Aluminum vs Steel Hitches

Attached to the back of your truck should be a hitch to which your trailer couple can be affixed to allow you to make the best use of its towing capacity. There are many types of hitch but mostly no matter what type they are made of one of two metals, either aluminum or steel.

In this article we are going to take a look at these two metals to determine the pros and cons of each. Hopefully we will help you decide what metal you want your truck hitches to be made out of.

Why Is Material Type Important?

You might be wondering why it matters what metal is used to make your hitches, surely they are all strong enough and should work fine. Well it's actually a little more complicated than that even though you really only have two options.

Almost every company from which you can buy hitches will offer them in either steel or aluminum. Both of these materials are great for making hitches but they notably have their own benefits and shortfalls. Depending on your towing needs the material your hitch is made from might be very important.

Aluminum Hitches

We will start out with aluminum hitches which like steel is a commonly used metal when making tools and a number of other automotive parts. When it comes to making hitches out of this metal they tend to be lightweight, rust resistant and just generally less prone to wear and tear as long as used correctly.

Often favored for being lighter than steel hitches, the ones made from aluminum are often easier to install. They do however have a major drawback in that they are not as strong as steel hitches and can be damaged if you use one to tow too heavy a load.

Generally speaking an aluminum hitch can comfortably tow up to 5,000 lbs. without too many issues. If you start to exceed that you run the risk of bending the hitch or in extreme cases having the hitch break with an overly heavy load.

There is one other pro to aluminum however as it does tend to produce a more maneuverable hitch. This works great with smaller trailers and helps with easier hookup and more responsive reversing with the trailer attached.

Steel Hitches

You may have already realized where this article is going as now we move to steel hitches. As a metal steel is heavier and harder than aluminum. As a result a steel hitch can tow a heavier load and larger trailer than its aluminum counterpart.

Capable of towing up to 10,000 lbs., double that of an aluminum hitch, the steel constructed units obviously have the edge when it comes to towing capacity. This improved capacity also means they are hard to break and generally are pretty durable.

There is an issue with steel in that it does tend to rust more readily than aluminum so it may need to be powder coated or painted to keep it well maintained. They are also heavier and harder to install than the lightweight aluminum option.

Maintaining Steel and Aluminum Hitches

A hitch is what stands between a load pulled behind your truck and one that starts rolling down the road under its own momentum because the hitch broke. This is why it is important to maintain our hitches as they are often left out in the elements.

Aluminum Hitch Maintenance:

• It is suggested that you check the bolts holding the aluminum hitch in place to your truck regularly to make sure they do not need tightening.
• When towing ensure that you grease the trailer's coupler to avoid sticking between it and the hitch.
• Corrosion is not a huge problem with aluminum but you can paint the hitch with a clear coat or a power coating.

Steel Hitch Maintenance:

• Use an anti-seize compound on all the threaded areas including the ball mount. This will help prevent rusting which is a big problem with steel.
• Grease all moving parts of the rig including latches and release handles.
• Paint the hitch with a clear coat or a power coating.

Which Is Better for Hitches, Aluminum or Steel?

As we enter into answering this question we must first take note of the fact that they make hitches out of both metals so there may not be a clear winner in this match up. The answer to which is best is really going to depend on your specific towing needs.

When it comes to towing power steel clearly wins in that it can support almost twice the weight of an aluminum hitch. This means if you have heavy loads you need to move steel hitches are the way to go for you. If however your towing falls below 5,000 lbs. aluminum may still be in play for you.

We should next look at ease of maintenance both require some level of regular care but the steel one is more prone to environmental wear and tear. The bolts on aluminum hitches can tend to loosen so this can be a cause for concern.

The aluminum hitches are far more rust resistant than the steel ones so if you have low tow capacity needs the aluminum hitches may last longer than a steel option and also be more lightweight. The added maneuverability of aluminum hitches is also a bonus.

Conclusion

To decide which material is best it will really depend on your individual needs. Both hitch types have their strengths and weaknesses so assess what you need from the hitch. As a rule of thumb if you have heavy towing needs steel is a no brainer as your metal of choice.

If you do not have heavy loads to deal with and you just want something lightweight and durable then aluminum is the right choice for you. Should you be in any doubt ask for some advice from the hitch vendor they will be able to answer your questions.

Link To or Reference This Page

We spend a lot of time collecting, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site to be as useful to you as possible.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Tow Ratings as the source. We appreciate your support!