Receiver hitch 1.25 vs 2 inch -- will I get more clearance?

[catinmoon]

HI,
We have been towing my teardrop with my boyfriend's Toyota Tacoma (the smaller version from 2006), but I keep thinking I want to try with my 2006 Subaru Legacy Wagon. As it is the Legacy, not the Outback, the ground clearance is not great.

I had some online discussions with a hitch vendor, and they suggested that since I didn't need to tow a lot of weight, a Class II, 1.25" receiver hitch would help me "gain 3/4" clearance" over a Class III 2" hitch.

While I know that 2 minus 1.25 = .75 inch, I wonder if that will really translate, once installed, to a hitch bottom that is actually higher off the ground by any significant amount. What do you think? It almost seems the receiver opening would be centered on the hitch, not raised up by 3/4".

Or is this all just angels on the head of a pin? I already have the 2" ball mount, etc. so wonder if I need another set of 1.25" gear. ON the other hand, if the Class II would really gain me some room, it would likely be worth it.

Thanks for any opinions. Stephanie

[tony.latham]

HI,
We have been towing my teardrop with my boyfriend's Toyota Tacoma (the smaller version from 2006), but I keep thinking I want to try with my 2006 Subaru Legacy Wagon. As it is the Legacy, not the Outback, the ground clearance is not great.

I had some online discussions with a hitch vendor, and they suggested that since I didn't need to tow a lot of weight, a Class II, 1.25" receiver hitch would help me "gain 3/4" clearance" over a Class III 2" hitch.

While I know that 2 minus 1.25 = .75 inch, I wonder if that will really translate, once installed, to a hitch bottom that is actually higher off the ground by any significant amount. What do you think? It almost seems the receiver opening would be centered on the hitch, not raised up by 3/4".

Or is this all just angels on the head of a pin? I already have the 2" ball mount, etc. so wonder if I need another set of 1.25" gear. ON the other hand, if the Class II would really gain me some room, it would likely be worth it.

Thanks for any opinions. Stephanie

You can take a look at the Legacy hitches at eTrailer.com: http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2010_Subaru_Legacy.htm (I threw the 2010 in).

Obviously 3/4" isn't going to make any difference out there in camper world. I would guess that in the end, you'd need a higher stinger just to level out your teardrop.

I hope this helps,

Tony

[Dale M.]

Only thing comes to mind is smaller receiver is less popular (at the moment) and you may have less options (locally) for inserts (ball mount) ....

2 inch seems too be industry standard, though some newer Pickup trucks, 3/4 ton and up are not coming out with 2-1/2 and 3 inch for larger towing capacity...

Dale

[Shadow Catcher]

Subaru's tend to have a case of saggy butt over time. I have a set of rear rally springs waiting to go on our 2012 Outback and I am only doing the rears. I found this worked with the previous TV an 2001


The 2012 as you can see sags.

[Glenn Butcher]

Until last week I had a 2005 Subaru Outback, onto which I installed a 2" receiver from etrailer.com. I scraped pavement with it a couple of times, and I believe my underbody clearance is more than the Legacy. Unless the supporting frame for the 1.25" is different from the 2" (as in, one built into the bumper), I don't know what significant difference 3/4" will make.

The receiver was so low that, to make my trailer tongue level when hitched, I had to buy a 2" drop bar and use it upside-down. But all that has now changed, we just bought a new Toyota Highlander with the built-in hitch, no-drag...

[bobhenry]

Only thing comes to mind is smaller receiver is less popular (at the moment) and you may have lless options (locally) for inserts (ball mount) ....

2 inch seems too be industry standard, though some newer Pickup trucks, 3/4 ton and up are not coming out with 2-1/2 and 3 inch for larger towing capacity...

Dale

Dale can I respectfully disagree every drop and configuration of ball mount that is available in a class 3 is also available in a class 2.

As an ex haul company store manager we installed as many as 6 - 8 per day on occasion. Annually the center did 1500 to 2000 a year. The only thing you can not get on the class two is weight distribution capabilities.

A class 2 ( 1 1/4)is rated at 3500 pounds while a class 3 (2") is rated at 5000 pounds. Per a drawtite rep they are tested to failure and derated to 1/2 of the capability. So failure rate is actually times 2 that of the rated capacity. Many of the smaller class two hitches are designed to stealth fit with a tiny trim into the bumper facade so they can set higher depending on the vehicle.

Many vehicles simply look better with a smaller class 2. I personally see no need for even a 3500 pound rated hitch for a tiny trailer.

[catinmoon]

Thanks for all the thoughts, and your experiences are helpful. We sometimes scrape with the Toyota truck, so I anticipate that there would be some scraping with the Subaru. The teardrop usually lives down a steep driveway and there is almost always a problem coming out. We even took off the back trim of the trailer one time.

This is one reason I have resisted to date to put a hitch on the Subaru, and considered trading for another vehicle such as a 2006 CRV or something with a bit more clearance. At some point I either need to try it or let the idea go! I have had some work done on the rear suspension already, due in part to the bumpy dirt roads that I live on that seem to be hard on the links and rods (those are not the technical terms, but the way I envision those items I have paid dearly for).

This is going to sound like a naive question, but is it the case that all Class II hitches have a 1.25" receiver, and all Class III have 2"?

Thanks again,
Stephanie

[bobhenry]

This is going to sound like a naive question, but is it the case that all Class II hitches have a 1.25" receiver, and all Class III have 2"?

Thanks again,
Stephanie

I hesitate to use the word ALL but 90+% of the time this statement is correct !

I had a quick question is the trailer being towed level or are you nose up causing the tail of the trailer to drag.

For best towing try and get the trailer to level when towing. Slightly nose down is even better for road manners at highway speeds. The operative word in that sentence is SLIGHTLY !

When selecting a ball mount try and get as close to a level towing height as possible WITHOUT going over. I level the trailer with a small bubble level and measure from the ground into the cup of the coupler. This is your ball height best for towing.

[catinmoon]

The trailer (when hitched to the truck) seems pretty level to me, but I don't know if we have actually put a level to it. I was briefly pulling the teardrop on a big van, and had purchased one of those adjustable hitches so we could adjust the interface such that the trailer was level. Since the Subaru is lower, we might have to use the adjusting hitch as well, maybe in reverse?, although it is a very heavy setup and seems like a bit of overkill. Right now this is all speculation. When I finally take some action I can find out what it looks like and send some photos.

Stephanie

[ctstaas]

Hi There, One degree slope is 1/4" drop per foot. 3/4" in 8 feet is? Not much. The strength is not going to be an issue for most. The problem for me is different sized balls and receivers. Why complicate your life? Stick with one size. I prefer 2" for everything. Custom ball mounts are available cheap or you can have one made on the cheap. Just my $0.02.
Enjoy,Chris

[ae6black]

I don't know if this would be applicable but I haul everything with my Durango. It's got plenty of umpf for hills and all for both larger trailers as well as my tear. However when I haul the family rv the rump sags pretty bad. I ended up putting some kind of air blatter system in the rear coil springs. I just load up with the larger trailer and add a few pounds of air to the thing to bring my rump up to level when hauling the larger trailers. It works pretty well and was far less expensive than adding air shocks to get the same result. It does tighten up the suspension considerably however and makes it ride like a buckboard when unhitched. You can't leave all of the air out or the blatters will possibly pinch between the coil springs and be damaged. but it was a relatively cheap fix and it works.

Art

[rowerwet]

Get the 2", all the other stuff you want to mount on the hitch is better for 2". Stuff like bike racks, cargo trays, ski racks, etc. They all put torque on the hitch, 2" is stronger.

[bobhenry]

Get the 2", all the other stuff you want to mount on the hitch is better for 2". Stuff like bike racks, cargo trays, ski racks, etc. They all put torque on the hitch, 2" is stronger.

Some of the accessory items you listed are actually designed to fit in an 1 1/4 receiver they come with a super hard plastic sleeve to ADAPT to the 2" receiver.

[Shadow Catcher]

One other solution is a skid roller http://www.etrailer.com/Skid-Wheels/Ultra-Fab-Products/UF48-979020.html?feed=npn&gclid=CKKUnNHtr8UCFYsCaQodB78APg

[rowerwet]

Get the 2", all the other stuff you want to mount on the hitch is better for 2". Stuff like bike racks, cargo trays, ski racks, etc. They all put torque on the hitch, 2" is stronger.

Some of the accessory items you listed are actually designed to fit in an 1 1/4 receiver they come with a super hard plastic sleeve to ADAPT to the 2" receiver.

Having a car with 1.25 and a van with 2" I know the better stuff comes in 2", at least around here. The 1.25" is usually more expensive and not as capable. None of my 2" has an adapter.