Model Y tow hitch rise limitation

[klzig]

Sorry to rehash this topic but I didn't see any current discussions.

I have an order in for a Model Y with factory tow package, intending to tow a small travel trailer (Alto F1743, 2700 lb GVWR). I was surprised to see this .75" hitch rise limitation which rules out towing any of the Alto trailers (by a margin of several inches in rise) and I imagine almost any other travel trailer. At least if keeping the trailer level is important which it is to me.

From this and Alto forums, youtube videos, and elsewhere it seems the consensus is to ignore this limitation? I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that and am considering canceling my order. Presumably some engineer somewhere had a reason for this limit, does anyone have any insight into why? I'm aware of the theory that it was copy/pasted from the very different Model X hitch design which seems plausible but doesn't offer much comfort given the Model Y manual is still unambiguous on the topic.

TIA for any insight.

 

[BailMY]

also curios, bumping thread.

 

[klzig]

After finding what I hope are better numbers, I may be OK with the Alto F1743. The question still stands for the bigger Altos and I think many other travel trailers.

Alto F1743: 17.5" to top of coupler
Model Y LR: 14" to top of receiver
Hitch ball mount rise: .75"
Hitch ball: 2.75"

14" + .75" + 2.75" = 17.5"

 

[2022S-LR]

After finding what I hope are better numbers, I may be OK with the Alto F1743. The question still stands for the bigger Altos and I think many other travel trailers.

Alto F1743: 17.5" to top of coupler
Model Y LR: 14" to top of receiver
Hitch ball mount rise: .75"
Hitch ball: 2.75"

14" + .75" + 2.75" = 17.5"

I have the same issue with my MS refresh , I added a hitch and plan to tow a 3200 lbs travel trailer . So I found this solid shank riser from Amazon TOPTOW 64121 2-inch Receiver Trailer Hitch Extension Riser with 2-inch Rise/Drop, 2-inch Solid Shank, 10000lbs Capacity, Anti-Rattle Bolt https://a.co/d/aQ1C9rv

 

[evrepair]

If the trailer has a single axle it doesn’t need to be level when towing. Of course it’s more convenient when its level and looks better too.

 

[Watts_Up]

... Anti-Rattle Bolt
https://a.co/d/aQ1C9rv

You have to be carefull, the bolt only prevents the left to right shaking,
but will not prevent the up and down motion, which can be noticeable
with a trailer when passing above a bump.

You can see on this picture the gap inside the raiser and ball mount tube.
There are quite a large gap on the side but also on the top of the inserted ball mount tube.



For a stronger tightening you could use one of the following devices:

Anti Rattle Hitch Tightener



Anti Rattle Hitch Tightener Clamp



If you have enough space, this Trailer Hitch Tightner will prevent any motion:




My second observation is that you need to prevent the Rattle and the Wobble
not only between the Hitch Extension Riser and the Hitch Ball Mount,
but also between the car's Tow Hitch Receiver and the Hitch Extension Riser.

To do so, you can use one of the above devices, but you may aso want to have a locking mechanism,
to prevent someone removing the Extension Riser from the car's Receiver.

Trailer Hitch Lock



However, I would prefer using a combined lock and tightening mechanism,
using a Keyless Press-on Locking Silent Hitch Pin



But the above lock can only be used with a hollow tube, so you need to use a different riser
sucha as the MAHLER GATES 4" Drop/Rise Trailer Hitch Receiver Adapter Extension
but you have to check if this raiser provides enough towing capacity compared to
one with a Solid Shank. The only information provided is:
"Towing hitch extension with a tongue weight of 500 pounds."

 

[2022S-LR]

You have to be carefull, the bolt only prevents the left to right shaking,
but will not prevent the up and down motion, which can be noticeable
with a trailer when passing above a bump.

You can see on this picture the gap inside the raiser and ball mount tube.
There are quite a large gap on the side but also on the top of the inserted ball mount tube.

View attachment 910718

For a stronger tightening you could use one of the following devices:

Anti Rattle Hitch Tightener

View attachment 910703

Anti Rattle Hitch Tightener Clamp

View attachment 910704

If you have enough space, this Trailer Hitch Tightner will prevent any motion:

View attachment 910705 View attachment 910706


My second observation is that you need to prevent the Rattle and the Wobble
not only between the Hitch Extension Riser and the Hitch Ball Mount,
but also between the car's Tow Hitch Receiver and the Hitch Extension Riser.

To do so, you can use one of the above devices, but you may aso want to have a locking mechanism,
to prevent someone removing the Extension Riser from the car's Receiver.

Trailer Hitch Lock

View attachment 910710

However, I would prefer using a combined lock and tightening mechanism,
using a Keyless Press-on Locking Silent Hitch Pin

View attachment 910713 View attachment 910714

But the above lock can only be used with a hollow tube, so you need to use a different riser
sucha as the MAHLER GATES 4" Drop/Rise Trailer Hitch Receiver Adapter Extension
but you have to check if this raiser provides enough towing capacity compared to
one with a Solid Shank. The only information provided is:
"Towing hitch extension with a tongue weight of 500 pounds."

View attachment 910716

Thanks for the great recommendations I will look into the anti rattle devices. I will not trust any hollow tube towing 3200 lbs rv trailer though so will pass on the last items

 

[2022S-LR]

Thanks for the great recommendations I will look into the anti rattle devices. I will not trust any hollow tube towing 3200 lbs rv trailer though so will pass on the last items

So after some research of quality drop or rise hitch receivers , the best that I could find for my situation , pulling 3200 lbs travel trailer was this Blue OX 7 inch adjustable drop / rise receiver. It has a solid shank and the L shape is cast iron not welded together rated for 10,000 lbs . Good luck anyone else needing height adjustment.

 

[VandalSibs]

You have to be carefull, the bolt only prevents the left to right shaking,
but will not prevent the up and down motion, which can be noticeable
with a trailer when passing above a bump.

You can see on this picture the gap inside the raiser and ball mount tube.
There are quite a large gap on the side but also on the top of the inserted ball mount tube.

View attachment 910718

For a stronger tightening you could use one of the following devices:

Anti Rattle Hitch Tightener

View attachment 910703

Anti Rattle Hitch Tightener Clamp

View attachment 910704

If you have enough space, this Trailer Hitch Tightner will prevent any motion:

View attachment 910705 View attachment 910706


My second observation is that you need to prevent the Rattle and the Wobble
not only between the Hitch Extension Riser and the Hitch Ball Mount,
but also between the car's Tow Hitch Receiver and the Hitch Extension Riser.

To do so, you can use one of the above devices, but you may aso want to have a locking mechanism,
to prevent someone removing the Extension Riser from the car's Receiver.

Trailer Hitch Lock

View attachment 910710

However, I would prefer using a combined lock and tightening mechanism,
using a Keyless Press-on Locking Silent Hitch Pin

View attachment 910713 View attachment 910714

But the above lock can only be used with a hollow tube, so you need to use a different riser
sucha as the MAHLER GATES 4" Drop/Rise Trailer Hitch Receiver Adapter Extension
but you have to check if this raiser provides enough towing capacity compared to
one with a Solid Shank. The only information provided is:
"Towing hitch extension with a tongue weight of 500 pounds."

View attachment 910716

Sorry to being this back up, but almost all of those anti-rattle clamps run into one problem on a Model Y.... The plastic surrounding the hitch receiver, and the depth of the receiver inside the car.

I had bount a clamp on one without really thinking about the plastic, and I'm now trying to find a solution. If anyone has one, let me know!

 

[ecarfan]

I have an order in for a Model Y with factory tow package, intending to tow a small travel trailer (Alto F1743, 2700 lb GVWR). I was surprised to see this .75" hitch rise limitation which rules out towing any of the Alto trailers (by a margin of several inches in rise) and I imagine almost any other travel trailer. At least if keeping the trailer level is important which it is to me.

My Model X hitch has the same rise limitation and I have been towing my Alto F1743 for years without a problem. It’s level. I use a WeighSafe reversible hitch ball. I have it inverted from the way it is generally used. I wrote about it on this page in my blog, scroll down that page to see photos of the hitch.

 

[javi_ucsd]

You have to be carefull, the bolt only prevents the left to right shaking,
but will not prevent the up and down motion, which can be noticeable
with a trailer when passing above a bump.

You can see on this picture the gap inside the raiser and ball mount tube.
There are quite a large gap on the side but also on the top of the inserted ball mount tube.

View attachment 910718

For a stronger tightening you could use one of the following devices:

Anti Rattle Hitch Tightener

View attachment 910703

Anti Rattle Hitch Tightener Clamp

View attachment 910704

If you have enough space, this Trailer Hitch Tightner will prevent any motion:

View attachment 910705 View attachment 910706


My second observation is that you need to prevent the Rattle and the Wobble
not only between the Hitch Extension Riser and the Hitch Ball Mount,
but also between the car's Tow Hitch Receiver and the Hitch Extension Riser.

To do so, you can use one of the above devices, but you may aso want to have a locking mechanism,
to prevent someone removing the Extension Riser from the car's Receiver.

Trailer Hitch Lock

View attachment 910710

However, I would prefer using a combined lock and tightening mechanism,
using a Keyless Press-on Locking Silent Hitch Pin

View attachment 910713 View attachment 910714

But the above lock can only be used with a hollow tube, so you need to use a different riser
sucha as the MAHLER GATES 4" Drop/Rise Trailer Hitch Receiver Adapter Extension
but you have to check if this raiser provides enough towing capacity compared to
one with a Solid Shank. The only information provided is:
"Towing hitch extension with a tongue weight of 500 pounds."

View attachment 910716

The combo lock and tightening mechanism sounds like great idea. But what about cross threading or other damage occuring and then you have to cut it to get it out? I have seen reviews of this happening with this type of mechanism. Has anyone used this system with no issues? I am looking for an anti rattle deviec for tesla Yto hold a bike rack or a cargo carrier.

 

[PhysicsGuy]

So after some research of quality drop or rise hitch receivers , the best that I could find for my situation , pulling 3200 lbs travel trailer was this Blue OX 7 inch adjustable drop / rise receiver. It has a solid shank and the L shape is cast iron not welded together rated for 10,000 lbs . Good luck anyone else needing height adjustment. View attachment 913399View attachment 913400View attachment 913401

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments here. Really appreciated! I just got a Model Y. I routinely tow a Casita type trailer (Scamp 13) with a 4Runner. I think the trailer weighs about 1500 lbs with a 150 lb tongue weight. Here is what I am thinking of doing for towing that 1500 lb trailer with a new Model Y :
1. A 12 inch long draw bar. (That is 4 inches longer than standard.)
2. A 3/4 inch rise (standard) but then an addional 1.5 inches of height to the top of the ball as I am planning to use a rocker ball where the distance from the top of the draw bar to the top of the ball is 4.25 inches (instead of the normal 2.75 inches).
What do you all think? Does this should okay?

 

[ecarfan]

Clearly your trailer weight and tongue weight is well within Model Y towing specs. Regarding your questions;

1. A 12 inch long draw bar. (That is 4 inches longer than standard.)
2. A 3/4 inch rise (standard) but then an addional 1.5 inches of height to the top of the ball as I am planning to use a rocker ball where the distance from the top of the draw bar to the top of the ball is 4.25 inches (instead of the normal 2.75 inches).
What do you all think? Does this should okay?

A longer draw bar increases the lever arm force on the Y hitch receiver, though I can’t say if it will cause you any problems. Reviewing the Model Y manual, it makes no mention of a maximum allowed rise.

The manual does note that “Damage caused by towing a trailer is not covered by the warranty.”

So why do you need to use a longer draw bar and an increased rise? I’m not being critical, just trying to understand your situation.

 

[PhysicsGuy]

Clearly your trailer weight and tongue weight is well within Model Y towing specs. Regarding your questions;

A longer draw bar increases the lever arm force on the Y hitch receiver, though I can’t say if it will cause you any problems. Reviewing the Model Y manual, it makes no mention of a maximum allowed rise.

The manual does note that “Damage caused by towing a trailer is not covered by the warranty.”

So why do you need to use a longer draw bar and an increased rise? I’m not being critical, just trying to understand your situation.

Great questions.Thanks. More rise keeps my tongue jack foot from bottoming out on small bridges and cattle guards. Enables me to go 8 miles per hour over them instead of slowing to a crawl. (By bottoming out, I mean that the bottom of the jack catches on the road and the jack bends and becomes unusable and has to be replaced.) So that is why my ideal position is with the ball about 3/4 inch high rather than 3/4 inch low. This issue might be particular to Scamps and maybe some other small trailer that have small tires and very modest clearance above the road to start with.

That inch or two of extra height will tend to reduce the clearance for opening the rear hatch of the Model Y, so then moving everything 4 inches further back with a longer draw bar ameliorates that. Additionally, I personally find it is just nice to have a bit of extra space between tow vehicle and trailer tongue. More room to walk through and do stuff when camping and connected, which I do a lot.

 

[VandalSibs]

The manual does show the requirements for the ball mount:

A 3/4 inch rise is the most it allows. And the length is specified too.

Does the foot of your trailer's jack allow it to be removed? The one on my Sol Dawn does, which gives things a little bit more clearance.... but I'm not familiar with the ones on the Scamps (not been able to see one up close, but was looking at it.

With the specs listed in the manual, I'm able to open up the rear of my Y while hitched up to my trailer, no problem. I'll try and find a photo, but I don't think I have a close up of it...

 

[PhysicsGuy]

The manual does show the requirements for the ball mount:
View attachment 949856

A 3/4 inch rise is the most it allows. And the length is specified too.

Does the foot of your trailer's jack allow it to be removed? The one on my Sol Dawn does, which gives things a little bit more clearance.... but I'm not familiar with the ones on the Scamps (not been able to see one up close, but was looking at it.

With the specs listed in the manual, I'm able to open up the rear of my Y while hitched up to my trailer, no problem. I'll try and find a photo, but I don't think I have a close up of it...

Thanks. Just to be clear, I am planing to use exactly 3/4 inch rise for the draw bar. So that would be in full compliance.

A rocker ball happens to be taller than a regular ball, but I don't know if that is exactly the same as using a draw bar with more rise. (e.g., in terms of torques and all that.) I am really not sure one way or the other (and so I am glad to get advice). I don't believe the manual says anything about the height of the ball itself, only about the height of the upper surface of the draw bar/ball mount.

 

[VandalSibs]

Yeah, I'm not sure about that. I'm also not familiar with a rocker ball - I'll have to look that up!

 

[PhysicsGuy]

Thanks. Here is an example.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch-Ball/CURT/C40047.html

 

[ecarfan]

The manual does show the requirements for the ball mount

Thanks for posting that, somehow I missed it.

Just to be clear, I am planing to use exactly 3/4 inch rise for the draw bar. So that would be in full compliance.

But then you have to add the height of the ball onto that draw bar rise.

 

[blue y]

Thanks. Just to be clear, I am planing to use exactly 3/4 inch rise for the draw bar. So that would be in full compliance.

A rocker ball happens to be taller than a regular ball, but I don't know if that is exactly the same as using a draw bar with more rise. (e.g., in terms of torques and all that.) I am really not sure one way or the other (and so I am glad to get advice). I don't believe the manual says anything about the height of the ball itself, only about the height of the upper surface of the draw bar/ball mount.

I think you should just tow with the 4runner lol, these mini SUVs that are not body on frame, electric or not are just not the best tow vehicles, too low, poor hitch mounting locations, easily overloaded, etc