Most boat trailers take a 2-inch hitch ball on a 2-inch receiver, and the right setup for the majority of owners is a fixed 2-inch drop ball mount rated well above your loaded trailer weight. The picks below cover that baseline first, then move up to tri-ball mounts for mixed fleets and weight distribution kits for boats heavy enough to load a half-ton truck’s rear axle.
One thing to clear up before reading the list: a boat tow connection has two halves, and most guides on this topic mix them. The tow-vehicle side is the ball mount that slides into your truck’s receiver. The trailer side is the coupler bolted to the A-frame tongue. You almost never need to replace both at once, and buying the wrong one is the single most common mistake we see in this category.
Our team compared eight hitches on receiver size, ball diameter, gross trailer weight rating, tongue weight rating, height adjustment and finish. Specifications come from manufacturer listings and owner reviews, so confirm the numbers against your own trailer VIN plate and your tow vehicle’s door-jamb rating before you buy. We have deliberately left out tractor bucket receivers, RV fifth-wheel hitches and gooseneck couplers, none of which apply to a boat on a bumper line.
Last updated for 2026.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Trailer Hitches for Towing Boats in 2026
CURT 45036 Loaded Ball Mount
- 7500 lb GTW
- 750 lb tongue weight
- 2-inch drop
- 2-inch ball pre-attached
Camco Eaz-Lift Elite 1000lb Kit
- 1000 lb tongue weight
- 12000 lb GTW
- adjustable sway control
- 2-5/16 inch ball
TYT Tri-Ball Mount, 10000 lb GTW
- Three ball sizes
- Built-in tow hook
- Redundant R-clip holes
- 2-inch receiver
Best Trailer Hitches for Towing Boats (October 2026)
Every hitch below, sorted by what it actually replaces. Four sit on the tow-vehicle side and four are weight distribution systems that only make sense once a ball mount is no longer enough.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| CURT 45036 Loaded Ball Mount |
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| Camco Eaz-Lift Elite 1000lb Kit |
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| TYT Tri-Ball Mount 10000 lb GTW |
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 CURT 17062 Round Bar Weight Distribution Hitch |
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 Husky Towing 30849 Weight Distribution Hitch |
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 Fastway Connect Weight Distribution Hitch |
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 CURT 17601 TruTrack 2P Sway Control Hitch |
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 TOPTOW Tri-Ball Hitch Ball Mount |
|
Check Latest Price |
1. CURT 45036 Loaded Ball Mount – Best Overall for Most Boat Trailers
Pros
- Ball and hitch pin included so it is ready to tow out of the box
- 2-inch drop levels a typical boat trailer without adjustment
- Chrome-plated ball and powder coat handle wet ramps and salt spray
- Hollow 2-inch shank fits standard receivers
Cons
- Fixed 2-inch ball cannot adapt to another coupler size
- One owner reported a slightly misaligned ball screw washer on arrival
This is the one I keep coming back to for readers who have a single boat and a standard truck. It arrives with the 2-inch ball already mounted and torqued at the factory, and the hitch pin and clip are in the box, so there is nothing to buy before your first launch.
The 2-inch drop is the part that matters day to day. A ball sitting at the wrong height leaves the trailer nose-up or nose-down, and the boat sits in the water at an angle, the bunks rub and the plug sits deeper on one side than the other. Owners consistently report that the drop set this trailer level without moving anything.
Capacity is 7,500 pounds GTW and 750 pounds tongue weight. That covers a bass boat, a pontoon or a center console in the mid-size range on a half-ton truck, and it leaves headroom above the 10 to 15 percent tongue weight target rather than sitting on it.
The one limitation is structural. A fixed 2-inch ball is a single-size commitment. If your household also pulls a smaller personal watercraft trailer on the same truck, or if you ever switch to a 2-5/16 inch coupler, this mount cannot follow you. That is the trade you accept for a simple, welded, factory-torqued part with more than 10,000 owner reviews behind it.
Check the level before you launch
With the trailer on the hitch, the coupler should sit horizontal or very slightly nose-down. Level towing puts the full boat load behind the axle and keeps sway predictable, and the 2-inch drop here handles most stock tongue heights without a riser.
If the coupler is visibly nose-up, the tongue is too low and you need a drop rather than this mount. Owners who tow a deep-vee wake boat behind a truck with a high hitch point report adding a riser under the same ball mount for exactly this reason.
Know when to buy something heavier
The 750-pound tongue weight ceiling is the number to watch. Once your loaded trailer pushes past roughly 5,000 to 6,000 pounds, tongue weight climbs toward 500 to 750 pounds and you are at the limit of what a plain ball mount like this handles comfortably.
At that point a weight distribution kit is the right upgrade rather than a heavier plain mount. Reviewers who moved up report the rear of the truck stops squatting and fishtailing on highway passes largely disappears, which no ball mount of any rating can fix on its own.
2. Camco Eaz-Lift Elite 1,000lb Kit – Best Weight Distribution Upgrade
Pros
- Moves tongue weight onto the front axle so the truck sits level
- Manually adjustable sway control can be dialled in and disengaged
- Ball and sway control ball arrive installed and torqued
- U-bolts
- chains and hardware included
Cons
- Sway bar is loud in tight turns and around town
- Printed instructions confuse many first-time installers
- Some owners report a supplied lock pin wearing early
This kit belongs on a boat heavy enough to push your truck’s rear suspension into a permanent squat. Weight distribution works by routing part of the tongue load forward through spring bars and chains, so the front axle carries weight again and the trailer sits level behind.
Owners report the most visible change in steering response and braking. The vehicle stops feeling like it is being pushed, and the sway that usually builds at highway speed largely disappears. Several reviewers describe the sensation of passing semis without the trailer stepping out, which is the clearest sign the system is doing its job.
Setup is straightforward in principle and awkward in practice. The ball and sway control ball come pre-installed and torqued, and the spring bars mount on either side of the head, which saves real work. The friction is in the instructions, which many owners describe as confusing enough that they relied on install videos or a knowledgeable friend instead.
The included shank gives a 5-1/4-inch rise, and that is the detail to check against your truck. If your receiver sits high and your tongue sits high too, the hitch head may not reach the coupler without a different shank. A 3/4-inch torque wrench rated to 260 ft-lb and a 1-1/8-inch socket are needed for the U-bolts, so budget for tools or an install shop.
Understand the noise before you buy
The most repeated complaint is sound. The sway bar is a friction device, and it can be loud at low speed, in parking lots and during tight turns. Most owners manage it by loosening the sway control before city driving and tightening it once on the highway.
That habit is normal for this class of hitch, not a fault in this one. But if you tow mostly around a marina ramp and rarely get on the interstate, you will get less benefit from this kit than a lighter trailer weight would give you.
Verify the shank and the pin before the first tow
Check that the rise puts the coupler exactly on the ball, and check the hitch and sway control lock pins after the first hundred miles. Several owners report a supplied pin wearing early, and a worn pin on a weight distribution head is a genuine safety item rather than a nuisance.
Buy spare pins of the correct diameter when you order, not when you need them at a ramp. The steel chain package and U-bolts are included, but the pins and any grease for the head are consumables you will replace eventually.
3. TYT Tri-Ball Mount – Best Budget Tri-Ball for Mixed Fleets
Pros
- Three ball diameters cover nearly any boat or utility trailer coupler
- Built-in tow hook handles light recoveries without a separate tool
- Redundant R-clip holes on the locking pins
- Alloy steel with black powder coat
Cons
- No receiver lock included
- so the mount itself cannot be secured against theft
- Some buyers report the pin can work loose without a retaining clip
A tri-ball mount solves the problem the CURT 45036 cannot: one truck towing more than one trailer. With 1-7/8 inch, 2 inch and 2-5/16 inch balls on a single mount, you can flip between a small trailer and a large boat without owning three ball mounts.
Capacity changes with the ball you select, which buyers sometimes miss. The 1-7/8 inch ball handles 6,000 pounds, the 2 inch ball handles 7,500 pounds, and the 2-5/16 inch ball reaches 10,000 pounds. The larger the ball, the more load it carries, so read the number for the ball you will actually use with your heaviest trailer.
Build quality holds up for the money. Owners point to solid weld penetration and a powder coat that handles rain and snow exposure, and the profile is compact enough that it does not swing wide under the bumper the way some bulkier tri-ball mounts do.
The built-in tow hook is a small addition that earns its place. It handles light recovery situations where the boat needs dragging back onto the ramp, without you carrying a separate shackle and strap on every trip.
Retaining clips are not optional on this mount
The locking pins have holes for an R-clip as well as their own mechanism, and the redundancy matters more than it sounds. Reviewers are clear that the clip is what stops the pin backing out in traffic, so fit it every single time you hitch up.
Because there is no receiver lock in the box, a stolen mount is a real possibility for an unattended boat trailer. Pair this with one of our trailer hitch lock picks and the gap closes. A pin lock for the ball and a barrel lock for the receiver together cost less than a single trip to recover a missing boat.
Check whether your trailer needs more than 10,000 pounds
At 10,000 pounds GTW on the largest ball, this mount covers most boats, but it is still a plain ball mount. It places all tongue weight on the rear axle, and past roughly 50 percent of your vehicle’s tow rating you should be looking at weight distribution instead.
Also confirm your truck has a true 2-inch receiver. This mount does not fit 2-1/2 inch shanks, which appear on many heavy-duty trucks and diesel pickups. Measure the opening on the receiver face before you order, not after.
4. CURT 17062 Round Bar Weight Distribution Hitch – Best for Heavy Boats
Pros
- Levels a heavily loaded truck and trailer without overloading the rear axle
- Sway control kit included in the box
- Forged round spring bars resist deflection
- Grease zerk lets you lubricate the head without disassembly
Cons
- Small spring-retaining bolts on the head strip if the hitch is misaligned
- Printed instructions are hard to follow
- Weak packaging can scatter hardware before installation
This is the pick for a large bay boat, a deep-vee or a big center console that a stock truck simply cannot sit level behind. Rated in the 800 to 1,000 pound tongue weight class with a 10,000 pound spring bar capacity, it is built for the heavier end of boat trailer work.
Owners report the squat disappearing within a few tows. Setup typically takes 45 to 60 minutes, and once the chains are set the trailer tracks straight and sway drops noticeably, including on larger rigs where you would not expect a hitch to make much difference.
Two real issues come up repeatedly. The small spring-retaining bolts on the head assembly face the trailer tongue, so if the hitch is not lined up perfectly they can strip or shear during installation. A number of owners replace them with 10-24 round-head bolts and thread locker, and they report that fixing those bolts resolves the problem permanently.
Packaging is the other complaint. Hardware and chains have arrived loose in a damaged box for some buyers, so open the carton on a surface where a spilled washer will not disappear before you start. A limited lifetime warranty covers the hitch, with one year on the finish and one year on parts.
Check the frame before you trust the fit
This system needs solid frame hooks for the chains to pull against. Inspect the A-frame and tongue rails for corrosion, cracking and previous welds, because the chains concentrate force into a small area. Worn frame hooks will outlast nothing, no matter how good the hitch above them is.
It also needs a 2-inch receiver. The 2-inch shank with a pre-torqued 2-5/16 inch ball is standard, but if your truck has a 2-1-2 inch shank opening, stop here and pick a different kit.
Do not overbuy for a small trailer
10,000 pound spring bars are excessive on a light bass boat, and owners with smaller trailers report the bars are genuinely hard to install. A lighter kit fits the same truck, does the same job and takes less effort to mount.
Before choosing this capacity, weigh your loaded trailer and check the tow vehicle rating. If your loaded boat is well under half the truck’s tow rating, a plain ball mount is the more durable, more maintainable choice and you will be happier with it long term.
5. Husky Towing 30849 – Best for Rise and Drop Range
Pros
- Widest height adjustment here
- spanning a 5-5/8 inch rise and 2-3/8 inch drop
- Bolt-together ball mount and shank allow flexible setup
- Spring bars fit on either side of the head
- 2-5/16 inch ball and sway control included
Cons
- Bolt-together design takes more assembly steps than a welded hitch
- Dual sway control platform balls are not included
- Listed capacity sits at the low end among comparable kits
Height adjustment is where this kit separates itself. Eight inches of total travel, a 5-5/8 inch rise and a 2-3/8 inch drop, covers an unusually wide spread of tow vehicle and tongue combinations in a single shank. If your receiver sits unusually high or low, that range solves the fitment problem without a riser or drop bar.
The bolt-together ball mount and shank is the second useful feature. You can assemble the head at the height you need rather than committing to one position, which matters when the same truck pulls a boat trailer and a utility trailer with different tongue heights.
Rated at 1,200 pounds tongue weight and 12,000 pounds gross trailer weight, this carries the highest tongue weight figure in the group and still leaves room for a heavy tongue. The black polyester finish resists rust and corrosion, and lift brackets make hooking up without crouching safer.
Two things to plan for. The bolt-together construction takes more assembly steps than a pre-welded hitch, and dual sway control platform balls are not included. If you want two-point sway control, you need a separate 1-1/4 inch shank, so budget for that before the install day rather than after.
Is your tow vehicle high enough to need the rise?
Roughly half of this kit’s height range sits above the shank, and that is only useful on trucks with a tall hitch point or short tongue. Measure from the top of your receiver opening to the center of the ball on the trailer coupler, unloaded.
If the measurement lands inside a couple of inches of the coupler, the drop alone will do. If you are fighting for clearance, the rise is the reason this kit exists and it is worth the extra hardware.
Plan for the install day properly
At 104 pounds with a bolt-together assembly, this is a two-person job with a proper socket set. The manufacturer warranty covers residential towing for the life of the product, which is a meaningful long-term advantage over kit categories that carry only a limited term.
Have the extra 1-1/4 inch shank on site if you want dual sway control, and grease the head assembly before the first trip. Friction sway hardware works better lubricated and re-checked after the first 50 miles.
6. Fastway Connect – Best Chain-Adjusted Distribution System
Pros
- Distribution is tuned by moving which chain link attaches to the frame hook
- No frame drilling required
- Works across boat
- utility
- cargo and ATV trailers
- Pre-installed 2-5/16 inch ball shortens setup
Cons
- Very heavy at 89 pounds
- so power tools are needed
- Manufacturer directions and install videos confuse some owners
- Adjustment feels coarse on small trailers
The Fastway Connect replaces a threaded adjustment with a chain one. Instead of turning nuts to change how weight transfers, you unhook a chain and move it to a different link on the frame hook. Owners report that a single adjustment is often enough to level the vehicle and stop the sway.
That design also means no drilling into the trailer frame, which is a real advantage if you trailer more than one boat or borrow ramps where frame modification is not welcome. It is rated for 1,000 pounds tongue weight and 10,000 pounds trailer weight, with a 3 inch drop and 7 inch rise shank for a 2-inch receiver.
The build is solid where it counts. Hardened steel chains connect round bar spring arms to the frame, and the whole assembly is powder coated alloy steel at 89 pounds. Several owners cite it as the most economical true weight distribution hitch they considered.
Weight is the catch. At 89 pounds with spring arms that need holding in position, you should expect to use power tools for assembly. If you have never installed a weight distribution head before, budget a full afternoon and a helper rather than a quick driveway job.
Is your trailer too light for this system?
Coarse adjustment is the issue on small rigs. A 10,000 pound rated system on a light trailer moves in bigger steps than you need, so you may find yourself unable to dial it in as precisely as a lighter kit would allow.
Weigh the loaded boat before committing. If the trailer is at the lighter end of the range you tow, a smaller ball mount or a lighter weight distribution kit will give you finer control and take less effort to install.
Plan the shank and the chain hooks
The standard shank is 3 inch drop and 7 inch rise for a 2-inch receiver, so verify the receiver size and the tongue height together before ordering. The chains hook to frame-mounted loops, and those loops need to be solid and correctly positioned.
Attaching the chain hooks takes real effort, so a second pair of hands matters here as much as it does on any other distribution kit. Once it is on, check the chains are seated fully and re-check them after the first trip.
7. CURT 17601 TruTrack 2P – Best for Low-Maintenance Sway Control
Pros
- Friction sway control needs no chains or grease fittings to service
- Fixed-support brackets resist lateral trailer movement without chain rigs
- Smoother over bridge transitions and bumps
- Washer-free head tilt simplifies setup
Cons
- Instructions omit steps including final tightening of the set screws
- Hitch ball is not pre-torqued despite expectations
- Requires very large non-standard sockets to install
Chain-based sway control asks for maintenance. This two-point friction system does not. Instead of chains and spring arms carrying lateral load, brackets clamp the head against two fixed supports, so there is nothing to grease, nothing to re-tension and nothing to seize after a season in salt air.
Owners report a large improvement in both squat and sway, and several note the ride is smoother over bridge joints and expansion gaps than with an unweighted setup. It works on boat and buggy hauler trailers as well as campers, which is broader coverage than most weight distribution hitches claim.
Setup is where the friction is. The printed directions are over-complicated and reportedly leave out steps, including the final tightening of the large set screws. The ball also arrives without being pre-torqued, and installation calls for very large non-standard sockets that can add to the cost if you do not own them.
A torque wrench rated to 450 ft-lb for the hitch ball and 200 ft-lb for the 3/4 inch bolts is part of the job. At 94 pounds, this is heavy enough that some owners had a shop install it, and for a first-time weight distribution installation that is money well spent.
Why low maintenance matters at a marina
If your boat lives at a slip and the hitch is exposed to salt air year round, fewer moving parts is a genuine advantage. No chains to corrode, no spring bars to seize, no grease zerk to service after every trip.
It also means less to inspect before every launch. A short walk-around of brackets, ball and set screws is the entire maintenance routine, and that is a fair trade for owners who tow many times a season rather than twice a year.
Torque it twice and check the manual gap
Because the directions skip steps, treat the manual as a checklist rather than a script. Confirm the large set screws are fully tightened before the first pull, then re-check bolt torque after the first trip as several owners suggest.
Buying the large sockets in advance saves a return trip. Also confirm the adjustable 2-inch shank suits your receiver, since this hitch does not accept a 2-1/2 inch opening.
8. TOPTOW Tri-Ball Mount – Best Budget Tri-Ball
Pros
- Three ball sizes cover most boat and utility trailer couplers
- Balls switch quickly when moving between a small and a large trailer
- Hollow shank survived a rear-end collision without denting
- 5/8 inch pin kit included
Cons
- Slightly noisier in the receiver than some previous mounts
- Around 1/16 inch of play in the receiver fit
- Plastic end cap can break off in a collision
If you tow two trailers and want the flexibility of a tri-ball without the higher cost, this mount does the job. It carries 1-7/8 inch, 2 inch and 2-5/16 inch balls, rated at 2,000, 6,000 and 10,000 pounds respectively, on a hollow shank that fits standard 2-inch receivers.
Ball changes are quick because the balls are robotically welded, which keeps the threads aligned as you swap sizes. Owners who move between a personal watercraft and a larger boat report that flipping between balls takes seconds rather than swapping a whole mount.
Durability surprised people. One owner reports the mount survived a rear-end collision without denting the shank, losing only the plastic end cap, and another found the shank interior solid after that cap broke away. That is not a reason to seek collisions, but it says something about the wall thickness.
The two recurring negatives are minor. It is slightly noisier in the receiver than higher-end tri-ball mounts, and there is around 1/16 inch of play in the fit. Neither affects towing safety, but the noise is audible in a quiet cabin at highway speed.
Watch the capacity change with each ball
The 1-7/8 inch ball is only rated for 2,000 pounds, so a small ball does not mean a smaller job, it means a much lighter trailer. Check the rating against the ball you plan to use most and make sure the 2 inch or 2-5/16 inch ball covers your loaded weight.
Because it is a plain ball mount, all tongue weight lands on the rear axle. If your loaded trailer passes roughly half the truck’s tow rating, this is the point to switch to weight distribution rather than adding a bigger ball.
Check the shank length for deep receivers
Usable shank length is 7-1/2 inches with 12 inches overall, so measure how deep your receiver tube runs before you order. A shank that bottoms out before the pin hole is reached will not pin securely, and no amount of torque fixes that.
Add a hitch lock to this mount, since the 5/8 inch pin kit is mechanical rather than security hardware. A barrel lock over the receiver pin closes the gap for unattended trailer parking.
Trailer Hitch Buying Guide: Six Questions to Answer First
1. What receiver size does my truck have?
Most half-ton and three-quarter-ton trucks and SUVs use a 2-inch receiver. Heavy-duty trucks and diesel pickups often use 2-1/2 inch, which none of the ball mounts in this guide fit. Measure the opening across the inside of the receiver face with calipers, and start there, because receiver size comes before ball size and before drop or rise.
2. How much is my trailer actually worth towing?
Find the VIN plate on the trailer frame, usually on the tongue or the driver-side rail. It lists gross trailer weight and unloaded weight. If your boat plus gear pushes the loaded weight past roughly 50 percent of your vehicle’s tow rating, a weight distribution hitch stops being an upgrade and starts being the correct answer.
Is a higher GTW rating always better? No. An over-specced hitch is heavier, costs more and adds a handling penalty at low speed without adding a single pound of safety, because your tow vehicle’s own rating binds first.
3. How much tongue weight should it be?
Aim for 10 to 15 percent of the fully loaded trailer weight. This is the number that controls sway, and it is why trailer sway gets blamed on the hitch when the real cause is a ball mount sitting too high or too low, or a tongue not carrying its share.
4. Do I need an adjustable mount or is fixed fine?
You only need adjustment if the trailer tongue is not level at rest with your truck. A correctly sized fixed drop is more durable, has fewer fasteners to loosen and needs no adjustment between tows. A rise or drop part is worthwhile when you tow boats with very different tongue heights on the same truck.
5. How will it handle salt water?
Finish matters more than most buyers expect. Powder coat, e-coat and zinc plating all resist corrosion differently, and the ball itself is often the weak point since it is chrome-plated steel. If you launch in a coastal bay, treat a freshwater rinse as part of ownership rather than an optional extra, and keep a hitch lock in your kit alongside the trailer tires you are already inspecting.
6. Do I need a hitch lock?
Yes, if your boat ever sits unattended. A lock protects against drive-away theft, and the real cost of losing a boat to a ramp is far higher than the cost of a lock. Pair one of our trailer hitch lock picks with your mount and treat the pins as a consumable to check every single hitch-up.
Saltwater Care and a Pre-Tow Inspection Routine
Rinse the hitch after every saltwater launch, every time. Salt crystallises in the crevices around the ball seat, the latch and the shank, and the ball is the part that quietly degrades fastest when it is left wet.
Rinse the coupler and ball with fresh water while the latch is open, aiming into the ball seat and the latch mechanism.
Break the latch down if your coupler allows it, rinse the pins and springs, and wipe everything dry before relatching.
Check the chrome-plated ball for surface rust or pitting. Pitting means the ball no longer seats properly and should be replaced before it lets go of the coupler.
On weight distribution hitches, check the chains and spring bars for surface rust and wipe them with a light film of grease before storage.
Run a finger along the ball, latch and receiver shank looking for a groove. A groove in the ball or shank is a replacement signal, not a lubrication signal.
Then walk the hitch before every tow, not just the first one of the season.
Confirm the ball is fully seated in the coupler and the latch is locked.
Check the hitch pin and R-clip or cotter pin are fitted and not bent.
Confirm the coupler sits level, or close to it, with the trailer attached.
Look for movement between the ball mount shank and the receiver, with a helper pushing the tongue up and down.
Verify the safety chains are crossed under the tongue and hooked with enough slack for turns.
Inspect the tongue and A-frame rails, the frame hooks and the welds.
On a weight distribution hitch, re-check chain attachment and the set screws on the head.
Confirm running lights, brake connections and the breakaway cable all function before you pull away from the ramp.
A routine like this takes two minutes and catches the failures that end trips early. Once the boat is home, it is also a good moment to check the trailer tires, since a trailer carrying a boat is usually the one most neglected on tire pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size hitch ball do I need for a boat trailer?
Most boat trailers take a 2-inch hitch ball on a 2-inch receiver. A 1-7/8 inch ball serves small utility and personal watercraft trailers, while a 2-5/16 inch ball appears on heavier trailers and on nearly all weight distribution hitches. Confirm by measuring the inner opening of the coupler, which reads about 1/16 inch above the ball diameter, and by checking the size stamped on the coupler body.
How do I measure what ball size my trailer coupler takes?
Measure the widest part of the coupler’s inner opening with calipers, across the ball seat rather than at the latch throat. The reading sits roughly 1/16 inch above the ball diameter, so a coupler just over 2 inches takes a 2-inch ball. Then confirm against the stamped marking on the coupler casting, which is the fastest check on a used trailer with no paperwork.
Do I need a weight distribution hitch for my boat?
You need one when your loaded trailer weight exceeds roughly 50 percent of your tow vehicle’s rating, or for boats over about 20 feet on a half-ton truck. Below that, a plain ball mount is more durable and needs no adjustment. Above it, weight distribution moves tongue weight onto the front axle, which removes rear-end squat and the fishtailing that comes with it.
How much tongue weight does a boat trailer need?
Between 10 and 15 percent of the fully loaded trailer weight. This figure controls sway more than hitch capacity does. Too little tongue weight, often caused by a ball mount that is too high or too low, produces fishtailing at highway speed that no amount of hitch capacity will fix. Check it at the coupler with the trailer coupled and the tongue fully seated.
Is a higher GTW rating always better?
No. A hitch rated well above your loaded trailer is heavier and adds a handling penalty at low speed without adding safety, because your tow vehicle’s own tow rating on the door jamb is the binding limit. Match the hitch rating above your loaded weight, and let the lower of the two numbers govern what you actually tow.
Are these trailer hitches suitable for saltwater use?
All eight use powder coat, polyester or plated finishes that tolerate salt spray with maintenance. The steel ball is the weak point, not the mount. Rinse the coupler, latch and ball with fresh water after every saltwater launch, wipe them dry, and inspect the ball for pitting. A pitted ball no longer seats correctly and should be replaced before it releases the coupler.
Which Hitch Should You Buy
For one boat on a standard truck, the CURT 45036 is the best trailer hitch for towing boats because it arrives ready to tow, levels a typical trailer with its 2-inch drop and carries 7,500 pounds GTW with more than 10,000 owner reviews behind it. If you tow more than one trailer, the TYT tri-ball or the TOPTOW tri-ball covers multiple coupler diameters on one mount.
Once your loaded boat passes about half your truck’s tow rating, stop shopping ball mounts. The Camco Eaz-Lift Elite, CURT 17062, Husky 30849, Fastway Connect or CURT 17601 TruTrack all spread tongue weight onto the front axle, and the one to pick comes down to how adjustable you need it, how much maintenance you will tolerate and how much weight you are moving.
Before any of them, measure your receiver, weigh your boat and read the VIN plate. Those three numbers settle most of the decision, and getting them wrong costs far more than the hitch itself. Updated for 2026, and once the towing side is sorted, our small boat chartplotter picks are the next thing worth sorting.
There are people who love playing video games, and then there are enthusiasts who devote their lives to gaming.
Corey has been playing games since The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy III were still young.
Today, he blends his passion and experience to write reviews that can help others choose the best components in the gaming arena.