Just bought a new Sequoia Limited with full two capabilities but it didn't come with the actual Ball Mount Attachment. Is this something I need to pick up separately to fit the trailer I'm going to two, or should this have been included with the truck?
TIA
It would have been a separate option on the truck.
You'll probably do better having the hitch installed locally, they often do a much nicer job if they make the hitch up Custom for you. Besides, they have to make the receiver mate up with the trailer and the load leveling bars, get the Anti-Sway linkage right, mount the connector bracket and get all the wiring in order...
Where do you live? You may be able to get hitch shop referrals.
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If you got the factory towing package, you need to purchase the draw bar and ball. It is not included with the factory tow package because of the wide variety of trailers.
Draw bars come in various configurations to accommodate the tongue height of the trailer. For example, if the receiver is 12 inches off the ground but the trailer tongue should be 10 inches, then get a receiver with a 2 inch drop. You purchase the ball separately so that the shank is sized to the draw bar and the ball diameter is sized to the trailer tongue. Some trailers require 1-7/8" and some require 2" balls.
This is exactly what I figured.
Thanks for the info.
You're welcome! Happy trailering!
Well right now all I have access to is one of those trailers used to pull ATVs or lawn equipment. Now the question is what size drop to I need.
With the trailer tongue horizontal to the ground, measure the tongue height, then measure the vehicle's receiver height and subtract the tongue height. You can compensate for tongue weight by standing on the back bumper while measuring receiver height, but if you tend to have the vehicle loaded when towing a trailer, then that probably isn't necessary.
When shopping for the draw bar, get one that matches the receiver. The receiver with the factory tow package is 2". When shopping for the ball, besides ball diameter, make sure that the shank diameter is the right size for the hole in the draw bar. I sometimes tow different trailers so I got one (I think from Reese) where you can change the ball between 1-7/8" and 2" without tools and without having to remove the shank. The pin that secures the draw bar to the receiver also comes in 2 different diameters - get the thicker one for a 2" receiver and draw bar.
Thanks again Ray. That all sounds simple enough and along the lines of what I was thinking. I did figure on a 2" drawbar and the trailer has requires a
2" ball so I'm set on that. Now all I have to do is measure for the drop.
And get a key-locking hitch pin to hold the receiver to the car, and a key lock for the trailer coupler. Make enough copies of the hitch keys to put them on all the car key rings.
My brother found out the hard way that there are some "Yoots" and "Little Darlings"* out there that think pulling the big pin out of an unsuspecting travelers' hitch receiver during a road-trip break stop is the peak of utter hilarity.
(* - Mom to Policeman: "But my 'Little Darling' Johnny would never do /anything/ bad like that. He's innocent..." BULL - we have him on the security cameras. Denial is not a river in Egypt.)
Cost him a new hood, grill, and radiator for the PT Cruiser he was towing - luckily they didn't tamper with the safety cables too, or they'd be fishing for the car in a ravine somewhere...
Now all his hitch pins are locking ones.
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