[Jim_in_PA]

Check under your rear cargo area floor. It should be stored there. Open the tailgate and lift the floor.

Exactly what I was going to say. A 6" drop ball mount is included with the OEM hitch accessory and it's usually in a nice, brown cardboard box in the cargo area storage compartment.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

You're pushing the limits being so close to the 500 lb tongue weight and yes, it's a natural thing for the front end to begin to feel light and less responsive. In most other vehicles, a WDH would be specifically used to re-balance between the front and rear axles of the tow vehicle, but that's not possible with the Ascent. Rather, it's best to see if things in the trailer can be shifted a little to reduce the tongue weight a little to help remediate that light feeling. There's a limit to that, however, without getting into trailer stability issues, unfortunately.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

You do not need to use the ball mount that came with your Ascent...you can use a more extended one of your choice. These are standard products. Just be aware that the Subaru provided ball mount is a 6" drop so if it set the correct height for a level trailer, you'll want a 6" drop on whatever "longer" ball mount you buy. That said...you're moving the tongue weight even farther away from the axle, so it will (slightly) affect balance in a negative way.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

If we now do generally agree on this, then it is a departure from the earlier philosophy that we must all choose a travel trailer that falls well below the weight ratings.

IMHO, it's a "best practice" for towing below the stated limit, especially here in the US where speeds tend to be higher when pulling something. But in general, following the rules and staying within the capacities for both cargo (including tongue weight) and towing load should result in a safe experience within the expected risk for the same.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Next spring I WILL get an extension of the same length I had on my previous car (Infiniti QX60) so that the liftgate can fully open at all times, hitched or not.

'Just be aware that using a receiver extension can reduce the ability of the ball mount to support higher capacities.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Does the Ascent tow package come with a ball hitch? I didn't see one in ours unless they've hidden it with the jack or something.

Most MY19 Ascents with the towing option installed came with a 6" drop ball mount, but late production MY19 and MY20 did not come with a ball mount. The current OEM hitch "kit" also does not come with a ball mount. In a sense, this is actually good because the amount of drop for a ball mount must be calculated for a specific trailer and that can vary. While my particular utility trailer likes the top of the ball at 18-19" off the pavement which is readily accommodated with the 6" drop ball mount that came with my MY19 Ascent, it would not be appropriate for certain travel trailers that require a higher ball height or some small utility trailers that require a lower ball height.

The actual ball is always going to be something you need to acquire as there are different sizes. While the majority of trailers that would be towed by a vehicle like the Ascent utilize a 2" ball, some small stuff uses the 1 7/8" ball and some larger trailers ask for the 2 5/16" ball even though they don't fit in the weight class that requires it.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I already had an assortment of ball mounts of various heights, but I still would like to have gotten the Subaru BM for "free" to add to my collection.

I can appreciate that! It's a really nice, heavy, welded ball mount, too. I was sad that I couldn't use the "really heavy" 4" drop ball mount I already owned, but it's not the right height for my trailer. The hitch receiver on the Ascent is about 2" higher off the ground than the OEM hitch receiver was on my Grand Cherokee (also embedded in the bumper) even though the Ascent is lower to the pavement than the JGC was in "normal" height. (air suspension)

 

[Jim_in_PA]

save yourself the grief of the heavy weight and get one in aluminum... so much lighter, even the wife can install it and carry it around!

That's good advise, but with aluminum ball mounts, you MUST buy a high quality product to insure it's designed and constructed to handle the load and do so safely. There have been folks who bought on price rather than quality and very much regretted it...

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Yes, that's a good example of a nicely designed aluminum ball mount. The fact that it's adjustable is a nice feature, too. There are going to be a lot of folks who are going to choke on the price of course, especially after looking at the $50 steel, fixed height ball mounts at the box store... I wouldn't, but....

 

[Jim_in_PA]

hat's why I'm not sure what they would say now to a 150lbs lift bar setup to put more weight on the front and fix the sag

The prohibit using a WDH for structural reasons which Robert previously detailed in this thread...and the Ascent was designed to carry full rated load without one. If you are getting a lot of sag at the back, you NEED to determine what your actual tongue weight is. If it's over 500lbs, it's beyond the rated load and that's both unsafe and potentially damaging to your vehicle.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

The drop hitch was useless for most people, since we all have different height needs.

True. While the 6" drop of the OEM ball mount I received with my MY19 Ascent was perfect for my particular utility trailer, not every trailer has an 18-19" ball height. The vehicle matters, too...my Grand Cherokee Overland Summit used a 4" drop for the same ball height and yes, the hitch receiver was embedded in the bumper similar to the Ascent. Different vehicle; 2" different receiver height.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

If I understood earlier posts in this thread, I only have the receiver, lighting and brake receptacles behind the bumper's concealment panel. Should I also have received the drop hitch? I have examined the cargo area and only the tools, jack and tow hook are present. No drop hitch in cardboard box.

Only MY19 Ascents received the "bonus" 6" drop ball mount with the towing package and it was not for the full model year. If you will be towing, you'll need to know what your trailer's ball height requirement is before you choose your ball mount and drop...the 6" drop provides an 18-19" ball height so you can do the math accordingly.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

On Facebook someone stated when they bought their car, Subaru was trying to put a after market hitch on.

Just to clarify, "Subaru" was not trying to put an aftermarket hitch on...it was probably a dealer which is an independent business. "Subaru" would always recommend and provide (if ordered that way) the OEM hitch receiver.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Merope is spot on with the description of how and why a WDH is provisioned for most tow vehicles. It can be an "underwear changing opportunity" when a tow vehicle's front end is too light and it affects both cornering and braking to the point that safety flies out the window. It's a nice feature that the folks at Subaru were able to engineer the Ascent to not require one through its full towing capacity. The MY12 Grand Cherokee I drove previously required one for loads above 3500 lbs/350 lbs tongue weight and it weighed 5300 lbs which is notably higher than the Ascent. (And yes, it's unibody construction, too) That vehicle also had a 7200 lb towing limit, however.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Are trailers normally inherently able to/wired to apply brakes individually?

Not to my knowledge....brake on; brake off...proportionally, but both sides, AFAIK.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Joe, the 4200 lb trailer you were bringing home from the dealer may not have been properly balanced. It's a tongue weight dance. You need enough on the ball to quiet sway without going over the 500 lb tongue weight limit and yes, level is important, too. So it's conceivable that neither trailer was set up well for the Ascent and the heavier one may not be appropriate if it needs more tongue weight to remain stable.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I have an ascent2020 and a VISTA ERD trailer the seller wants to sell me a central HUSKY .....

The bottom line...Subaru does not permit use of a WDH with the Ascent. Don't buy it.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Yeah I was shopping adjustables. It looks like the horizontal distance from the hitch pin to the ball itself is very short on the Subaru hitch. I have had ball mounts before that extended a bit too far from the vehicle and would like to avoid that if possible.

Closer to the bumper is certainly better because it gets the load closer to the rear axle. While may only be a short distance, it actually does have at least minor impact on the leverage that tongue weight places on the tow vehicle. But as long as what you choose isn't a design that sticks out a long way, as some clearly do, you should be fine. Adjustables need a little more room because you have to be able to adjust them. LOL

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Don't expect the RV dealers to have read the owner's manual of every tow vehicle. Most of their customers have traditionally used pickup trucks and the crossover SUV as tow vehicle all differ on the subject of tongue weitght and WDH usage. The Ascent is in the NO WDH camp.

THis ^^ is spot on...

 

[Jim_in_PA]

@Robert.Mauro, sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm looking at a travel trailer that is 3200 pounds, 420 tongue weight, 20 feet long. My Ascent is 5,000/500. I now understand: no WDH, no sway control... But otherwise, can/should I tow this camper with my Ascent? (Trailer is a 2020 Rockwood GeoPro 19BH.) Thank you!

You may not be able to tow that trailer if you cannot keep the tongue weight below 500 lbs. The length is fine. The 3200 lbs dry is fine and will not likely exceed where you need to be. So it comes down to how you load it relative to balance without compromising the total tongue weight on the ball as well as not loading it so there's not enought tongue weight to be stable...the range typically doesn't go below 10%.

So I agree with Robert...take a look at other options to see if you can come up with a better setup that you can properly balance while staying below 500 lbs on the ball "loaded".