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Whether you're hauling a trailer or adding a bike rack, a reliable hitch is crucial. Shop our selection of trailer hitches, including hitch receivers and tow hitches.
The bottom line is that OE Class III receivers will work fine for the great majority of trailer-boaters pulling loads up to 5,000 pounds. For those with larger rigs, a heavy-duty aftermarket Class IV or Class V hitch should be strongly considered. Though the expense will be greater, the peace of mind will be too.
Most vehicle manufacturers recommend that 10 percent to 15 percent of the trailer's loaded weight be on the hitch when towing. However, if you're towing a larger boat, say one longer than 24 feet or so, your tow-vehicle manufacturer may recommend a weight-distributing hitch.
- Use The Right Hitch Ball
- Select A Ball Mount with The Right Rise Or Drop
- How Much Is Your Trailer’S Tongue Weight?
- Measuring Tongue Weight
- Weighing Your Trailer
- Connect Your Safety Chains Correctly
- Is Your Tow Vehicle Up to The Job?
- Hitch and Coupler Glossary
Always use the properly rated hitch ballfor your towing system. Your towing system’s maximum weight rating is always equal to the lowest rated item in the system. Your hitching system cannot be upgraded to a rating higher than the maximum rating of your hitch. For example, a 3,500lb. ball on a 2,000lb. maximum trailer weight-rated hitch does not in...
Leveling your trailer: Your trailer needs to be level fore and aft so the weight is distributed properly and the trailer handles the way it should, but the trailer hitch receiver on your particular tow vehicle is unlikely to be at the same height as the trailer tongue. To level your towing rig, we sell ball mountsmade with different amounts of “dro...
Why it’s important:A trailer with improperly balanced weight may “fishtail,” swaying from side to side as it moves down the highway, creating excessive loads on both tow vehicle and trailer, increasing gas consumption or even causing an accident. Guard against fishtailing by making sure the weight load of your trailer is properly distributed. The w...
Tongue Weight (TW) of up to 300 pounds can be measured on a household scale by resting the trailer coupler on the scale and placing the scale on a box so that the coupler is at its normal towing height. The trailer must be fully loaded and level. For heavier tongue weights, place a household scale and a brick that’s as thick as the scale three feet...
Gross trailer weight (GTW) is the weight of the trailer fully loaded in its actual towing condition. GTW is measured by placing the fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale. The entire weight of the trailer should be supported on the scale as shown in Figure 1.
Connect the safety chainscorrectly, by criss-crossing them below the trailer tongue, so they will support the front of the trailer above the roadbed if it disconnects. The S-hooks should be attached to the tow vehicle's trailer hitch receiver with the open end of the hook facing up, so they will not bounce off.
Make sure your tow vehicle is big and powerful enough for the boat, trailer and gear it needs to pull. While one of our friends tows his Ultimate 20 sailboat (weighing 1800lb. combined with its trailer) using a puny Toyota Matrix—that’s a bad idea. Be realistic, and don’t let the tail wag the dog. A Chevy Suburban, Ford Econoline van, pickup truck ...
Ball Height:Measurement from the ground to the center of the hitch ball or hitch ball coupling (trailer) when parked on a flat surface and parallel to the ground. Used to determine the amount of drop or rise needed in the ball mount to make the trailer ride parallel to the ground when being towed. The maximum recommended hitch ball height for trail...
Sep 2, 2014 · Weight-carrying (aka dead-weight) hitches are the type most commonly found on vehicles for towing boat trailers, and there are five classes, each based on the total combined weight of the boat and trailer.
The only combination weight-distributing/anti-sway system we've found that can be used on trailers with surge brakes — the most common setup on boat trailers — is the Original Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch (starts at $687.95). Because of the hitch design and how its brackets allow for movement of weight distribution bars back and forth ...
People also ask
What type of Hitch do you need for a trailer boat?
How much weight should be on a hitch when towing?
Are all hitches the same?
Do you need a weight distributing hitch for a boat?
There are many different hourly rates depending on the shop but in general, a shop cost will be somewhere between 65 and 125 dollars an hour. I recommend shopping around for the best local price and reputation.
