What Is the Right Trailer Hitch?
So, you've bought the boat, camper, travel trailer, dirt bike, jet ski, snow mobile, or a whole bunch of horses, and you've got the trailer to go with.
Now you need to get this all hitched up to the rig you're driving.
What to do - what to do?! I think it's important to identify when you're choosing a trailer hitch what your current towing needs and your future towing needs are.
Maybe you are just hooking up a bike rack or carrier this year, but you're hoping it turns into a camper or a boat next year.
If there is a thought or a question in your mind about it, it's always a good idea to select the higher class.
You also need to get your towing vehicle into the equation, because not all vehicles can tow all types of trailers or hitches.
Good idea to check the owner's manual for your truck or SUV to see what it recommends as the Towing Capacity.
There are 5 classes of Trailer Hitches that accommodate basic towing needs: •The CLASS I Hitch is built to carry 2,000 pounds of gross trailer weight, with 200 pounds at the tongue.
This is the lightest hitch type and usually is used on a small car, truck, or minivan.
Typically they are used for towing pop-up campers, dirt bikes, jet skis, or the small aluminum fishing boat.
These also work great with the newer hitch mounted bike and cargo racks out there now.
•The CLASS II Hitch will carry up to 3,500 pounds, with 350 pounds max at the tongue.
These work well attached to mid size cars, pickups, mini vans, and cross-overs.
They're great for pulling a regular size fishing or power boat, a small camper, multiple snow mobiles or jet skis or motorcycles, and so on.
•The CLASS III Hitch is designed to pull up to 5,000 pounds total trailer weight, and 500 pounds tongue weight.
These are perfect if you're driving a Full Size Pickup, Car, SUV, or Van, and are towing a decent sized camper, boat, or horse trailer.
This size hitch is usually designed specifically for the vehicle you're driving.
•The CLASS IV Hitch jumps up to a 10,000 pound capacity, and can handle 1,000 to 1,200 pounds at the tongue.
These hitches are also built specifically for your vehicle, which should be a Full Size Pickup, Van, or Utility Vehicle of some kind.
They're excellent for pulling that bigger camper or boat.
•The CLASS V Hitch is built for the extra heavy loads, above 10,000 pounds and 1,200 pounds tongue weight.
These are "weight distributing" hitches, built for your rig, and are just right for towing a car or horse trailer, your extra large boat, or camping trailer.
Like the Class IV Hitch, you'll want to be driving a Full Size Truck, Van, or SUV.
The weight distribution system adds spring bars to each side of the trailer, redistributing the weight to improve the stability of your vehicle while towing the big loads.
•There are also 5th Wheel and Gooseneck Hitches for the REALLY large boats, campers, travel trailers, and horse trailers.
These are mounted in the bed of your heavy duty pickup truck.
There are a number of premium hitch manufacturers out there, like Reese, Curt, Valley, Putnam, and others, making top quality receiver hitches and equipment.
The hitches themselves are high strength steel and are all inspected to insure they meet proper standards.
This is important, so you can be sure your trailer will haul what it's supposed to! They all can hook you up with wiring kits, ball mounts, trailer balls, hitch adapters, draw bars, hitch pins, towing bars, locks, and lots of other towing supplies.
And for all the time you spend NOT towing your trailer around, there is a mountain of different hitch covers you can choose from to plug that hitch receiver.
Not only will you look cool driving down the road with your car logo, favorite cartoon character, school or team logo, skull, or mini-propeller back there, but it helps keep all the crud and mud out of the receiver, too! They also help keep the receivers from rusting.
So wander over to one of the trailer hitch web stores and do some shopping, get your wagon hitched up and go!
Now you need to get this all hitched up to the rig you're driving.
What to do - what to do?! I think it's important to identify when you're choosing a trailer hitch what your current towing needs and your future towing needs are.
Maybe you are just hooking up a bike rack or carrier this year, but you're hoping it turns into a camper or a boat next year.
If there is a thought or a question in your mind about it, it's always a good idea to select the higher class.
You also need to get your towing vehicle into the equation, because not all vehicles can tow all types of trailers or hitches.
Good idea to check the owner's manual for your truck or SUV to see what it recommends as the Towing Capacity.
There are 5 classes of Trailer Hitches that accommodate basic towing needs: •The CLASS I Hitch is built to carry 2,000 pounds of gross trailer weight, with 200 pounds at the tongue.
This is the lightest hitch type and usually is used on a small car, truck, or minivan.
Typically they are used for towing pop-up campers, dirt bikes, jet skis, or the small aluminum fishing boat.
These also work great with the newer hitch mounted bike and cargo racks out there now.
•The CLASS II Hitch will carry up to 3,500 pounds, with 350 pounds max at the tongue.
These work well attached to mid size cars, pickups, mini vans, and cross-overs.
They're great for pulling a regular size fishing or power boat, a small camper, multiple snow mobiles or jet skis or motorcycles, and so on.
•The CLASS III Hitch is designed to pull up to 5,000 pounds total trailer weight, and 500 pounds tongue weight.
These are perfect if you're driving a Full Size Pickup, Car, SUV, or Van, and are towing a decent sized camper, boat, or horse trailer.
This size hitch is usually designed specifically for the vehicle you're driving.
•The CLASS IV Hitch jumps up to a 10,000 pound capacity, and can handle 1,000 to 1,200 pounds at the tongue.
These hitches are also built specifically for your vehicle, which should be a Full Size Pickup, Van, or Utility Vehicle of some kind.
They're excellent for pulling that bigger camper or boat.
•The CLASS V Hitch is built for the extra heavy loads, above 10,000 pounds and 1,200 pounds tongue weight.
These are "weight distributing" hitches, built for your rig, and are just right for towing a car or horse trailer, your extra large boat, or camping trailer.
Like the Class IV Hitch, you'll want to be driving a Full Size Truck, Van, or SUV.
The weight distribution system adds spring bars to each side of the trailer, redistributing the weight to improve the stability of your vehicle while towing the big loads.
•There are also 5th Wheel and Gooseneck Hitches for the REALLY large boats, campers, travel trailers, and horse trailers.
These are mounted in the bed of your heavy duty pickup truck.
There are a number of premium hitch manufacturers out there, like Reese, Curt, Valley, Putnam, and others, making top quality receiver hitches and equipment.
The hitches themselves are high strength steel and are all inspected to insure they meet proper standards.
This is important, so you can be sure your trailer will haul what it's supposed to! They all can hook you up with wiring kits, ball mounts, trailer balls, hitch adapters, draw bars, hitch pins, towing bars, locks, and lots of other towing supplies.
And for all the time you spend NOT towing your trailer around, there is a mountain of different hitch covers you can choose from to plug that hitch receiver.
Not only will you look cool driving down the road with your car logo, favorite cartoon character, school or team logo, skull, or mini-propeller back there, but it helps keep all the crud and mud out of the receiver, too! They also help keep the receivers from rusting.
So wander over to one of the trailer hitch web stores and do some shopping, get your wagon hitched up and go!
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