The Blue Ox is actually rated at 10000# towing and 1000# tongue weight so cut in half, it's 500#. Still--I find it REALLY strange that they don't make mention of this anywhere on their website, in their install instructions, or in their product catalogue. Seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

I'm using a B&W Tow & Stow model 10 (10" drop-adjustable) has 3 ball sizes always there ready to go and they stow up and in front of the hitch when not in use. Rated 10,000lbs.

 

That would be cool! Where were you able to find a 10" model 10? I've only seen them with 7" drops on that one so far.

 

After 8-10 back and forth e-mails to this company I STILL don't have a solid reply from them on the real meaning behind the "cut the tongue weight in half" question. My latest Q&A seems to indicate that you cut the tongue weight in half for the thing you're towing--this would technically mean you could tow DOUBLE the weight (tongue-wise anyway) and that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Anyways, my question below in blue and their response in red...
---
Deanna--you're going to reach through the internet and kill me but now
I'm confused again. So per your response, I'm not towing the truck;
rather the truck is towing a boat. I guess I can make my question
simple for myself if I ask this: of the three tongue weights: the truck
(500#), the Blue Ox Drop Receiver (1000#), and the boat I'm towing
(300#), which is the one I cut in half when doing my calculations?

--

It would be the tongue weight of the Boat Trailer. You are well within
the guidelines without cutting anything in half.

 

Here's another company that sells them (top of page):

http://roadmasterinc.com/products/hi...hitch_acc.html

They are 10,000 GVWR and 400 tongue.

Looks like there are two versions. A solid bar one (like the blue ox and the one on the top of the above link) and a hollow bar one (half way down the page on the above link). The hollow bar one mentions not pulling a trailer with it, it's used only to tow a car behind a motorhome and is rated at 6000/100. I don't know if that has anything to do with the the half weight thing or not. Maybe the roadmaster folks can explain it. I'm covered either way. I don't pull more than about 2,000 pounds, but it would be nice to know for sure what the max is. Keep us updated.


Thanks,

WGW

 

Now that I look at it, I'm not sure that the model 10 is acually 10" I have to mesure it to see what it is. They have a model 6, 8, and 10. I use it for my trailer and works great. When I get a chance all measure it and see what it truly is.
One of the things about the B&W is its a 10,000lbs hitch with a true 1000 vertical tow limit rating(tounge).

 

I didn't read the link but how would towing a car or towing a trailer be differrent. I don't think it matters what you tow the only thing to watch is total trailer & tongue weight

 

If I'm not mistaken, towing a car has an effective tongue weight of zero (assuming the setup has all 4 wheels of the towed car on the road). From what I've seen so far, most of these longer drop hitches and drop receivers are made for people with trailer homes towing an extra car behind them.

 

Yeah, JTL's right. When they flat tow their cars, all four tires are on the ground so there's basically zero tongue weight. Now if they were using a tow dolly, that would be different.


WGW

 

DUH! My bad I didn't think of that