Selecting Ball Mount for Yakima Trailer with 22" Coupler Height and Ford Focus with 10" Hitch Height

Question:

2015 Ford Focus with class 1 hitch. Dont remember brand...bought from etrailer. Works for my Thule bike rack. Have a chance to buy Yakima trailer. Hitch height is about 10 inches. Trailer specifies 22 inches. Will c45028 be sufficient?

asked by: Hal B

Expert Reply:

If you measured a distance of 10 inches from the ground to the top of the inside of the Draw-Tite # 24872 hitch receiver on your 2015 Ford Focus, the Curt Drawbar # C45028 is going to put the ball platform at 15-3/8" above the ground. With the hitch ball actually in place you are looking at a ball height of around 17-3/8", which is still quite below the ideal 22" ball height for the Yakima trailers such as the Rack and Roll # Y08107.

With this setup the Yakima trailer is going to be riding pretty low at the front/tongue, which can lead to uneven tread wear on the tires and less-than-perfect handling on the road. This is the highest rise ball mount we have available for Class I trailer hitches.

Your best option is going to be with a similar recreational-type trailer that rides a bit lower, such as the Malone MicroSport XT # MPG460XT. The coupler height on this model is only 15" above the ground, making it a much better match for your lower Ford Focus. A 5" rise ball mount like the Curt Class I # C45025 would work perfectly to create a level ride with this particular trailer.

I have attached a couple short video reviews that you can check out as well.