Height adjusting tow hitch systems, vehicles, and methods including the same

A vehicle configured to tow a trailer, the vehicle comprising

• a tow hitch configured to couple the trailer to the vehicle;
• a height adjustment mechanism that couples the tow hitch to the vehicle, the height adjustment mechanism having an actuator and a height sensor, the actuator configured to linearly displace the tow hitch in a vehicle vertical direction, the height sensor detects a position of the tow hitch in the vehicle vertical direction;
• and
• an electronic control unit configured to:
• receive a trailer gross weight of the trailer;
• determine a tongue weight based on the trailer gross weight and the detected position of the tow hitch;
• calculate a ratio between the tongue weight and the trailer gross weight;
• and
• control the actuator to adjust the position of the tow hitch in the vehicle vertical direction such that the ratio between the tongue weight and the trailer gross weight is within a predetermined range.

A method for adjusting a height a tow hitch of a vehicle towing a trailer, the vehicle having

• a height adjustment mechanism that couples the tow hitch to the vehicle, the height adjustment mechanism having an actuator and a height sensor, the actuator configured to linearly displace the tow hitch in a vehicle vertical direction, the height sensor detects a position of the tow hitch in the vehicle vertical direction, the method comprising:
• receiving, by an electronic control unit, a trailer gross weight of the trailer;
• determining, by the electronic control unit, a tongue weight based on the trailer gross weight and the detected position of the tow hitch;
• calculating a ratio between the tongue weight and the trailer gross weight;
• and
• controlling the actuator to adjust the position of the tow hitch in the vehicle vertical direction such that the ratio between the tongue weight and the trailer gross weight is within a predetermined range.