Replacement Reese hitch bar

davidz71 · 02-17-2003, 03:00 PM

I utilize the Reese #R54932 adjustable hitch bar which has a length of 14", drop of 1" and rise of 5 3/4". I actually have the bar in the dropped position and the hitch platform at its lowest position. This gives me 14 1/4" clearance from the ground when the trailer is not hooked up. Other measurements are 21 3/4" from the ground to the top of the platform and adding the 2 5/16" ball gives a total heigth of 23 3/4". This places the trailer in a nose up position after the spring bars are attached and slight deflection noted. The spring bars are heavy units but not of the dual cam sway control variety. I am looking for another hitch bar that will drop the platform/ball heigth down at least 3 to 4". Does anyone have a picture of the R54995 medium adjustable hitch bar by Reese that has a rise of 8 3/4" which will give me 3 additional inches of drop when I flip it over? What about the R54917 tall adjustable that has a drop of 10 1/4? Any suggestions but I want to keep the bar length at 14"?

overlander64 · 02-17-2003, 09:38 PM

Greetings Craig!

I suspect that you are going to require a setup very similar to what I use with my '99 K2500 Suburban. It is a Reese 12" Deep Drop Draw Bar as seen below on my Suburban:

I am currently utilizing the R54917 Reese Deep Drop draw bar at the site below:

Reese Draw Bars

From what I understand, the redesigned K2500 and K2500 HD vehicles from Chevrolet/GMC don't sit quite as high as the '99 and prior models, but I am using the lowest possible mounting and it is still about 1" too high for my Minuet which needs a hitch ball height of 18". It works well with my '64 Overlander that requires an 18.5" hitch ball height.

Kevin

davidz71 · 02-17-2003, 10:21 PM

Thanks Kevin,
I was not sure if the 54995 with 3" lower adjustment would be low enough for my situation. The 54917 will bring it down 1.5 inches lower than the 54995 and that will bring it within the ballpark of 18.5" ball heigth for a level trailer.

wb13798 · 02-17-2003, 10:25 PM

david
i have a drop bar i used with my 98 suburban 2500 to get extra drop as the set up was over a inch nose up. you dont want to buy a new drop bar. i did . i dont know what they cost now but about 1998 i had too, to get the suburban set up. made a big difference . if intrested i can do some measuring and send you a jpg . lol
al

davidz71 · 02-18-2003, 01:12 PM

Al,
If you will send me the measurements of your drop bar and post a jpeg picture. I'll see if it is what I am looking for. Thanks.

davidz71 · 02-18-2003, 07:03 PM

I doublechecked my measurements after work today and found that they were off due to a slope at the edge of the driveway. With my current drop bar, the top of the ball is 22 1/4" from the ground and the top of the platform is 19 1/4" from the ground. It looks like I need to drop the ball at least 2 1/2" to 2 3/4" to get a ride heigth that is level for the trailer. This takes into consideration that spring bars keep the rear of the vehicle the same heigth it is now unloaded but we know that is rarely the case. I think the setup I have now only lowers the rear an inch after the spring bars are connected and I am ready to travel. I guess I'd better get back out there and hook everything up and check heigth again but I know that my current setup has me a little too high up front and sometime dragging the rear.

davidz71 · 02-18-2003, 07:55 PM

I don't mean to ramble on here but I'm trying to get this right. I leveled the trailer and measured from the bottom of the lip of the coupler to the ground. I realize this is not the correct place but I wanted to get an idea of the change in measurement with the trailer tongue wt. alone and then with the spring bars set on the next to last link where I usually set them.

17 1/4" from ground to bottom of coupler, level and not hooked up.
16 3/4" from ground to bottom of coupler, hitched up, no spring bars.
18" from ground to bottom of coupler, hitched with spring bars.

Based on this, 3/4" to 1" is all I would need in actual adjustment but I would probably go another 1/4" and still be ok. The Reese R54995 with 3" more adjustment would fit the bill and not be overly long.

Pahaska · 02-18-2003, 10:08 PM

From what I see, you are just about perfect right now. The hitch should be level to slightly high. Being slightly high puts a bit more weight on the rear tandems and makes the trailer more stable to pull and less liklely to sway. What you don't want to be on a tandem trailer is low.

Based on your measurements, I wouldn't change a thing.

wb13798 · 02-19-2003, 02:29 PM

david
here is a jpg for the drop bar it is reese but i cant find a number for it . let me know if interested.lol
al

wb13798 · 02-19-2003, 02:36 PM

the drop side is 10 3/4 and the tongue side is 16 . didnt have to drop all the way down for the sub but the one that cane with the hitch was bottomed out . lol
al

wb13798 · 02-20-2003, 01:25 PM

david
the bar is a 54990 with the extra hole in the upper bar it has the same spacing as a 54917. take your pick on the space between the trailer and the tow vehicle. my suburban liked the 54917 set up .lol al

davidz71 · 02-20-2003, 05:22 PM

Al,
Send me a PM with how much you want for it. I'm trying to decide if I want to go the lower 10 3/4" bar or the medium 8 3/4" bar.