Edumacate me about towing

[djheater]

I have a tow bar installed.. it has a sticker on it that says 2000# max... it's a draw tite hitch, but I need to buy the ball part that goes into it.

What do I need to know, is the opening that the ball mount goes into standard?
What's the difference between the different raises and drops? Is that dependant on the trailer you're hauling?

I'm looking to rent a chipper from Home Dept to take care of a tone of bruch I trimmed in my back yard.... and it's a tow behind...

TIA

 

[nakedfrog]

Is it a receiver hitch? Are you sure you need a ball mount?

 

[Zenmervolt]

The sticker on the hitch does NOT tell you the car's capacity. It tells you the hitch's capacity. I could weld a Class V hitch (15,000 pounds) to the back of my Porsche, but that doesn't mean I can then magically tow 15,000 pounds with it.

The Neon's maximum towing capacity is 1,500 pounds with a maximum of 150 pounds tongue weight.

You have a Class I hitch (2,000 pound rating), the receiver (where the ball mount fits) is standard for all Class I hitches. Drop/rise depends on the height of the car and of the trailer. You want it to be level, too low and you shift too much tongue weight onto the car, too high and the trailer is unstable. A standard model should be fine.

ZV

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
The sticker on the hitch does NOT tell you the car's capacity. It tells you the hitch's capacity. I could weld a Class V hitch (15,000 pounds) to the back of my Porsche, but that doesn't mean I can then magically tow 15,000 pounds with it.

The Neon's maximum towing capacity is 1,500 pounds with a maximum of 150 pounds tongue weight.

You have a Class I hitch (2,000 pound rating), the receiver (where the ball mount fits) is standard for all Class I hitches. Drop/rise depends on the height of the car and of the trailer. You want it to be level, too low and you shift too much tongue weight onto the car, too high and the trailer is unstable. A standard model should be fine.

ZV

Thanks, last time I was in HD it looked like they had what I need there. I'll probably pick it all up at the same time.

TIA ~ If you don't hear from me, my wife put me in the chipper.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Here's my advice: Don't.

 

[Scouzer]

Rent a truck, or Home Depot lets you rent their vans which may have hitches

 

[cardiac]

There are also different ball diameters, too. Check at Home Depot and find out if the chipper requires a 1 7/8" or a 2"ball.
My 29' ttravel trailer that I pull takes a 2 5/16" ball.When you need to go larger than that, the next step up I believe is the "pintle hook".

Bob

 

[dud]

You do not usually hear the words "neon" and "tow" in the same sentence ... unless the neon is being towed.

If you want better advice take a pic of the tow bar and post it. A pic is worth a thousand words. Also, the ball that you need is most likely 1 7/8".

Good luck.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

MY Neon barely can drive well with 3 people in the car. I can't imagine it towing anything.

 

[Pliablemoose]

If you aren't going to tow it >20 miles or so and are willing to drive slowly you should do fine, the drop really doesn't matter for this use. Call Home Depot & find out what size ball you need.

Chip away 🙂