Receiver?

[H2O_MAN]

Towing questions...

Drop Hitch Receiver vs. Towing Receiver Hitch

What is different about these two options?
I one more functional than the other?

Thanks

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by H2O_MAN

Towing questions...

Drop Hitch Receiver vs. Towing Receiver Hitch

What is different about these two options?
I one more functional than the other?

Thanks

A hitch receiver is a hitch receiver...there's no such thing as a "drop hitch receiver" or a "towing receiver". Technically all hitch receivers are both "towing receivers" and "drop hitch receivers".

However, there are big differences between receivers in strength (Class I, II, III, IV...etc.) and there are differences in shaft size between Class I receivers (1 1/2 inch) versus the rest (2 inch). Despite common mis-perception, the part of the hitch system that attaches to the truck itself is not the hitch per se but the hitch receiver.

The differentiation you seem to be thinking of comes in the type of hitch you insert into the hitch receiver. Drop hitches have a fixed "drop" between the center of their shaft (the part that goes into the receiver) and the top of the ball mount. They're typically made from solid billet/forged steel or aluminum. Drop hitches, being extremely simple devices, usually sell for around $25 to $40.

What you may be thinking of by "towing receiver" is a weight distributing hitch that's commonly used when towing travel trailers and other trailers with high tongue weights. On these the ball mount part of the hitch is adjustable vertically and usually also in angle relative to the shaft portion of the hitch. Furthermore, there are "ears" into which some form of spring bar is inserted; the other end of each spring bar is attached to the trailer tongue via a chain or flexible rod. Those spring bars are how weight distributing hitches function...the spring tension effectively causes a lifting action at the center of the hitch/ball coupling which in turn distributes some of the tongue weight to the tow vehicles's front tires and some to the trailer's tires. The net effect is a properly adjusted WDH will remove 2/3 of the tongue weight from the tow vehicle's rear suspension.

WDH are fairly to extremely complex and their prices are commensurate...typically from about $400 for a basic WDH to as high as $3000 for the super fancy Hensley Arrow hitch.

Both drop hitches and weight distributing hitches have their appropriate utility...it's complete overkill to use a WDH instead of a drop hitch for a lightweight/small utility trailer; OTOH it's stupidity personified to use a drop hitch instead of a WDH when towing a trailer that has a 1000 lb tongue weight.

Hope this helps clarify things.