According to this, you may want to check you hitch

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

A lot of hitch issues stem from the drop downs, extensions and other modifications made to them other than direct, laterally loaded towing. The back and forth loads placed on an over extended drop down can weaken a hitch over time. Most manufacturers will tell advice to consider any extension a 50% reduction in capacity.

So what’s a person to do if the hitch receiver is 8 or 10 inches higher than the baseplate? Mot much option to using a drop hitch.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

So what’s a person to do if the hitch receiver is 8 or 10 inches higher than the baseplate? Mot much option to using a drop hitch.

Check your hitch regularly and have it inspected once a year. There's not many options. The standard for hitch height is approximately 18". With most motorhomes, the receiver is much higher as they attached to commercial truck chassis' instead of pickups. Buy quality name brand adapters (EX: Reese), reduce slack with the "spacer" devices, start off slowly, reducing the stress and snap-back and keep well insured. I do a walk-around at EVERY stop I make...even quick stops at rest areas. Kick tires, check hitch, look for windows that may have vibrated a bit open, check lights...lots of stuff. It's a very small gamble that you will have a hitch issue. For the few "brake away hitches" I've seen...I'd really love to hear the "third side of the story".

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

Check your hitch regularly and have it inspected once a year. There's not many options. The standard for hitch height is approximately 18". With most motorhomes, the receiver is much higher as they attached to commercial truck chassis' instead of pickups. Buy quality name brand adapters (EX: Reese), reduce slack with the "spacer" devices, start off slowly, reducing the stress and snap-back and keep well insured. I do a walk-around at EVERY stop I make...even quick stops at rest areas. Kick tires, check hitch, look for windows that may have vibrated a bit open, check lights...lots of stuff. It's a very small gamble that you will have a hitch issue. For the few "brake away hitches" I've seen...I'd really love to hear the "third side of the story".

Sound advice. My Ford Focus baseplate is going to be at least 8 inches lower than the hitch receiver. I might get by with a 6 inch drop but likely will need an 8. Other than getting a new custom hitch fabricated or trading the Ford in on a Jeep I don’t see any alternative.

[DNPMILLER]

I hope this is the right place for this question, I don't mean to hijack but there seems to be a lot of knowledgeable people on this thread.

The receiver on my Thor 26B is 14 Inches from the ground. The tow bar mounting brackets on my Jeep are 24 inches. Is it possible to use the drop hitch upside down to raise the ball up at least 8 inches? I understand that the two connections need to be within 3 inches in height of each other. I have not been able to find anything about using a drop hitch to raise the ball, all the pictures show it being used to lower it.

If I cant use it, the only option would be to lower the mounts on the jeep. I am not sure how I would do that either. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by DNPMILLER

I hope this is the right place for this question, I don't mean to hijack but there seems to be a lot of knowledgeable people on this thread.



The receiver on my Thor 26B is 14 Inches from the ground. The tow bar mounting brackets on my Jeep are 24 inches. Is it possible to use the drop hitch upside down to raise the ball up at least 8 inches? I understand that the two connections need to be within 3 inches in height of each other. I have not been able to find anything about using a drop hitch to raise the ball, all the pictures show it being used to lower it.



If I cant use it, the only option would be to lower the mounts on the jeep. I am not sure how I would do that either. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to use a drop hitch “upside down”. There is no difference in the physics and all of the manufacturers recommend using them in either circumstance.

[DNPMILLER]

Thanks for the quick reply.
That is good news.
I am sure that I will have many more questions as I get closer to actually purchasing everything I need to get my Jeep ready to tow.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by DNPMILLER

Thanks for the quick reply.
That is good news.
I am sure that I will have many more questions as I get closer to actually purchasing everything I need to get my Jeep ready to tow.

Actually read the description on the specific hitch adapter you purchase and call the manufacturer to verify that you can use it that way. I have a ton of hitches on different things around the house. The labels on a few of the drop downs specifically state "not to be used in the inverted position".

[Pete'sMH]

No doubt this is excellent advice! Both Roadmaster and Blue Ox sell high-low adapters in many lengths that are marketed for both positions though so look there and you’ll be fine.

[vegasruv24.1]

this problem is not specific to just the thor brand... but all of them,.. I'm fortunate to have a RV lift and own a fab shop...unbelievable the way some extend the frame out to the back and bolt a hitch to it..my 27' winniebago had to be the worst of all, but I don't tow nothing without inspecting the work under there

[vegasruv24.1]

I've asked this question before, not many get it right... what's the first thing that limits how much you can tow???? and most don't check...

[The Gritz Carlton]

How much money you have!!!

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by vegasruv24.1

this problem is not specific to just the thor brand... but all of them,.. I'm fortunate to have a RV lift and own a fab shop...unbelievable the way some extend the frame out to the back and bolt a hitch to it..my 27' winniebago had to be the worst of all, but I don't tow nothing without inspecting the work under there

As I set up for flat towing I actually worry about this quite a lot. I am not an engineer so not really qualified to critique my coach’s frame design. But with a 5,000 lb rating and a significant drop adapter towing a 3,000 lb car there isn’t a huge margin. I also note that all of the safety equipment (safety cables and breakaway brake line) attach to the hitch so if the hitch/frame fails all of this is for naught. I asked about this at my local trailer shop and they said not to worry about it.... I’m left to trust the manufacturer’s ratings and doing a visual inspection daily when towing. Still, “everyone” seems to do it and catastrophic failures seem pretty rare.

[The Gritz Carlton]

There's always the 3rd side of every story...it's usually well hidden but most often the true side.

[vegasruv24.1]

wow , I stumped the thor forum....no one knows?????

[Pete'sMH]

Well, I’ll bite...GCWR?

[vegasruv24.1]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

Well, I’ll bite...GCWR?

nope... it's the ball...if the ball is a 3500lb, that's the most you can tow.... I own a muffler hitch fab shop, you would not belive the trailers being towed with a 3500 ball...


next.... this thread is complete B.S..... there is no way you could do the damage to a ford frame.... and yes.... it's fords not thors problem.... and next... it would be the hitch manufactor if it failed.... but it didn't.... the only way you could duplicate this problem would be to do the same thing the original owner did.... put about 1500 lbs of tongue weight on it and pull a way over loaded over weight trailer....you might convince everybody on a crybaby's only fake book thread....but not me....thor has a 12 mon. warranty... who knows what year that coach is??

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by vegasruv24.1

nope... it's the ball...if the ball is a 3500lb, that's the most you can tow.... I own a muffler hitch fab shop, you would not belive the trailers being towed with a 3500 ball...


next.... this thread is complete B.S..... there is no way you could do the damage to a ford frame.... and yes.... it's fords not thors problem.... and next... it would be the hitch manufactor if it failed.... but it didn't.... the only way you could duplicate this problem would be to do the same thing the original owner did.... put about 1500 lbs of tongue weight on it and pull a way over loaded over weight trailer....you might convince everybody on a crybaby's only fake book thread....but not me....thor has a 12 mon. warranty... who knows what year that coach is??

Actually, this thread has some great information...but only for those who don't know everything there is to know. In your finger-pointing analogy above of the frame, hitch manufacturer, Thor, MH owner, etc., where did you account for the "installer" of the hitch??

[Muggs]

Originally Posted by vegasruv24.1

nope... it's the ball...if the ball is a 3500lb, that's the most you can tow.... I own a muffler hitch fab shop, you would not belive the trailers being towed with a 3500 ball...


next.... this thread is complete B.S..... there is no way you could do the damage to a ford frame.... and yes.... it's fords not thors problem.... and next... it would be the hitch manufactor if it failed.... but it didn't.... the only way you could duplicate this problem would be to do the same thing the original owner did.... put about 1500 lbs of tongue weight on it and pull a way over loaded over weight trailer....you might convince everybody on a crybaby's only fake book thread....but not me....thor has a 12 mon. warranty... who knows what year that coach is??

Truth here. I would love to hear the "rest of the story". The fact the hitch stayed intact and frame rails ripped down seems to mean a major load downward. Was the Outlaw used? Did prior owner/current owner pull something real heavy other than Jeep toad or maybe jeep was on trailer with super high tongue load? If it was a Ford frame rail defect, is unlikely both sides would fail same. Downward capacity does look like it was exceeded.

Is listed as 2016, my hitch has identical rating. First trip to scales I had to move racecar back on trailer and relocate stuff to lighten tongue. Since Vegas loaded is almost 13,000 and trailer is 5,300, it pulls and tracks fine at 490 lbs tongue.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by Muggs

Truth here. I would love to hear the "rest of the story". The fact the hitch stayed intact and frame rails ripped down seems to mean a major load downward. Was the Outlaw used? Did prior owner/current owner pull something real heavy other than Jeep toad or maybe jeep was on trailer with super high tongue load? If it was a Ford frame rail defect, is unlikely both sides would fail same. Downward capacity does look like it was exceeded.

Is listed as 2016, my hitch has identical rating. First trip to scales I had to move racecar back on trailer and relocate stuff to lighten tongue. Since Vegas loaded is almost 13,000 and trailer is 5,300, it pulls and tracks fine at 490 lbs tongue.

I'll put up a thousand dollars against a stale doughnut with a bite missing that the problem will never be the Ford frame. Perhaps a frame extension done aftermarket...but not an original Ford frame.

[Muggs]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

I'll put up a thousand dollars against a stale doughnut with a bite missing that the problem will never be the Ford frame. Perhaps a frame extension done aftermarket...but not an original Ford frame.

I agree not likely a Ford issue. A defect in one frame rail should have dropped one side first. The tears are identical enough that it seems like mass overload down on tongue. Possibly over loaded tongue hitting a big bump with long overhang started it? I would really like to know what happened. I think neither Ford nor Thor are source of issue, more likely a bad setup or an odd occurance.

At the very least, this thread will keep people thinking. Some of the towing configurations I see make me cringe.