Hitch Height and Tow Bars

[Dutch Star Don]

I don't like using drop down hitch assemblies to correct tow bar height. Below is a photo of what I did to my previous coach and now the Dutch Star. I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a 12" bare receiver. I removed the hitch from the Dutch Star and took it to a local hitch shop. He welded on the new receiver, about $115.00 total. It drops the hitch height 3.5", which was perfect for my new toad, a Honda CRV. You can also leave the hitch on, but it was it was more convenient to take them the hitch.

[vsheetz]

I like it. I like it.

Would do similar, but I need a 6" riser...

[Capt. Kirk]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I don't like using drop down hitch assemblies to correct tow bar height. Below is a photo of what I did to my previous coach and now the Dutch Star. I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a 12" bare receiver. I removed the hitch from the Dutch Star and took it to a local hitch shop. He welded on the new receiver, about $115.00 total. It drops the hitch height 3.5", which was perfect for my new toad, a Honda CRV. You can also leave the hitch on, but it was it was more convenient to take them the hitch.

Don - are you replacing the drop hitch with a one-piece straight hitch to eliminate the possibility of mechanical failure of the drop down?

I'm going to have my hitch installed when I'm in Elkhart next month, right after I take delivery of our Dutch Star 4018, and would like to get this right.

Thanks!

[TJ]

Very clean! I like it...so much that when we get home from this trip, I will be doing the same. Thanks for this good idea.

TJ

[Dutch Star Don]

"Capt. Kirk".....I don't like the drop hitches, I hate dealing with the weight of them, the extra distance they add to the tow bar assembly and that they just adds something else that you have to deal with, plus they move around more and rattle.

When I install my tow bar, I use a Roadmaster hitch quieter that locks the tow bar shaft to the receiver tube and keeps it from moving around. You don't get that clunk when you stop and accelerate.

[Capt. Kirk]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

"Capt. Kirk".....I don't like the drop hitches, I hate dealing with the weight of them, the extra distance they add to the tow bar assembly and that they just adds something else that you have to deal with, plus they move around more and rattle.

When I install my tow bar, I use a Roadmaster hitch quieter that locks the tow bar shaft to the receiver tube and keeps it from moving around. You don't get that clunk when you stop and accelerate.

Thanks Don, I'm going to see if I can use your idea when I configure mine.

[JCGibson]

What should the height difference between the coach hitch and the toad be? I haven't hooked up our new Ventana with our Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk yet. We had to use a riser with the Tiffin Allegro we had. Both coach hitches should be about the same height, shouldn't they?

[vsheetz]

Originally Posted by JCGibson

What should the height difference between the coach hitch and the toad be? I haven't hooked up our new Ventana with our Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk yet. We had to use a riser with the Tiffin Allegro we had. Both coach hitches should be about the same height, shouldn't they?

One should follow their tow bar manufacturers recommendation. But, yes as level as possible within a couple three inches is the usual. In a hard stop you don't want the toad pivoting over or under.

[JFXG]

JC Gibson.......
I have a Roadmaster Sterling, and for this bar Roadmaster says +/- 3 inches.
My basic rule of thumb is that if you can see it's out of level (from a standoff distance) then you should adjust it.


John & Diane, fulltiming since '12
'02 DS, FL, Cat, '04 Element
NHSO RVM103

[Dutch Star Don]

When I bought the Dutch Star, I was towing my Silverado, which luckily was dead level with the hitch. I bought a second tow vehicle (Honda CRV) to use on a long trip this summer. The truck sat at 19" and the CRV is at 15". By adding the second receiver, I dropped the motor home height by 3.5". This leaves the CRV at about .5"-1" lower than the motor home versus the 4.5" from the top receiver.

My brother-in-laws receiver was too low and he had room on top, so he added the second receiver to the top of the OEM receiver. To me, this just makes for a cleaner setup and less work with drop downs and pins.

If you follow a coach and toad with a drop down, they shimmy quite a bit with the drop down moving in two spots.

[Rooster54]

Great modification! The thing I do not like about the drop down is the length of the bar. I know you are not to drill another hole in the drop down as it may cause a weak point but if you drilled it closer to the hitch is there a problem?
Any thoughts?

08 Discovery 40X
91 Miata

[Adam Hunter]

I have a question;

And with the greatest respect to Don because we all know how well his mods are thought out. But does any of this fall into a grey area about safety? (Please don't yell)
What about strength or certification?

Would insurance cover a "weld on" or modified hitch assembly in the event of an accident?

I was thinking about changing my hitch too, but chose not to.

Any thoughts?

[TJ]

If done at a hitch shop, as DS Don had his done, I can't see any liability issues. Hitch shops often fabricate brackets and weld receiver parts as part of their normal business. And, a good hitch shop will have a certified welder doing the work, the same as a manufacturer of hitches and tow bars.

As long as the work is done by a qualified hitch shop, I wouldn't worry about added liability.

[donie]

FWIW, we have a Road Master All terrain tow set up we use to tow our Jeep Cherokee.
With the first three motorhomes we had, I slid the tow bar into the hitch and connected it to the Jeep.
When we got our South Wind, I found out the hitch sat 30" from ground and the Jeep sat 20".
Solution was a 8" drop hitch from Road Master and the setup falls within the factory
specs.
So far, we have made a couple of trips to Utah and surrounding areas and the setup works great.