Hitch n Ball Question

[Classic Finn]

I am curious to know wether or not a US Ball hitch will directly fit the European one since there is a few mm in between them.

Would it be safe to directly hitch to a car or not or must somthing be done?

50 millimeters = 1.96850394 inches. Is it too much of a gap?

Classic Finn

[asianflava]

We were at a campout in Utah last year when one of the folks lost their T@B trailers on the way to the event. He was an elderly gentleman and had used the wrong ball because he had several different types in his garage. He accidentally used a 1 7/8 in ball on a 2in coupler. 1/8in is a 3.175mm difference.

If you are talking about using a 50mm ball on a 2in coupler, that is only a difference of .8mm. I can't say for sure but there is probably that much play (slop) in the coupler. I know that there are European trailers used here. The guy who took us on a hot air balloon ride used a Westfalia trailer which was made in Germany.

[Steve_Cox]

Hitch latches are usually adjustable and that would take out any fore and aft play, I agree with Rocky, probably wouldn't be noticeable with a light weight trailer. I don't change my 1 7/8" ball that I use for the tear drop for the short trip to the neighborhood boat ramp with my canoe trailer that has a 2" hitch. I did tighten the latch mechanism though. However, If I was leaving the neighborhood I'd do it the right way.

[Classic Finn]

Apologies folks I forgot to tell you that our ball is 50mm in diameter which is the most common.

Classic Finn

[angib]

Been there, done that.

A 2" (50.8mm) coupler will fit on a 50mm ball and can't be pulled off, but it will rattle like the devil. It's OK to the end of the street, but no further if you value your sanity. Tickety, tickety, tick.....

A 50mm coupler usually won't lock on a 2" ball or, even worse, it will half lock on. I don't know anyone who's been dumb enough to tow like that to find out if a half-locked-on coupler stays on.....

50mm and 2" don't mix.

Andrew

[Arne]

I've towed a 2" coupler on 1-7/8 ball for hundreds of miles on a light trailer.

What I do is put the ball mount (it is just hanging in the air, not attached to the hitch on the tow) in the coupler and tighten the adjustment on the coupler until the ball mount does tilt down. Then you know you have taken all the slack out of the adjuster...

I do not recommend doing this... but is is also the way I adjust the coupler to the ball mount on all applications...

If the ball mount drops (it is not on the hitch, just hanging in the air), the adjustment is too loose... it should be adjusted so it is snug enough not to drop. it if drops, you have play between the coupler and the ball, which you do not want in any case.