Truck Hitch

Truck Hitch

Getting your toys hitched up to your truck

When you are getting ready to put that trailer hitch on the back end of your pickup truck, please take a little time to do some research before you buy.  It's important to know that what you're driving and what you're towing matters a lot!  Trailer hitches are available in 5 major classes to handle most towing needs.  They range from Class I thru Class V, with the higher number representing the higher towing capacity. 

You want to make sure that your hitch is sturdy enough to handle the maximum weight of the trailer and what you will be hauling on it.  And that it all works with the vehicle you're driving.  Check your car's owner's manual for the specs on its max towing and tongue limits.  ( The tongue weight is the actual weight put on the trailer hitch itself – for example, a Class III hitch can support up to 5,000 spread out over the length of the trailer, but only 500 pounds of that can be at the tongue – where it attaches to your vehicle ).

Class I hitches are the lightest duty hitches, and will carry up 2,000 pounds in total, with a max of 200 pounds at the tongue.  Works good on light weight vehicles, and for towing motorcycles, jet skis, snowmobiles, and such.

Class II hitches work well on mid-size cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs, and can handle up to 3,500 pounds ( with 350 pounds tongue weight ).  These are ideal for hauling small boats and the pop-up style campers.

The Class III trailer hitch is probably the most common hitch, as it fits most standard size cars, trucks, vans, or SUVs.  The 5,000 pound gross weight ( 500 lbs TW ) will cover most things you want to tow – boats, cars, small camping trailers, motorcycles, jet skis, snowmobiles, or your lawn care equipment! 

The Class IV hitch is a lot beefier, accommodating up to 10,000 pounds ( 1,000 lbs tongue weight ).  Put these on your larger pickups, vans, and SUVs - or even a full size car - and you can pull bigger campers and boats.

A Class V trailer hitch is made to deal with anything over 10,000 pounds with tongue weights over 1,200 pounds.  These are great on your bigger rigs, and for pulling horse trailers, racing trailers, and the big boats and campers.

Find a solid, reputable trailer hitch web store once you have all the numbers crunched, and let them help you get hooked up right.  After all, you want to make sure it's safe and secure back there.

Most webstores also carry brake controllers to help your vehicle stop in time with the extra weight you'll be carrying back there.  They can also help you with straps, tie downs, electrical harnesses, hitch pins & locks, wiring kits, adapters, extenders, jacks, and so on.  They can also help you find the right trailer hitch cover, to dress up your hitch receiver when it's empty, and you're not towing anything.  They protect the inside of the hitch receiver from the elements, and help you show off your school, sports team, country, or whatever! 

What you're hauling around back there is certainly important and valuable to you, and maybe irreplaceable - so make sure you get it hooked up right!!

 

About the Author

Should i get a hitch for my truck?

I bought a 1995 gmc 1500 a couple months ago. I want to get a class III hitch for it, partially cause it doesn't feel like a truck to me without a hitch, also cause my dad has 4 trailers and ya never know when i might want to use one, or need to use one. i guess the question isn't really should i get one, but what all do i need to buy?
Also the truck has dual exhaust that comes straight out the rear, will they get in the way?

yes you should get a hitch, your right, you might not think you'll need one then sooner or later you'll need to pull a trailer, ya you could put a hitch ball on the bumper but those can only haul maybe 1,000 pounds

i have a 98 chevy silverado 1500 so same body style as your just a chevy version, the hitch on my truck is a stock class IV (4) hitch, you have 2 options, buy a Reese class IV hitch or can just call around to junkyards and see if they have any chevy or gmc 1500 truck from 88 to 98 models and get a hitch off one of them, 88-98 are the same exact body style so it will fit from any of those years

Making A Custom 12 Ton Shackle Truck Hitch