of receiver | A minimal-drop or straight mount | Typical of crossovers and cars with light trailers |
| Coupler above receiver | A rise mount, or an adjustable mount flipped | Happens with tall trailers and low tow vehicles |
| Different answers per trailer | An adjustable mount covering the range | Cheaper than owning three fixed mounts |
Measured on your own vehicle and trailer. Published receiver heights vary by trim, tire size and suspension, so a figure from a forum is not a substitute for a tape measure.
What to look for when you buy
- Shank size matching your receiver. A 2 in shank does not fit a 2-1/2 in tube without an adapter, and an adapter costs you rating and adds leverage.
- Rating above your trailer, at the drop you are using. Deep-drop mounts are often rated lower than the same part in a shallow drop, because the offset increases the bending load. Read the figure for your configuration.
- Ball diameter from the coupler stamp. Buying the mount does not settle the ball - that comes off the coupler marking.
- Weight you are willing to lift. Deep-drop adjustable mounts in steel are heavy. This is where aluminum against steel becomes a real question.
- Ground clearance. A long drop hanging below the bumper catches on ramps, ferry aprons and steep driveways. Take the shortest drop that levels the trailer.
Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. How these are chosen - and what we do and do not claim to know - is published in full on our research methodology page.
| # | Product | Best for | Our read | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  CURT Adjustable Channel Mount with Dual Ball (2 in shank, 6 in drop) Best if you are unsure | Garages with several trailers | Covers a 6 in range, so a wrong guess is adjustable | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link - we publish no price; Amazon shows the current one |
| 2 |  B&W Tow & Stow Adjustable Ball Mount Best for several trailers | Daily drivers that tow occasionally | Multiple balls and heights on one head | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link - we publish no price; Amazon shows the current one |
| 3 |  CURT Loaded Ball Mount with 2 in Ball (2 in drop, 7,500 lb) Best once you know the number | One trailer at a known height | Fixed drop, ball fitted, nothing to work loose | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link - we publish no price; Amazon shows the current one |
The mounts in detail
1. Best if you are unsure
CURT Adjustable Channel Mount with Dual Ball (2 in shank, 6 in drop)
CURT · Best for garages with several trailers
One mount that covers two ball sizes and a range of heights, which is the answer when the garage contains a boat trailer, a utility trailer and a camper that all sit at different heights. Capacity drops to the lower-rated ball you are actually using.
Published specifications
What works
- Two ball sizes and a height range in a single mount
- Flipping it gives rise as well as drop
- Rated to 14,000 lb on the larger ball
What does not
- Heavy, and more joints means more places for rattle to start
- The pins and bolts need checking for torque, unlike a one-piece mount
Skip it if
Pointless if you own one trailer and tow it with one truck - a fixed mount at the right height is lighter, quieter and cheaper.
#ad Affiliate link - we publish no price; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: CURT’s own page. We earn nothing on that link.
2. Best for several trailers
B&W Tow & Stow Adjustable Ball Mount
B&W Trailer Hitches · Best for daily drivers that tow occasionally
Two balls on a pivoting head that tucks up under the bumper when nothing is attached, which is the part owners actually rave about - no more shin-height steel bar in a parking lot. Height adjusts in pin increments rather than continuously.
We have not sourced a full specification table for this model from the manufacturer’s own site at a stable address. Rather than repeat figures we cannot cite, the assessment above is limited to what the design and the maker’s published description genuinely establish.
What works
- Stows up out of the way instead of projecting behind the bumper
- Two ball sizes on one head, flipped rather than swapped
- Solid, heavily built, and quiet when pinned correctly
What does not
- Heavy to handle and to store
- Height steps are fixed by the pin holes, so an exact level may not be available
Skip it if
Not the right buy if you need a precise level height - a continuously adjustable channel mount will get closer than pin increments will.
#ad Affiliate link - we publish no price; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: B&W Trailer Hitches’s own page. We earn nothing on that link.
3. Best once you know the number
CURT Loaded Ball Mount with 2 in Ball (2 in drop, 7,500 lb)
CURT · Best for one trailer at a known height
A one-piece mount with the ball already fitted and torqued, rated to 7,500 lb gross and 750 lb tongue with a 2 in drop. Nothing adjusts, which is exactly why nothing rattles or works loose.
Published specifications
What works
- Arrives with the ball fitted, so there is no torque step to get wrong
- One piece means nothing to loosen or rattle
- Light enough to leave in the receiver or throw in a toolbox
What does not
- The 2 in drop is the only drop - measure before you buy
- 7,500 lb ceiling rules out heavier trailers
Skip it if
Useless on a lifted truck, where a 2 in drop will still leave the trailer nose-high and the weight on the rear axle of the trailer.
#ad Affiliate link - we publish no price; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: CURT’s own page. We earn nothing on that link.
Check your work with the trailer attached
Hitch the trailer, loaded as it will travel, and stand back. The frame rails should read level, or a hair nose-down, never nose-up. If they do not, change the mount rather than trying to correct trailer attitude with spring bar tension or tire pressure - those are the wrong adjustments for this problem, and on a weight distribution setup they will undo the setup you already did.
If you are on a lifted truck, the numbers get large quickly and a few extra considerations apply. The drop hitch guide for lifted trucks covers deep-drop ratings and the clearance trade-offs that come with them.
Key takeaways
- Drop equals coupler height minus receiver height, plus about an inch for squat.
- Level or very slightly nose-down is the target; nose-high is the one to avoid.
- Round to the nearest available drop - half an inch does not matter.
- Deep drops can carry lower ratings, so read the figure for your configuration.
- Re-measure after a lift, new tires or added air springs.
How we sourced this
Every figure on this page came from one of the following, each fetched while the page was written. Where a manufacturer or regulator does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate it.
Common questions
- How do I know if I need a drop or a rise?
- Subtract receiver height from coupler height with the trailer level. If the coupler is lower, you need a drop; if it is higher, you need a rise. Most pickups need a drop and most cars and crossovers need little or nothing.
- Is a bigger drop safer?
- No. Too much drop tows the trailer nose-down, loads the front trailer axle, and reduces ground clearance behind the vehicle. Buy the drop the measurement asks for, not the largest that fits.
- Does the drop change when the trailer is loaded?
- The trailer's coupler height barely moves, but the tow vehicle squats, which is why the method adds about an inch. Check the result with the trailer hitched and loaded as it will travel.
- Can I use an adjustable mount instead of measuring?
- You still have to measure - an adjustable mount just means a wrong first guess is correctable without buying a second mount. Set it so the loaded trailer sits level, then leave it there.
More in Hitches, Receivers & Ball Mounts
Class, receiver size, ball diameter, drop. Four numbers decide whether your setup is right, and three of them are stamped on parts you already own.
Read next
Guide
Drop Hitches for Lifted Trucks
Why a lift creates a towing problem, how to measure the drop you now need, and the extended-drop options available.
Best ball mount
Best Ball Mounts
Fixed, adjustable, stowing and scale-equipped mounts compared on drop range, capacity and how much they rattle.
Head to head
Adjustable vs Fixed Mount
The honest head-to-head: what an adjustable mount buys you, what it costs you, and why a fixed mount still wins for most owners.
Guide
How to Balance a Trailer
Loading a trailer so it tows straight: the 60/40 rule, where heavy items belong, and how to confirm the result with a measurement.
Found something out of date, or a figure you can source better than we did? Corrections get read first. How we research explains how these pages are put together, and contact is one click away.