Alan Glos
Active Member
2019 is almost over, but there is still time for one last nautical rant. Why in the name of common sense do small trailers come with a 1 7/8" -or- 2" diameter hitch ball rig? Why not make 2" the standard rig and be done with it? Is there any logical reason why both exist? There is a real safety issue. You can put a 2" hitch on a 1 7/8" ball and
might not notice the difference until you hit a pothole and the hitch disconnects at 60 mph! Case in point: The usual ball I have on my VW is 1 7/8". A few weeks ago, I drove 4 hours away to buy a nice Sunfish with a small trailer. I assumed the trailer had a 1 7/8" hitch, but when I got there and hitched it up, I noticed a lot of play in the rig, and discovered the trailer was rigged for a 2" ball. Fortunately I had a 2" ball with me that I swapped out for my usual 1 7/8" ball and drove home without incident.
For the life of me, I can see no reason to have two rigs only 1/8" different. Does anybody know why both exist?
Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
might not notice the difference until you hit a pothole and the hitch disconnects at 60 mph! Case in point: The usual ball I have on my VW is 1 7/8". A few weeks ago, I drove 4 hours away to buy a nice Sunfish with a small trailer. I assumed the trailer had a 1 7/8" hitch, but when I got there and hitched it up, I noticed a lot of play in the rig, and discovered the trailer was rigged for a 2" ball. Fortunately I had a 2" ball with me that I swapped out for my usual 1 7/8" ball and drove home without incident.
For the life of me, I can see no reason to have two rigs only 1/8" different. Does anybody know why both exist?
Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY