2" or 1-7/8" ball???

[Andrew Herrick]

1-7/8-inch ball couplers are either rated for 2,000 lbs (Class I) or 3,500 pounds (Class II). 2-inch balls might be Class II - Class IV. Most teardrops can be towed safely with a hitch of just about any size because very few weigh 2,000 pounds or more. What's more important is the tongue weight rating.

With that said, people seem to trust 2-inch ball couplers more. Just marketing. And they're more popular. So if you plan to sell it one day, you might consider a 2-inch coupler just 'cause.

[yrock87]

one benefit to 1-7/8" is that it is slightly less common, so some opportunity theves may not be able to grab your trailer. having said that most "trailer people" will have the common ball sizes. I ended up going with 2" on my tear and my utility trailer even though I only have a class II hitch on my Subaru. the cargo trailer came with a 2" so it made sense to me to build my TD with a 2" for ease of use.

[dmdc411]

Went with 2" cause that's what my boat trailer had. Keep it simple!

[Dale M.]

one benefit to 1-7/8" is that it is slightly less common, so some opportunity theves may not be able to grab your trailer. having said that most "trailer people" will have the common ball sizes. I ended up going with 2" on my tear and my utility trailer even though I only have a class II hitch on my Subaru. the cargo trailer came with a 2" so it made sense to me to build my TD with a 2" for ease of use.

1-7/8 ball has been around for YEARS...... It is not uncommon, it was the go to size long before 2 inch ball came along...

Dale

[Dale M.]

If you have trailer(s) with different size ball/hitch and its not practical to change any hitch so all match, COLOR CODE ball/hitch combinations.... All blue= good, all red= good, blue & red =OOPS...

Dale

[Padilen]

one benefit to 1-7/8" is that it is slightly less common, so some opportunity theves may not be able to grab your trailer. having said that most "trailer people" will have the common ball sizes. I ended up going with 2" on my tear and my utility trailer even though I only have a class II hitch on my Subaru. the cargo trailer came with a 2" so it made sense to me to build my TD with a 2" for ease of use.

one benefit to 1-7/8" is that it is slightly less common, so some opportunity theves may not be able to grab your trailer. having said that most "trailer people" will have the common ball sizes. I ended up going with 2" on my tear and my utility trailer even though I only have a class II hitch on my Subaru. the cargo trailer came with a 2" so it made sense to me to build my TD with a 2" for ease of use.

1-7/8 ball has been around for YEARS...... It is not uncommon, it was the go to size long before 2 inch ball came along...

Dale

The 1-7/8 is not uncommon, and it's not a theft deterrent. A 1-7/8 ball is used to steal both 1-7/8 and 2 " sized couplers. And many get 1-7/8 and 2" sized couplers on different things and accidentally use 1-7/8 ball when 2" is needed. Sometimes it rides there and sometimes it comes off.


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[yrock87]

Point taken. I guess my point was that you cannot usually use a 2" to take a 1-7/8" ball hitched trailer. And that many peoples first trailer nowadays is going to be a 2".

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[swoody126]

an interesting thread...

a point that my quick scan did not pick up on is it is not the size of the ball that is more important, when discussing weight pulled

w/ bumper pull trailers the towed weight factor is, IMHO, governed by the diameter of the bolt thru the hitch

1 7/8" balls usually come w/ a 3/4" bolt, though they can be had w/ a 1" bolt

2" balls most often come w/ a 1" bolt and like the smaller ball can be had w/ a 3/4" bolt

the 3/4" bolts are usually on balls rated for 2000# for either size ball

the ball ratings are usually stamped on the top of the ball itself

TD's usually fall under the 2000# weight so it really doesn't matter which way one goes

i would agree w/ the above ^^^ suggestion to keep all hitches, one owns/tows, common to one size ball

MAKE SURE THE BALL YOU SETTLE ON HAS A BOLT THAT FILLS THE HOLE IN THE HITCH!

coupler manufacturers make their products in sizes that will accomodate most any size trailer tongue one might have and oddly enough most of them have a common bolt pattern for ease of exchange

good sources of couplers are Tractor Supply, Atwoods, Gebo's & E-Trailer

GOOD LUCK W/ YOUR PROJECT

sw