BigGirlShoes

Anyone have suggestions about a good ball mount? I went to uhaul and they said that for the level of my 'burban I need to get a custom size?

Also, I'll take suggestions for good trailers too. I am thinking of getting one, but I'm also not sure as to how to reverse with one/

73shark

You'll need one that puts the base of the ball at ~19". Auto parts stores carry them.

02Sub

There are adjustable mounts that you can buy.


What kind of trailer are you looking for? Utility? Camping?


I have a bunch of trailers from small utility to 33' Travel trailer.


Backing up is ALL practice. Remember, nobody started out good at backing. It was practice in a parking lot.


Also, going against what you might think, the longer the trailer the easier it is to back up. Short trailers respond very fast to steering inputs.


When backing up, put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. The direction the BOTTOM of the steering wheel goes (left or right) is the direction the REAR of the trailer will go.


Good Luck
Steve

BigGirlShoes

thanks for the tips, guys! i'm looking for a small trailer, just something i can take extra stuff in when helping transporting dogs. sometimes i'll have to separate dogs which means i won't have room for anything else. plus, when i go volunteer to help homeless, i want to volunteer my burban too, you know, to carry things. if i have a trailer i won't be limited to the space in the rear!

the one thing stopping me is the reversing though lol. thanks for the reversing tip though! i'll keep that in mind. i'll see if i can go and try to practice if i find a good trailer for my needs.

intheburbs

I actually prefer backing my 35' travel trailer compared to my 12' cargo trailer.

My single-axle 6x12 is a good size for me - I volunteer for a nonprofit, and the trailer holds all my gear easily, so I don't have to pack/unpack my Suburban.

Don't buy a ball hitch until you have a trailer. Then, you can measure the height you need on your hitch to keep the trailer level, and of course the proper ball size.



My behemoth tt:

kevinkpk

Air shocks are your friend. You also should consider trailer brakes.

BigGirlShoes

Wow, I didn't know that there's this much to look into. I think I need to look further into owning a trailer. Why do you prefer the '35??

intheburbs

I only prefer the 35-footer in terms of backing up. I usually put it where I want on the first try. The shorter length of the cargo trailer makes it less forgiving when backing, and I invariably over-steer, and then I have to pull forward to pull it out of a jacknife.

But yes, owning a trailer is more than just buying a hitch, sticking it in the receiver, hooking up and driving away.

What's the ball size? 2", 1 7/8", 2 1/4"?
What's the proper lift/drop you need on your hitch to make the trailer level?
Small trailers (without trailer brakes) use a 4-pin electrical connector. Your truck has a 7-pin. You'll need to buy an adapter/pigtail.
If you're looking at a trailer over 3500 lbs, it'll come with trailer brakes. Do you have the built-in trailer brake controller, or do you need to buy and install one?
If you buy an 8 foot wide trailer, you're probably going to want to get some towing mirrors - either ones that attach to your current mirrors, or replacing them outright. Notice mine, easier to see in the top picture. The OEM mirrors on your truck suck for towing.

in2pro

I found that having a weight distributing hitch made managing trailer pulling more manageable for myself even for shorter travel trailers...
As for brake controllers, I installed the Tekonsha 90195 P3 Electronic Brake Control, and have been very happy with its performance and easy of setup

BigGirlShoes

thank you for all that info. that realy helps me alot!!