With the right trailer hitch, you can turn your vehicle into a road trip-ready trailer hauling machine! But to choose the right trailer hitch, you first need to know what class of hitch fits your towing vehicle. In fact, it’s also important to consider a few additional factors that influence the kind of hitch you’ll need for towing. To get started, be sure to refer to your tow vehicle’s owner’s manual, as well as the manual for your trailer itself. Your tow vehicle manual will provide the maximum tongue weight (TW) and gross trailer weight (GTW).
tw = Total amount of weight resting directly on the hitch.
GTW= Total mass of your trailer, including hardware and cargo.
Once you have this information, it will be easier for you to select the right trailer hitch for your towing needs. You can also contact a local towing and recovery company for professional towing service if you are not comfortable installing your own flatbed. For now, read on for the average towing capacities for the 5 hitch classes.
hitch classes
There are a variety of trailer hitches available on the market, all of which retain different features and capacities for different towing applications and trailer types. But all hitches can be categorized into 5 classes, appropriately labeled Class 1 through Class 5. Look below for a guide to their maximum towing capacities. Roman numerals are generally used for hitch classes (ie Class I, Class II, Class III, Class IV and Class V), but we have used numbers for ease of understanding.
Class 1:
GTW = 2000 lbs.
TW = 200 lbs.
Class 2:
GTW = 3,500 lbs.
TW = 300 lbs.
Class 3:
GTW = 5,000 pounds.
TW = 350 – 600 lbs.
Class 4:
GTW = 10,000 pounds.
TW = 600 – 1800 lbs.
Class 5:
GTW = 10,000+ pounds.
TW = 600 – 1800 lbs.
Additional down payment considerations
Now that you know each hitch class and its towing capacity, you can easily find out which class you will need for your trailer. Note that you must also match all other components of the trailer setup to their correct hitch class, including the ball mount. When it comes to choosing a trailer hitch manufacturer, be sure to read customer testimonials and product reviews before making a final purchase. With so many manufacturers and brands to choose from, it can be overwhelming to make a purchase decision. Just trust the recent reviews and read the return policies and you should be fine!