Hitch drop on 2009 Ford Escape

[inkslinger]

I'm going to be towing a Trillium 1300 with my Escape. Was going to buy the ball mount and hitch assembly this weekend, but my measurements aren't making sense.

Following these directions, I get a hitch drop of 6 ¾", which seems insane for a small SUV.

I feel like I must be doing something wrong, but can't for the life of me figure out what. The trailer is level and the SUV is as level as I can get it (perfectly level ground is tough to find). Any advice or suggestions? Surely I shouldn't need that much hitch drop unless I was towing with a raised pickup, right?

[thrifty bill]

I only use a 4 inch drop when I pull my Trillium 1300 with my F150. Save your receipts and try a couple. Walmart sells them and around here they are generous on returns. Just don't take it on a long trip.

This is day one, on the way home from picking it up.

1977 Trillium 1300 by wrk101, on Flickr


And here is a recent trip, with 14 inch wheels (originally 13). Same 4 inch drop receiver.

FWIW, when I pull the Escape 19, I use a zero drop receiver.

1977 Trillium behind truck by wrk101, on Flickr

[brendadave]

That sounds right, I'll have to check, but I know it was at least 6 1/2 drop on my 2008 escape, my explorer also drops 6 1/2 for our 76 1300.

[thrifty bill]

Note, I am not home right now. Its my recollection its a 4 inch drop, might be 6.

Just double checked it’s 4 inches up, or flip it over and it’s about 5 1/2 down.

[Tillie and Tyler]

I have a 13' Scamp, 2004 with 13" tires.



Until the vehicle died, i towed the trailer with a 2008 Ford Escape 3.0 litre V6. The drop was 2 inches. The hitch had a 2 inch receiver, and was a class 3.


If you have a class 3 hitch, one way to get a ballpark idea about drop might be to go to the UHaul web site and look at the numbers. Maybe your hitch is installed in a very different way compared to what UHaul does? If so, this suggestion is useless.



If the idea is useful to anyone reading this, UHaul has an online form where you can enter the make, model and year of the tow vehicle. The results list several components including the ball mount (for the 2008 and 2009 Escapes: 2.25" drop). Please note: i measured the truck and trailer, and chose a 2" drop. The rig was as level as level gets, so i highly recommend doing the measurements yourself.



My 2008 Ford Escape was retired due to rust in the rear wheel wells (Nova Scotia). The rust was so bad on the passenger side that the shock absorber mount broke away at the top. Because you are from Alberta, i am assuming your truck is in better shape. Because some Ford Escapes are well known for rusting out in the rear wheel wells, it may be worth your while to make sure the back of the truck is well and truly attached, and not floating higher than it should be due to disconnection from the frame. If it is floating, it might explain the long drop.


best of luck Inkslinger. happy camping. cathi

[ehoepner]

The basic concept is that with your trailer loaded and your Escape loaded for camping, your trailer should be very close to level front to back. An inch lower at the front is OK. An inch higher at the front is not Ok, this causes to trailer to sway at higher speeds. So, the hitch that you buy for the trailer needs to reflect thoughts needs.

[brendadave]

double checked, from my 2008 Escape, it is a 5 1/4" drop with factory tow.

[floyd]

Measurement should be top of the ball and top of the coupler.
The trailer parked level, measure to the top of the coupler where the ball inserts.
The TV parked level, measure to the top of the ball. Consider loading the Escape with whatever you plan for payload before measuring.
I have found that these cars don't squat as much as you might expect.

On the Escape, you might experience a drop of an inch or so with a 200 pound tongue weight.


The Trillium 1300 in my experience has a bit of what I call an "Odie" complex. I recommend the use of a friction anti-sway device. Of all the trailers I have towed the Trillium 1300 benefited most from this device.
It is a very well made trailer and feels roomy for its size.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by brendadave

double checked, from my 2008 Escape, it is a 5 1/4" drop with factory tow.

You bring up a good point...
The OP doesn't say what Ford Escape he has, or what year.

[WizWid]

Originally Posted by floyd

You bring up a good point...
The OP doesn't say what Ford Escape he has, or what year.

Did it change mid-year in 2009?

[inkslinger]

I will remeasure tonight, but I got a coupler height of 12" and a hitch received tube height of 18.75", making a difference of 6.75".

The vehicle is equipped with a Class 2 hitch receiver.

Having chatted with a local hitch specialist, I'm told that neither adjustable ball mounts nor a ball mount with a 6" drop exist in Class 2, but I know people tow Trilliums and similar eggs with Ford Escapes, as evidenced by this thread, so my measurements must be off otherwise it'd be impossible.

I'm measuring the tow vehicle empty, though, so maybe that's part of the problem. I will try loading both the trailer and tow vehicle as if I was about to go on a trip and re-measure.

More details on the Escape:

It's the 2009 Limited, which is a 4WD, V6 model.

[Jon in AZ]

Class II (3500#) can have either a 2” or a 1-1/4” receiver tube. Guessing it’s the latter, or this wouldn’t be an issue. Is it an integrated factory hitch or a bolt-on?

We use a drop of around 6” with our ‘11 Pilot/‘08 Scamp 13. The Pilot has a factory integrated hitch that sits pretty high and exits through (rather than under) the rear bumper fascia. But it’s a 2” receiver, so no problem getting a ball mount with the requisite drop.

I agree that you should load and remeasure. Ours drops about 1-1/2” under a full tongue and passenger/cargo load.

[John in Michigan]

Adam, fyi, we tow our 1978 Trillium 4500 (stock frame, axle height, and wheel size) with a 2011 Ford Escape. We use a ball mount with a 4.75 inch drop. The result is a very close to perfectly level trailer. Might be able to use a 5.5 inch drop ball mount if this existed.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by widgetwizard

Did it change mid-year in 2009?

No it didn't... I just missed the heading somehow.
I towed my Scamp13 with a 2008 Escape for eight years.
My trillium was only towed with my Ranger.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by John in Michigan

Adam, fyi, we tow our 1978 Trillium 4500 (stock frame, axle height, and wheel size) with a 2011 Ford Escape. We use a ball mount with a 4.75 inch drop. The result is a very close to perfectly level trailer. Might be able to use a 5.5 inch drop ball mount if this existed.

You can buy the next greater drop than needed and then compensate with a ball which has a taller base which they make in 1" increments.
Also if using a friction sway, you could use the no-weld adapter plate which would add 1/2".
So if you used a 6"drop with a friction sway and adapter you would have the 5.5" goal.

[War Eagle]

Just out of curiosity, with your 6" drop ball mount, what is the ground clearance between the bottom of the nut threads on the bottom of your ball and the ground when hitched?

[inkslinger]

Thanks for all the help everyone. Just to close the loop, in case anyone in the future has the same issue, I ended up needing a 4 ¾“ drop. This size is rare in a 1 ¼“ hitch tube, so I had to order online and pay waaaaay too much money, but it works and the trailer is properly level when towing.