# What type of hitch do you have?



## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

As the question asks.... and not the part on your vehicles the ball and hitch is what im talking about. But do you have ordnary hitch or a adjustable height one or like a weigth distribution? Or what every type you have, if you can or want to include a pic. Id like to see what is the most common type you all have and what it is.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

My 1993 Dodge 3/4 Ton Cummins has both an adjustable bumper hitch with swaybars and a gooseneck hitch, removable ball. The wiring is set up for both.
My 2007 Dodge 3500 doolie Cummins has a gooseneck hitch, removable ball and wiring.
I can back and line up the gooseneck hitch and have my trailer on the ball in 5 minutes or under. I line up the trailer hitch with the middle of my rear-view mirror, then turn my head and creep back until I think it's over the ball. Usually I check only once, adjust by inches, then I turn off my engine and lower.
It would take either a driver and a spotter, or solo, about 20 minutes to get the bumper hitch lined up with the trailer. Just some FYI.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Corporal said:


> M
> It would take either a driver and a spotter, or solo, about 20 minutes to get the bumper hitch lined up with the trailer. Just some FYI.


My wife bought some fiberglass poles with a magnet in them. One goes on the trailer hitch, one on the ball. 

The idea is to back up until the poles are together, then back until one falls off. Makes the whole bumper hitch thing much quicker than normal.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I have a turn over ball in my bed that releases through the tire well, and of course the height of the trailer can be adjusted somewhat with the gooseneck hitch on the trailer within a few inches. But with the springs on the truck and the weight of the trailer it levels decent once hooked up and loaded.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I have a dropped (truck is lifted) Reise's hitch. On the trailer, it's a bulldog hitch.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

I can hook up to my bumper pull trailer in 5 minutes solo and that includes busting the stinger out of my horse trailer and putting it in the pickup. Your 20 minutes is right for when I first started but not now.

I use a 2" drop, non adjustable stinger for the bumper pull and have a flip up ball for my gooseneck. If I was pulling multiple height trailers then I would get an adjustable hitch. 

Not sure if this is some of the information you are looking for but you select your drop height so that your trailer is as level as possible when hooked up to your tow rig. That of course will be determined by how tall your pickup is, how much it squats with the trailer hooked up and how high your trailer is.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Didn't know we're supposed to tell you how long it takes us to hitch up, sorry. Gonna brag here, hehe, 10 minutes & I'm loading up the horses. Timed myself for future reference, well actually was late for riding lessons.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

My setup is about like Darrin's. My wife usually hooks up the trailer....she's a much better backer than I am.


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## Lockwood (Nov 8, 2011)

I have two bumper pull trailers, a drop hitch on the truck, and never have a spotter. Usually takes me under 2 minutes to back up, get the ball lined up, and drop the trailer. 
Both trailers have a tiny little mark on the front that visually lines up to a bolt on the inside of my tailgate. I'm only 5'1" but it works well for me. 
Before I made the mark I played with a little bit to masking tape to get the spot just right. 

If I am on a curve, bend or hill, of course it will be just a little bit off, but I know my truck and trailer so well it only takes about 4 minutes then.

When I'm not on a straight line or am hooking up a trailer I haven't used before, I line up, get close, get out an check, then do the following:

If I still have say, under 12" or so left to back up to be under the hitch, I'll leave the door open when I get back in the truck, put it in reverse (right foot on brake) then stick my left boot at a right angle out the door. Not far, just enough so visually my toe is over the ground/grass/gravel. I'll thenslowly inch back while looking down over my toe and use that as a guage of how many inches I've gone, or need to go.
Hard to explain, but easy as pie to do. I can watch the ground move under the visual line of my toe and tell when I've gone 4", 6", 10" etc...


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## Mingiz (Jan 29, 2009)

I have a bumper pull so I use the ball and I have a Reese rail system type hitch for my LQ trailer and a 5th wheel camper. So it has 2 rails that are bolted in the bed of the truck and I have a gooseneck ball attachment and a 15k 5th wheel. So i can tow 3 different trailers...


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## PaintCowgirl (Jan 2, 2012)

all my trucks are duallie cummins, they all have B&D turn over gooses. my two diesel suvs have class VII bumper pulls with detachable sway bars i put on to tow.

hook up times: at least one truck is always hooked to something (flat bed goose or stock trailer) but when i have to, i can get a goose pretty darn quick <5mins. harder on bumper with the SUVs cuz you can see shieeet!


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Oh I didn't realize we were posting hook up times....tee he

We have the extended cab truck with a truck box, so I have to use my mirrors, got it down to a couple of minutes with cranking it down and plugging in the lights..easy.

However I can not have my husband help me, or can I help him him hook up....we both can do it fast by ourselves, but when we try to help each other it takes forever and it turns in to a fight..lol


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> However I can not have my husband help me, or can I help him him hook up....we both can do it fast by ourselves, but when we try to help each other it takes forever and it turns in to a fight..lol


No kidding, tried having the wife help me only a couple of times. It's not worth the frustration.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

^^^LOL! Amen...I am glad it is not just us...
I feel like such of a Dink explaining that we are late somewhere because we got in a fight over hitching the trailer..lol


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

COWCHICK77 said:


> But with the springs on the truck and the weight of the trailer it levels decent once hooked up and loaded.


I'm glad you mentioned leveling. I have seen and STILL see many trailers pulled that are not level. It is uncomfortable for your horse to ride uphill. Just some FYI.


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## Lockwood (Nov 8, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> ^^^LOL! Amen...I am glad it is not just us...
> I feel like such of a Dink explaining that we are late somewhere because we got in a fight over hitching the trailer..lol


Nope, not just you guys. I won't let anyone help me when I'm hitching.... they just make it more difficult. 
My frinds and family know to just step back and keep quiet. :wink:


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

B&W turnover and an adjustable 2" & 2 5/16" flip over ball for my bumper hitch.


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

Our truck has just this giant metal thing with a ball on it for a hitch. 
We drive a 2004 Dodge 2500 Cummins Diesel 
The trailer is a 2001 Ponderosa 3 horse slant with rear tack and font tack, which you could turn into a mini living quarters if you wanted.
Sadly, it's a pretty tall truck and the ball sets a good 6" above the bed, so the trailer rides at a pretty good slant We are trying to buy a B&W turn over!
It takes my dad about 2 minutes to hook it up. I can't drive a standard so it would probably take me 5 hours XD


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## benbo30 (Mar 14, 2012)

i use a adjustable weight distribution hitch


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

gunslinger said:


> My setup is about like Darrin's. My wife usually hooks up the trailer....she's a much better backer than I am.


It's so nice to hear a guy admit that. My husband is fine with the GN hay trailer but with either the GN stock or GN slant, he can't back to save his soul. Really ticks him off too.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I have a heavy duty Reese 2 1/2" drop with a 2" ball.

My last truck and trailer combo took me about 2 minutes tops to hook up. This new combo, well, since the truck and trailer are bigger, I'm not yet used to them. Anywhere between 5 and 7 minutes.


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