My Ford Aerostar has a Class II Reese receiver that sits quite low. The top of the receiver box is only 10.5" off the ground. My new Aliner trailer has the top of the ball socket 24" off the ground when the trailer is level. OK, there's no way I'm going to get the trailer level while towing, but I can get it quite a bit closer than it is now.
The problem is that the Reese hitch is an oddball, orphan unit. The receiver box is 1-5/8" square, and the hitch pin is 9/16" in diameter. One option would be to cut my existing ball mount and extend it up for a 10" rise by welding on sections of heavy angle iron. This would make for a pretty heavy ball mount.
A second option might be an Alumistinger solid aluminum ball mount. . This unit is sized for a 2" receiver, but I was thinking I could mill 3/16" off each face to reduce it to 1-5/8" over a length sufficient to fit in the receiver tube. A ball end mill would radius the transition from 1-5/8 to 2" to prevent stress concentration. I would also turn an bar for a light press fit in the 5/8" hitch pin hole and then dirll it out for the
9/16" hitch pin.In it's unmofified shape, the Alumistinger ball mount is rated for
14,000 GVWR and 1,400 tongue weight. My trailer is rated at 1840 GVW.Questions:
- Is the modification of the Alumistinger likely to be safe in this application?
- I have a small selection of anonymous metals laying about to make the sleeve for the hitch pin. What would be the best (generic) metal to use (aluminum, steel, or brass)?
Regards, Ed Bailen