Choosing a Ball Mount with Right Rise or Drop to Tow a Trailer Level with a 2013 Toyota Highlander

Question:

I am having trouble determining the proper ball-mount for my wifes 2012 Toyota Highlander. The vehicle has a towing package and we recently had an aftermarket Curt Class III trailer hitch receiver installed. Originally, we attempted using a ball mount with a .75inch rise and were not able to clear the jack wheel on the trailer for our boat dual axle. After increasing to a mount with a 2inch rise we were closer, but still had some difficulty swinging the wheel out from underneath the trailer - additionally, it appeared the trailer had a slight downward slant towards the car when on level ground. Would it be possible/advisable to use a mount with a 4inch rise on that particular vehicle? We have towed this same boat/trailer set up with a Chevrolet Suburban in the past with no issues related to the jack height. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

asked by: Ross R

Expert Reply:

You are going to want to tow a trailer as level as you can on any vehicle. It sounds like you do need the proper rise. Using a ball mount with a rise is perfectly safe. To choose the best ball mount with the rise you need you will need to take a couple of measurements.

With the Trailer and 2012 Toyota Highlander on level ground you will first measure from the ground to the top of the receiver opening on the vehicle. Then use the jack to make the trailer level. Measure from the ground to the bottom of the coupler while it is level.

If the vehicle is higher the difference in measurements is the amount of drop you will need. If the trailer is higher the difference is the amount of rise you will need. I have included a link to a help article that explains the measurements. I have also included a link to our ball mount main page for you.

expert reply by: Michael H