hitch

[Carl Pa]

For those people towing with a rav4, What kind of hitch did you use to accomplish the 21" H, for the scamp 16. Thanks , Carl

[frankcfx]

I use a Harbor Freight load equalizing hitch with my Rav 4 and my 16'Scamp. It has many holes in the shank that enables matching the necessary height.

[honda03842]

Carl,

I went to etrailer.com, picked out a hitch. With a hitch installed I selected a ball mount to get the height I wanted.

Ball mounts come in different heights. Your local Walmarts also has ball mounts. With the hitch installed you can measure the height and go down and get what you want. They'll take it back if it's wrong.

Here's a link to etrailer set up for a 2014 Rav4, just one option:

http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2014_T...WD_GTW-pm-Curt

[Carl Pa]

Hi Norm, Yes i have the hitch/receiver installed. I should have said ball hitch. Scamp says i need 21" to the top of the ball from the ground. My height of the 2" upper lip of receiver is at 13" to 13 1/4" from the ground
So i am guessing i need at least a 6" to 7" rise then the height of the ball itself, should bring it in around 21" to the very top of which the coupler will fit onto. I intend to not get a WDH until i bring it home and know how it feels to drive. I do not go over by very much of 50 MPH normally, so i will not be hot rod with said trailer attached. I did not know you could exchange ball hitches for size. that will make things easier. Thanks Frank and Norm for your reply. Carl (45 days to pick up)

[TomK]

Carl, eTrailer is the best place I've found as well for hitch needs. When I measured my ball height, I stood on the bar and had my wife measure the distance to the top of the ball. Normally the tongue weight will compress your vehicle springs an inch or two. My 200 lbs simulated the weight of the tongue on the ball. It turned out the only way I could get it perfect was to buy a ball with a 2" taller shank. The only place I could find that was eTrailer. I think it turned out pretty near perfect.

Tom

[Mike Magee]

It seems odd to me (although I don't have a Scamp, so what do I know?) that your 16'er should require such a high ball mount. 21" minus the 2" of the ball itself leaves 19"... that still seems unusually high. Is your Scamp set up higher than usual for offroad use?

[TomK]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

It seems odd to me (although I don't have a Scamp, so what do I know?) that your 16'er should require such a high ball mount. 21" minus the 2" of the ball itself leaves 19"... that still seems unusually high. Is your Scamp set up higher than usual for offroad use?

Mike, this is the height info on Scamp's website:

Hitching your Scamp
Securely hitch your Scamp to the towing vehicle: You should have a 2 inch ball hitch for towing your Scamp. Prior to 2005, most 13 foot trailers used a 1 and 7/8 inch ball. The ball hitch height on the tow vehicle should be about 18 inches high for the 13 foot trailer and 21 inches high for the 16 foot trailer.

Note, they measure to the top of the ball. It was explained to me this height was approximately 1"-1.5" higher than you need, to make up for the rear suspension compression under the weight of the tongue. My 13 measures 17" when hooked up, and is dead level.

Tom

[TomK]

This is what my rig looks like with an 18" top of ball height (before hook-up)

Tom

[honda03842]

Carl,

I just went out and measured my Scamp's ball height parked level in my driveway. It is 19 inches high.

I went out and measured my receiver on the Odyssey. The bottom of the receiver is 13 inches off the ground, probably different from yours.

My ball is 20" high unloaded by the trailer. When I sit on the rear bumper of the Odyssey it drops about 3/4 of an inch. I weight about 10#s less than our tongues 200 pound weight. As a result the back of the Odyssey is about the same height as the trailer when level.

I must say I haven't towed with the Odyssey but will this weekend. However the receiver and ball are from our former tow vehicle and the numbers seem almost identical. If I have any issue I'll let you know.

The following is a picture of our ball, note how close it is to the rear bumper, as close as I can get it, reducing the distance from ball to the rear axle.