Please Help. Tow Ball Size.

[madguy]

Hi Guys.

I am still using the original Macgregor trailer with my 1995 Mac 26X.

We use a tractor to launch and recover at our club which has the standard UK size tow ball, recently the trailer hitch jumped off the ball as the hitch is a larger size and the club have said until i change the hitch for a standard UK size they wont launch and recover me.

I have found a site in the UK that supplies USA size balls however there seems to be two different sizes.

UK is i believe 50mm ball.

US i think has two sizes, 2" ball and 2" 5/16th ball.

Can anyone tell me if they have a pre 2000 mac26x trailer which size hitch socket they have please??

Many Thanks

Madguy

[oldsalt16]

You need the 2" ball size. Good luck

[kmclemore]

Agree. All Mac's use 2" ball size.

[vizwhiz]

All Mac's use 2" ball size.

Which SHOULD be the same as your 50mm...so I don't know why there would be a problem...

And there is a smaller US size (apparently not used on the Mac)...are you sure the UK ball they have is 50mm??

[madguy]

Which SHOULD be the same as your 50mm...so I don't know why there would be a problem...


This is why im stuck, my old 26S had the original trailer and that was no problem. the 50mm tow ball is only a couple of mm smaller than the 2" but its really sloppy.

I was thinking it must be the 2"5/16th but it seems no one else has this size hitch.

Madguy

[kmclemore]

There are three basic sizes of US tow balls, as specified by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), in their standard J684 from July, 2005: "Trailer Couplings, Hitches, and Safety Chains--Automotive Type"...

1-7/8" (for towing up to 2000 lbs.)
2" (for towing up to 10,000 lbs., depending on shank size)
2-5⁄16" (for towing up to 10,000 lbs., depending on shank size)

The latter size is rarely used on standard automotive hitches. The 2" ball is the most popular for towing larger boats.

The ISO-standard 50 mm ball is 0.0315" (1/32") smaller than the US 2" ball, so there really should not be that much slop, presuming your 50 mm ball is round and un-worn.

[Don T]

Hello,
There is an nut on the under side of the latch that probably needs to be tightened. Just stick a 50 mm ball in and Adjust the latch until all the play is gone but the ball does not bind.

Good luck

[madguy]

Hello,
There is an nut on the under side of the latch that probably needs to be tightened. Just stick a 50 mm ball in and Adjust the latch until all the play is gone but the ball does not bind.

Good luck

Thanks for that, i had no idea you could do that.

Madguy

[pokerrick1]

I'd try a 3" ball - - - that should end the slop

Rick