Chevy Express and Standard Class III Ball Mounts

[John]

I will be towing my Lund 1775 on a Shorelander trailer with a 1500 series Chevy Express Van. Does anyone have any advice as to which rise I should select for the ball mount? Cabela's sell's ball mounts with a 3/4", 2" and 4 3/4" inch rise. My goal is to reduce trailer sway as much as possible. Thanks in advance to all that reply. I didn't have much of a response on the Boats and Motors board so I thought I's try here.

[Nofish]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-12-00 AT 09:55PM (CST)[p]Hey John.

I too am looking into a full size gorilla of a van. (A one ton extended). No matter what you pull with, your goal is to have the trailer as level as possible when hung on the hitch.

What you will most likely need to do is pick up a reciever based on the calculations of the hitch Mfr. There is a formula for figuring this out.

If you do not find the formula, measure your hitch's height from the pavement, to the top of the reciever opening (inside of the opening). Then set the trailer level, and measure from the pavement to the bottom of the tongue of the trailer, right where the trailer will sit on the hitch ball. The difference is approximately the lift (or drop) you will need, minus one inch.

If you do this and get 3 inches, you need a 2 inch lift. This will put your trailer just about level. That is the way I did it with my current truck. And remember, a little high is better than a little low.

Otherwise, you'll need to by one, try it, take it back, etc. etc., until you fin one that is just right. Keep into account how you will load the van for travel. It probably won't hurt much to have the trailer rising up to the hitch a little to offset this.

With the boat you are buying, you should have no sway trouble if you set the height right.

Good luck......R

[John]

Nofish

Thanks for the response. By the way, the Chevy Express is a 2000 Geneva Conversion with a 5.7 liter V-8, 3.73 gear ratio, and locking differential. My last van was an 89 Chevy G-20 Conversion with the old 5.7 and 3.42 gear ratio. The hitch sits lower on the 2000 compared to my old 89 and therefore the reason for my question. I'm sure the new van will tow like a dream. Maybe if I'm good this year maybe my wife will allow me to buy a new boat next year. :)