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What Size Ball Mount Do U-Haul Trailers Have? Hitch Ball Sizes Explained

U-Haul trailers take a 1-7/8-inch or 2-inch hitch ball rated for total towed weight. Here is how to tell the ball from the ball mount and check your rental.
Entry993 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team
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U-Haul trailers take either a 1-7/8-inch or a 2-inch hitch ball, and the ball must also be rated for the total weight you will tow. The phrase “ball mount” usually gets used for both the ball and the bar that carries it, so the first thing to settle is which measurement your trailer actually needs. The ball’s diameter is the 1-7/8-inch or 2-inch figure. The mount is the part that links your vehicle’s receiver to the trailer’s coupler, and it is judged by receiver fit and drop or rise, not by the ball’s size.

The ball size U-Haul specifies

U-Haul’s trailer FAQ answers the question “What size hitch ball do U-Haul trailers and towing equipment need?” with this statement: “U-Haul couplers take either a 2″ or 1-7/8th” ball.” The same answer requires a ball rated for the total weight to be towed. U-Haul’s Trailer Rentals FAQ is the primary source for that wording.

U-Haul’s trailer user instructions say the same thing: 1-7/8-inch and 2-inch hitch balls are both acceptable. The instructions add that a U-Haul representative can confirm the correct size and weight rating for a specific trailer.

Ball, ball mount, receiver and coupler are four different parts

Most confusion comes from treating these terms as one thing. U-Haul’s hitch-installation guidance describes the ball mount as the connection between the hitch and the coupler, and it says the height of that connection matters.

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Term What it is What to check
Hitch ball The round ball the trailer coupler clamps onto Diameter (1-7/8 inch or 2 inch) and load rating for total towed weight
Ball mount The bar or assembly that holds the ball and fits into the vehicle receiver Receiver fit and drop or rise, so the trailer sits level
Receiver The square tube on the vehicle that accepts the ball mount Its opening size, which is separate from the ball diameter
Coupler The socket on the trailer tongue that sits on the ball Diameter it accepts and its height above the ground; U-Haul’s guidance gives a standard coupler height of 18 inches

The 18-inch figure is the coupler height stated in U-Haul’s 2026 hitch guidance. It is not a ball size, and the guidance itself says to verify the height on your own setup.

How to confirm the right ball for your rental

  1. Find the trailer model on your rental agreement and check its product page on U-Haul’s site. Some models list their own ball requirement.
  2. If the page lists a ball diameter and a minimum rating, use those figures. If it does not, call U-Haul or ask at the location and request the size and weight rating for that specific trailer.
  3. Measure the diameter of the ball you already own with a caliper or a precise ruler. A 1-7/8-inch ball and a 2-inch ball look similar, and the difference is about 1/8 inch.
  4. Check the ball’s stamped load rating and compare it with the total weight of the loaded trailer plus the trailer’s own weight, not just the cargo.
  5. Confirm that the receiver and ball mount put the trailer coupler at a workable height, using the 18-inch coupler figure as a reference point and checking the drop or rise of the mount.

Example: the 4×7 utility trailer

U-Haul’s 4×7 utility trailer rental page calls for a 1-7/8-inch or 2-inch hitch ball with a minimum rating of 2,000 pounds. That figure applies to that model only. Other trailers may require a different rating, so use the page for the trailer you are renting.

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When the ball does not fit

  • If the coupler will not seat on the ball, the diameter is probably wrong. Re-measure the ball first.
  • If the trailer sits nose-high or nose-low when hitched, the mount’s drop or rise is likely the cause, not the ball size.
  • If the ball’s rating is below the loaded trailer weight, do not tow with it. Get a ball with a higher rating that is also one of the two accepted diameters.

The official sources do not establish that one diameter is better than the other. They only list both as acceptable for U-Haul couplers.

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CURT Manufacturing 45030 Class III 2" Ball Mount
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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