A trailer hitch connects the trailer to your vehicle. The right hitch depends on your vehicle, how much weight you are towing, and what you are hauling. A hitch class is a rough group for the receiver opening and how much weight it can carry. The number stamped on the hitch, and the tow rating in your owner’s manual, still decide the limit. Use whichever is lower. Class I: up to about 2,000 lbs, 1 1/4 inch receiver Class II: up to about 3,500 lbs, 1 1/4 inch receiver Class III: about 3,500 to 8,000 lbs, 2 inch receiver Class IV: about 5,000 to 12,000 lbs, 2 inch receiver Class V: about 10,000 to 25,000 lbs, 2 inch, 2 1/2 inch, or 3 inch receiver Those figures are a range, not a promise for every hitch. The ball mount also needs the right drop or rise so the trailer rides level. Bring the trailer’s weight rating and we will match the hitch.
A receiver pin locks the ball mount in the hitch so it cannot pull out while you tow. It slides through the holes in the receiver and the shank, and a clip holds it in place. Without the clip, the pin can work its way out. A 1 1/4 inch receiver usually takes a 1/2 inch pin. A 2 inch receiver usually takes a 5/8 inch pin. If the pin is stuck or rusted, we carry a replacement.
When You Need One A regular ball mount puts the trailer’s tongue weight on the back of your vehicle. If the rear sits low, the front gets light and the headlights can aim up. That is when to look at weight distribution. A hitch label often shows two ratings. The lower one is for a regular ball mount. The higher one is for a weight distribution hitch. You need one when the trailer is over the lower number and still under the higher one. If the label shows only one number, use that number and the owner’s manual. It does not raise what your vehicle is allowed to tow. If the trailer is over both numbers, this hitch will not make the tow legal.
How It Works Spring bars run from the hitch back to the trailer frame. They shift some of the weight off the back of the vehicle, onto the front tires and the trailer’s axles. The vehicle rides closer to level, so steering and braking stay planted. The trailer does not get lighter. The weight just moves. Many of these hitches include sway control, or it can be added.