The Different Types of Trailer Hitches

       Trailer hitches are means of connecting a trailer to the rear of your vehicle. With the addition of a hitch, you can expand your vehicle's usefulness by being able to haul items that would normally be too bulky or heavy to place in the vehicle itself. Trailer hitches are made for most vehicles, from large pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles to small four-cylinder economy cars. No matter what size the tow vehicle, using the correct hitch and installing it properly is the key to safe trailer towing.

       If you want to pull a trailer or another car behind your vehicle, you’ll need a hitch. There are five classes of trailer hitches, each with a different weight rating, so you’ll need to have a good idea of what you need your hitch for before you start looking.

1. Class 1 hitches tow up to 2,000 pounds or 907 kilograms; they can be used to pull a trailer that is six feet or 1.8 meters long, or a boat that is 14 feet or 4.3 meters long. These hitches are good for use on smaller cars, such as small sedans, sports cars, and compact cars.
2. Class 2 hitches tow up to 3,500 pounds or 1,588 kilograms; they can be used to pull a trailerthat is 12 feet or 3.7 meters long, or a boat that is 20 feet or 6 meters long. These hitches work well on larger cars, such as midsize sedans and minivans, but are not suitable for compact cars.
3. Class 3 hitches are more heavy-duty hitches. They come in different sizes, but the largest of them can tow up to 5,000 pounds or 2,268 kilograms. A class 3 hitch can be used to pull a 24-foot or 7-meter boat trailer.
4. Class 4 hitches are also much more heavy-duty hitches, especially because their mounting brackets distribute weight more evenly along the frame of the truck that is doing the towing. Class 4 hitches are designed for use with full-size trucks, and will easily pull 7,500 pounds or 3,402 kilograms.
5. Class 5 hitches are the largest hitches available. Class 5 hitches can pull as much as 14,000 pounds or 6,350 kilograms.  

       In conclusion, choosing a hitch for your car is an important decision. You need to be fully prepared and well educated so as to make the most proper decision. It’s important to know what you will be using the hitch, and how much weight you could possibly be pulling, as well as what kind of vehicle will be doing the pulling.

 

Comments

[Chevy HHR cold air intake]

Thanks for this. I am planning to buy a hitch on my truck and you gave me an idea of what I am going to need.

[Hitches fan]

I have been thinking about getting one of these trailer hitches for my truck, but the only problem is I don't know which one I need. Will it matter what size the trailer is, and can I change out the ball to fit different trailer sizes? How much does the truck size matter? Thanks for explaining about the different kind of trailer hitches.

[Trailer hitches inquirer]

This is why I always look to the internet before I set out doing a project. I would have never known that there were so many different trailer hitches to choose from. How do I know which class to get? My truck is a Ford Ranger if that helps at all. I really want to make sure that I'm getting the right size before I spend the money on it.

[Janey]

Does the truck size matter very much when getting a trailer hitch in Mississauga? I really need one for next week, but I can't decide whether or not to get one that can pull more (ex. http://hitchcity.com ). My truck isn't that big, but it's in really good condition.

[Tyler agent]

Thanks for the post, and this is new to me. Because I had no idea that there are different types of trailer hitches. I just always thought that they were one size fits all, or in this case one size carries all. http://www.hitchcity.com should have taught me more in the lessons of trailer hitches. But at least I know now.

[Rod Lucas]

I think that this did a great job of explaining the various trailer hitch mississauga out there. I know that I felt pretty dumb when I went to get a new hitch and didn't know the size I needed.

[Jack Mason]

Thanks for this post. I've been looking for hitches in Calgary to replace my trucks that I lost.

[wrightrichard007]

Thanks for this post. I wish that more of these trailer hitch companies in Calgary would unite with the trucking industry. http://www.calgary-hitchshop.ca/trailer.html

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[Bill Shields]

This is pretty interesting stuff. I didn't actually know that there was more than one type of (http://www.calgary-hitchshop.ca/trailer.html) trailer hitch. Though I guess it would make sense on why there were some hitches that didn't work in Calgary, and then others that didn't work in Washington.

[Jaredlikespineapple]

Thanks so much for posting this. I have to help my younger sister move and need to get a hitch in Calgary to do it. Without this I would be lost as to which I should get.

[Hilary]

Thanks so much for sharing this! I really need to find a good trailer hitch in Toronto... I'm way over due for a boating trip!

[Elijah Ali]

Thanks for this post! It has been very educational for me. www.jjtrailer.com