Are trailer hitches required to be a certain height off the ground? **PICS ADDED**

[laurajetter]

I am so ticked off... We had a hitch installed on our Toyota Sienna last September (approximately) by Reichart's RV Camping Center in Hanover, PA. I waited close to 5 hours in their waiting room with my toddler (I had been told it would take about 2 hours). We were getting it installed so it would be all ready to go this Spring/Summer when we decide to go camping.

Since getting it installed, there have been multiple occasions where the lowest part of the hitch (in our case it is the electrical connection plug) scrapes bottom. The first couple times I figured it was just something I need to be really careful about, and any time I came to a place where there was a higher chance of it hitting the ground I would drive really slow and carefully. Sometimes that helped, other times it didn't matter and would still scrape.

Yesterday we went to my FIL's house to open their pop-up camper we'll be borrowing sometime and do a dry run of hitching everything up. Upon closer inspection, we realized that because of it hitting bottom the metal plate the electrical plug is screwed onto had gotten bent upwards, causing the plastic plug to crack at the bottom on the left and right side. Because of the plastic being broken, the cap did not fit snugly anymore causing some mild corrosion inside the plug. FIL and DH used pliers to bend the metal plate back down so they could fit the plug in the hole, and they cleaned the corrosion.

When we left their house, DH slowly pulled out of their driveway and we heard "SSSCCCCRRRAAAAAAAAPPE" I jumped out and saw the metal plate had bent right back up again, this time completely cracking the plastic along the whole bottom edge.

Today I went to the bank and as I was SLOWLY pulling out of their parking lot, there was a brief scrape yet again. DH told me he can bend it back again, but I feel we shouldn't have to do this. We spent all this money to have a hitch put on, we haven't even used it yet and it's already getting destroyed.

With the frequency this thing is scraping the ground it makes me feel like it was installed too low to begin with. Does anyone know if there is a minimum height that a hitch should not go below in order to avoid it scraping? I just went out and measured ours; the lowest part is 6 inches off the ground.

I want to call and complain but I don't know if it's been so long they will say I should've brought it to their attention a long time ago. Does anyone have any advice? I don't want to complain if they did in fact do a satisfactory job and it is just my drive skills to blame.

TIA - sorry this is so long!

Laura

 

[Jennasis]

Do you have a reese hitch? The kind with the ball attached to the square pipe "sleeve" that slides into the hitch mount? If so, can you flip the sleeve over so that it curves upward? Our hitch was very low when we had it on our minivan so we had to turn it over so it wouldn't scrape.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't know. My dh isn't here. We have a hitch on dd's car (Pontiac Grand Prix) and have not had an issue. I think we put the fancy "hidden one" on hers. I forget the name of it.

I pulled Jet Skis from TX to MO with that car and that is through the Arkansas Ozarks.

I will ask him when he gets home.

Something doesn't sound right here.

 

[laurajetter]

Do you have a reese hitch? The kind with the ball attached to the square pipe "sleeve" that slides into the hitch mount? If so, can you flip the sleeve over so that it curves upward? Our hitch was very low when we had it on our minivan so we had to turn it over so it wouldn't scrape.

Yes, that's the kind we have and FIL mentioned we could do that. But the part that keeps scraping is the electrical outlet plug that is next to the hitch mount.

 

[Jennasis]

The plug reciever is scraping?? That part is supposed to be mounted near the license plate on the actual vehicle. I can't even imagine how they mounted the plug reciever to make it scrapw on the ground...

 

[laurajetter]

Maybe I'll post a pic to see if those of you more experienced than me with how hitches should look think anything looks fishy. Be right back with some pics...

 

[Big V]

If it's hitting the ground already, it's going to be even lower when you hitch a trailer to it. I'd say it has to be moved.

 

[JR6ooo4]

the height of the ball needs to be in relation to the trailer. Truck and trailer fully loaded the hright of the ball should balance the trailer.

too low and too much weight will transfer onto the tongue of the hitch/back of the truck.

But the lighting connector should not be the lowest part of the assembly. You are just asking for it to drag on the ground. Look at other similar vehicles with a hitch. WHere is their elec connection mounted? If it is possible to mount it up higher then they should have done that.

Mikeeee

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We have the "Stealth Hitch" for the Pontiac Grand Prix and our electrical stuff is in the trunk.

It is going to cost you money to outfit your van to pull a popup camper. He says you could try airshocks or springs to raise your van.

 

[NAB]

We used to tow our tent trailer with a mini van with no problem. Our electrical plug was put inside the van and came out near the plate.

Hubby says your hitch was installed wrong. It does not need extra airshocks etc. We did have a trailer breaks on as well installed.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We used to tow our tent trailer with a mini van with no problem. Our electrical plug was put inside the van and came out near the plate.

Hubby says your hitch was installed wrong. It does not need extra airshocks etc. We did have a trailer breaks on as well installed.

If you look up the Sienna it is really low to the ground. They don't even have it loaded and it is scraping. Once it is loaded it is going to bottom out.

 

[laurajetter]

Here are some photos. The electric socket is the one hanging lowest, to the left of the square Reese hitch. The very lowest part is what extends out behind the electric socket; you can see that part best from the side view. Notice in the close up the plastic that is broken.

 

[pweyl36]

That is way low, I showed my hubby and he agreed. We towed a pop-up with our dodge grand caravan and never had a problem with scrapping the ground. I would go on the camping forum and post your question there.

 

[NAB]

Our van was low too but again we had that part inside the van with a cable that came out and the door closed on it. It was also in a plasitc sleeve thing to so it didnt' pinch. When we sold the trailer the cable went with it.

I can see how that scrapes. Sorry that really doesn't help you.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I have a Ford Edge and have no problems at all. Since I knew I was going to be buying a exterior lift for my ECV and needed a Class II hitch, I special ordered the Edge with a factory installed hitch. Of course getting it factory installed means that I have beefed-up suspension, larger radiator and larger capacity alternator than standard. Also, I have heard from very reliable sources that if the hitch is factory installed, besides be higher performance items you actually have a greater capacity than one added aftermarket.

 

[Jennasis]

I see...the installation is very poor. No way should the plug be lower than the hitch reciever. And FWIW your vehicle appears to me to be WAY to low to adequately support any kind of hitch. I'd be petrified to tow like that. COuld you add a lift kit to the vehicle to give more clearance?

DH just looked at the pic and suggest that the plug should have been mounted directly onto the lip of the beige body moulding about 6+ inches above where it sits right now. YES, they'd have to drill into the moulding, but at least it would be safe there.