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Are you looking for the best trailer hitch ball? If so, you’re in the right place. Finding the right ball for your vehicle (and your trailer) might be a daunting task. But rest assured, you’ll find one soon enough if it matches your preferences and needs.
A great trailer hitch ball has to be tough, reliable, and always ready for any towing and hitching tasks whenever you need it.
We’ll get to the list of trailer hitch balls that we’ve handpicked for review in a moment. But first, let’s talk about what size ball you might need plus a few things to look out for while choosing a trailer hitch ball for yourself.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Trailer Hitch Ball
- OUR TOP PICK: CURT 40004
- CURT 40030
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: CURT 40003
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Comparison of the Best Trailer Hitch Balls
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What Size of Trailer Hitch Ball Do I Need?
The short answer: it depends. Sometimes, it may depend on the size of the vehicle. Typically, if you are driving a large pickup truck, you may end up finding the larger size hitch balls more to your liking. It will also depend on what the trailer calls for. Be sure to measure your trailer’s connection point so you are able to get the right measurables for a hitch ball that will fit perfectly.
What Should I Look For When Buying a Trailer Hitch Ball?
When looking for a trailer hitch ball, you’ll want to find a few things that will make it stand out among the rest of the pack. You can find a great trailer hitch ball that stands out perfectly compared to one that isn’t so great in quality and performance. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for:
Price
The price is one thing to take a look at if you’re on a budget. Yes, money might not be too much of an issue. But you want to find something that is affordable so you don’t break the bank. In this regard, you should find a trailer hitch ball that is the best quality available and within your budget. Never under any circumstances go for cheap and flimsy.
Size
As we’ve mentioned before, size is an important factor in choosing your trailer hitch ball. Especially when you need to find one that will be a perfect fit. Consider measuring your trailer’s hitch point so you can determine what size hitch ball you need so the trailer stays straight and secure while transporting from point A to point B.
Longevity
Here’s what we mean by this: There are some hitch balls out there that are made from certain materials. Over time and after plenty of weather exposure, a hitch ball may start to rust or sustain some kind of damage. The main thing to keep an eye out for are materials that are not easy to damage or easy to rust. You want the hitch ball to last you years or even decades, if possible.
Review of the Best Trailer Hitch Balls
The following is a list of the best trailer hitch balls that are on the market. While looking for a hitch ball, be sure to keep an eye on certain key features and characteristics. You should take notes as a rule. Plus, it will save you time and frustration from choosing which trailer hitch ball is best for you.
Let’s begin with the “best overall” choice on our list:
Best Overall:
CURT 40004
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
New users say that this hitch ball fits perfectly on most vehicles and hitched to trailers with the greatest of ease. To add, they were impressed with the overall quality and construction. One user said that he uses it regularly to hitch his camper to his truck. The camper stays in place and doesn’t move or sway around, making it a perfect fit.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This hitch ball is measured at two inches in diameter, which means it can fit a good amount of heavy-duty trailers and RVs. It’s the perfect hitch ball to have when you are towing or carrying things around be it across town or across the country. It’s a chrome-lined hitch ball that is designed to stand up to weather, corrosion, or any other elements that may otherwise cause some kind of short-term (or long-term) damage. It’s a pretty solid hitch ball and is worth every penny of investing.
Who Will Use This Most
This is for those who have RVs or campers and need a good hitch for those cross country road trips. Also, it’s perfect for UHaul trailers for when you are moving your stuff but don’t need the large truck to carry it all. It’s a pretty solid hitch ball that won’t be one of those hitches that will last you a really short time. It’s built for the long haul (figuratively and literally).
Bottom Line
The CURT 40004 earns its spot as the “best overall” choice. You can hitch this to a good number of trailers, campers, and everything in between as long as its 6000 pounds or below. It looks good, it works good, and will definitely be a reliable hitch ball that will work to your advantage.
Runner-up:
CURT 40030
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
New buyers say that they were able to use this for their much heavier loads (including small vehicles and heavy trailers, RVs, etc.). They said that they were able to install this on their vehicles with ease and it didn’t take them long to test drive it. So far, they were able to transport their intended loads safely and securely without any additional issues.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This CURT model is a bit thicker and bigger than our previous model. And this time, it will take on well over twice the amount of weight. Like all CURT hitch balls, they are chrome-lined so you can expect this to be excellent in quality and able to ward off any rust, corrosion, and any other damaging elements that would threaten it’s longevity or integrity. If you want a long-lasting hitch ball that won’t break, wear, tear or anything else then you may want to consider purchasing this for your hitching needs.
Who Will Use This Most
If you plan on carrying really heavy loads, chances are you’ll be able to get the job done with this hitch in particular. This one will be really hard to rust or corrode since it’s made to resist it as much as possible. Come rain or shine, you’ll rely on this for when you need to move heavier loads or even small vehicles. It can stand up to weather and it can work hard to make every hitching task a breeze.
Bottom Line
The CURT 40030 is arguably one of the most solid trailer hitch balls that you can find on the market. It’s the perfect hitch ball to move all of your stuff from one place to the next, even when it might be a little too heavy for the others. It’s rough, it’s tough, and it will be your saving grace in the times you might need it most.
Best for the Money:
CURT 40003
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
New users were in search of a hitch that handled the light heavy-duty tasks. Most of them were using it for small trailers that were being used for landscaping tasks (and transporting all kinds of tree trimmings and the like). One user said that it was perfect for his backyard work whenever he needed it for those all-day projects. Overall, the install and ability to handle the loads lead to no fuss use for most buyers.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We’ve talked about the average loads, the heavy loads, and now we’ll dive into the lighter side of the scale. This hitch had a weight capacity of 3000 pounds. This is what you’ll want to have handy if and when you need to do some yard work and you have plenty of land to cover in the process. It will be perfect for when you need to transport discarded branches, bags of grass, and anything that may require proper disposal. Furthermore, if you are planning on transporting with the use of a lawnmower or even an ATV, then you might find this hitch ball to be the perfect fit.
Who Will Use This Most
Though it is affordable for budget shoppers, it might just be a hitch ball that can be used for light-duty vehicles (most of the time, they’ll usually be off-road vehicles). But you still get a hitch ball that is in good quality and will be perfect for all of your tasks whether it’s rain or shine. For yard work or simply just moving things around the house, this hitch ball might just be right up your alley.
Bottom Line
The CURT 40003 could be the go-to option for anyone who wants a hitch ball that is built for the lighter end of heavy-duty projects. It might not log in miles on the road, but it can surely log in miles off the road. It’s not afraid to get down and dirty nor is it afraid to take on some heavy toting.
Best 2 Inch Trailer Hitch Ball:
CURT 40090
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
A lot of new users have said that this trailer hitch ball really came through in the clutch. Especially when they were in situations where they needed to transport a heavy load and fast. They were able to fit this on a good amount of large trailers without any additional issues. This was perfect for long-haul transporting from coast-to-coast and it stays secure throughout the trip, according to one user.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The hitch ball is large enough to handle the larger trailers that will obviously require a much wider hitch. Keep this in mind when you are looking for a ball. In fact, this might be the go-to option if you do have large trailers to transport. Not only that, it’s a well-built, chrome-covered hitch that will never forsake you or go bad in quality in a short period of time.
Who Will Use This Most
This is the go-to option if you are one of those kinds of people who prefer to attach this to their vehicles when traveling in an RV. Nothing wrong with that, but if you’re entertaining such an idea you may want to consider giving this hitch ball a closer look. Otherwise, it’s perfect for the trucks that are large and often used for transporting loads from jobsite to jobsite.
Bottom Line
The CURT 40090 Chrome trailer hitch ball will certainly be the go-to option for heavier loads. This is one ball that should not be doubted when it comes to quality and it’s ability to handle the hardcore heavy-duty tasks. For your personal truck or a truck that can only be used on the job, this hitch ball is certainly the top dog when it comes to handling all the heavy lifting.
Best 3 Ball Trailer Hitch:
TOPSKY TS1905
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
These hitch balls are easy to use and really tough, according to one user. He said that he attached this to his truck since he needed a hitch ball that was versatile and able to handle all kinds of trailers. And sure enough, he wasn’t disappointed. He said that it kept his trailers straight and it never loosened up once while he was on the road.
Why it Stands Out to Us
A three-ball trailer hitch? Yeah, they’re quite nice to have. This is perfect for not just transporting your regular run of the mill trailers. This is perfect for when you need to transport other vehicles like cars, trucks, and even boats. What stands out as one of the best is that it has a black powder coating that is proven to prevent any kind of damage, rust, corrosion, you name it. It’s a hitch built for the long haul without it giving up on you after a few months of use.
Who Would Use This Most?
If you are looking for a trailer hitch ball that exceeds your standards, look no further than this one. It’s got three balls, so you’ll be able to put one of them or all three to good use depending on the task. But no matter what, you’ll have a hitch that can truly hold everything together no matter how far you’re traveling.
Bottom Line
The Topsky TS1905 is the perfect three-ball hitch that you can rely on if and when you need to handle all the heavy-duty toting. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything quite like this on the market. Especially when it won’t rust or corrode easily like some others.
Best Adjustable Trailer Hitch Ball:
CURT 45900
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This hitch was pretty useful for most users. They said the adjustments were fluid and really easy for the purpose of setting up and making sure their trailers were level. For most users, the installation was a breeze and didn’t take any longer than a half-hour.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This is a really good hitch that adjusts to various heights. So, if you have a trailer that might be a little higher than expected, then you can set it to the right kind of adjustments. This way, it won’t feel like it’s riding too low (or too high). Other than that, the chrome-plated ball is pretty tough and handles all kinds of hauling tasks like campers, boats, and even some heavy equipment you might need on the job.
Who Will Use This Most
This is the best hitch ball you can find if you want something that can handle various trailers. Whether they are low profile or a bit higher in height, you can rely on this hitch ball since you can adjust it to your liking. It’s tough and solid in construction so you can expect this to last you years down the road.
Bottom Line
The CURT 45900 is quite the innovative trailer hitch ball. With the adjustments it has along with the ability to install quickly on your vehicle, you’ll be able to hitch something to this the moment you double-check to see if everything is secure and properly in place.
Aspects to Consider Before Buying
Before you make a choice on which trailer hitch ball is best for you, it’s important to know some additional information that may help you in making the right decision. Here are some things to consider:
Which Weight Limit Works Best?
The weight limit will depend on what you will be intending to transport. Remember to find a weight limit that will handle the load consistently. Don’t get anything that will be too light or it will easily damage due to excessive weight.
Which Vehicle Will You Be Using?
While a handful of hitch balls will be mostly used for trucks, there might be some that will be suitable for ATVs and lawnmowers. For example, a hitch ball with a weight limit of around 3,000 pounds will be suitable for ATVs and lawnmowers while one that is north of 10,000 will be perfect for trucks.
What Size Truck Do I Need?
As mentioned before, a truck will likely be your best bet in using a trailer hitch ball. However, some balls will likely be a better match for larger sized trucks (like a three-quarter-ton truck). Consider what your truck size is and what the maximum size ball it can handle.
How to Install a Trailer Hitch Ball
Installing a trailer hitch ball can be a difficult task. That is if you don’t know what you are doing. Here is a quick guide on how you can install one:
- Be sure to wear protective gloves before going through with the installation process. Safety glasses are also recommended.
- Pull the lock pin out of the hitch. Then slide the hitch itself into the assembly. Replace the locking pin and check to see if it’s secure.
- Figure out the height of the truck and the trailer so you can get the ball hitch under the tongue of the trailer.
- Adjust your trailer to the appropriate height. Unlock the trailer’s hitch.
- Back up to the trailer. Be sure that the window of the driver’s side is down so you can listen for any clanging and banging. Alternatively, you can use a spotter to help you align the hitch perfectly.
- Make sure the ball hitch is directly underneath the trailer hitch. Crank the handle to lower the trailer hitch until it makes contact with the hitch ball. At this point, just lock it in and stow the handle and lock it on.
- Make sure the lock pin is in place once the trailer is attached to the hitch ball.
- Ensure that there are no chains, wires, or electrical connections hanging or touching the ground. Make sure they are wrapped securely so they stay secure and don’t drag.
Conclusion
The best trailer hitch ball is out there. It’s best to find one that will handle all your hauling tasks. Whether it’s for regular or occasional use, you can find one that will get the job done whenever you use it. Be sure that it’s a perfect fit and can stand up to the environmental elements at any given time.
People Also Ask
The following is a list of frequently asked questions regarding the use of trailer hitch balls. It’s important that you find out more information on how they work and what else you need to know about them. Here are the questions:
What is the Most Common Trailer Hitch Ball Size?
A regular trailer hitch ball size will measure at two inches in diameter. Meanwhile, a hitch designed for industrial purposes will measure at about 2 ¼ inches.
How Do I Know What Size Trailer Ball I Need?
Measure the diameter of the ball mount on the trailer you intend to hitch. You can also measure the shank length and the thickness of the hitch mount so you can get the right measurements for a perfect fit.
What Size Ball Do Most Travel Trailers Use?
A lot of travelers will often hitch their campers with hitch balls that are measured at two inches in diameter. Also, be sure to consider the weight limit as well. A ball hitch that has a limit between 5,000 to 10,000 pounds will be ideal.
What Size Ball Do I Need For a 5x8 U-Haul Trailer?
The ball size will likely vary between 1 ⅞ to 2 inches. Be sure to measure the hitch mount prior to making a decision on which hitch ball will work best for you.
Can You Use a 1-7/8 Ball on a 2 Inch Hitch?
No, you can’t. And this is mostly due to safety concerns. For another reason, there won’t be enough pressure applied between both the hitch ball and the coupler. Also, it might cause your trailer to sway or move around while traveling.
