What Are The Different Trailer Hitch Classes?

There are many reasons that people resort to towing, such as moving recreational vehicles like motorcycles or boats, moving large loads for construction on a trailer, or towing their caravans behind them when they go off on vacation.

If you ever decide to tow anything yourself, then there are a few important things you will need to know and take into consideration before you do so. One of the most important things you will need to know is what trailer hitch class your vehicle's trailer hitch falls under, as this will determine your towing capacity and what type of loads you'll be able to tow.

Below we will list and discuss the different types of trailer hitches and trailer hitch classes in detail, so you'll be able to know what your vehicle can currently tow.

What Is A Trailer Hitch?

The trailer hitch is possibly one of the most important pieces of equipment when it comes to towing, as the trailer hitch is what connects your towing vehicle to your trailer. It is a structural component that is attached to a strong point at the rear of your vehicle.

Many people often assume that a ball mount is a trailer hitch, but this is not the case as a ball mount is merely an accessory that some manufacturers attach to a trailer hitch as an accessory, as this makes it easier to tow with their vehicles right out of the box.

There are five different types of trailer hitches that are available for different vehicles, and they generally always have an effect on your vehicle's towing capacity.

The Different Types of Trailer Hitches

The five different types of trailer hitches are normally outfitted to specific vehicles; however, you can sometimes replace the current trailer hitch on your vehicle to improve your towing capacity.

Receiver hitch

The receiver hitch is likely one of the most common types of trailer hitches that you'll find. A receiver hitch can often be found on passenger cars that are generally not known for their immense towing capacity, as this hitch is mainly used to tow light-duty trailers.

Most receiver hitches have a capacity of up to 20,000 pounds; however, this does not mean that your vehicle will be able to tow a load weighing anywhere near this. You will need to first find the towing capacity of your vehicle, so you can safely tow without issues. You will usually be able to find this measurement on the manufacturer's website.

5th wheel hitch

This type of trailer hitch is generally only found on pickup trucks. This is due to the fact that this type of trailer hitch is attached to the bed of your pickup truck and, therefore, would not really be suitable for any other type of vehicle. The 5th wheel hitch falls under the heavy-duty hitches category and will often not be needed for the average consumer.

The design of this trailer hitch is comparable to a tractor-trailer coupler and operates in a similar fashion. This type of trailer hitch normally has a capacity of up to 30,000 pounds, but, once again, you won't be able to tow anything nearly this heavy unless you have a vehicle capable of doing so.

Gooseneck hitch

Gooseneck hitches are similar to 5th wheel hitches in that they are also attached to the beds of pickup trucks and are, therefore, only suitable for use with pickup trucks. The gooseneck hitch is another type of heavy-duty hitch, as they have towing capacities of up to 38,000 pounds.

The gooseneck hitch can only couple to a gooseneck trailer. These hitches are most commonly used to tow horse boxes, livestock trailers, and flatbed equipment haulers, as these trailers will often have a hefty gross trailer weight.

Weight distribution hitch

A weight distribution hitch is an attachment that can be added to a hitch receiver. They often provide an increased level of control for your vehicle and trailer when towing, as they are designed to spread the tongue weight of a trailer out across both the trailer and vehicle.

This trailer hitch only has the capacity to tow loads of up to 15,000 pounds owing to the fact that it is an attachment designed to help keep your vehicle and trailer stable and not a type of trailer hitch on its own.

Pintle hitch

The pintle hitch is a heavy-duty hitch that is really only suitable for commercial trucks and farm vehicles, as it has the capacity to tow loads weighing up to 60,000 pounds. No passenger car or pickup truck should ever be able to tow anything even remotely this heavy, which is why it is only necessary for heavy-duty vehicles.

The pintle hitch is a basic yet strong mechanism, as it is connected by a hook and a ring. This type of trailer hitch is mostly only used for agriculture vehicles and in industries like logistics due to its excellent capacity.

Different Trailer Hitch Classes

Receiver hitches are split into five different classes based on their receiver tube size and the capacity that they can tow. Normally the higher the towing capacity is, the larger the receiver tube opening will be.

Most of these classes, like the different types of trailer hitches, are suited for different types of vehicles, so it is unlikely that you will be able to fit all the different trailer hitch classes to any type of vehicle.

Class I hitch

The class I hitch is the smallest of all of the trailer hitch class ratings, which is why it is most often fitted to passenger cars and crossovers with low towing capacities. The receiver tube opening is usually 1-1/4 inches by 1-1/4 inches, but this class of hitch can sometimes instead be equipped with a fixed tongue so that a trailer ball can be mounted directly.

The majority of class I hitches can tow trailers with a gross trailer weight of around 2000 pounds. Consumers should be careful, though, as this once again does not mean that your specific hitch or vehicle will be able to tow this much weight.

The class I hitch is commonly used to tow jet skis, small tent camper caravans, small trailers, and they can also have bike racks attached to them.

Class II hitch

Class II hitches are very similar in design to class I hitches, as many of them also feature receiver tube openings of 1-1/4 inches by 1-1/4 inches, but there are some class II hitches out there that have 2-inch by 2-inch receiver tube openings.

This tow hitch can often be found on larger sedans, minivans, larger crossovers, and some less powerful SUVs and pickup trucks. The class II hitch is generally capable of towing trailers that have a gross trailer weight of up to 3500 pounds.

The class II hitch is most commonly used to tow small caravans, smaller boats, motorcycles, and quad bikes, and can also be fitted with an attachment to carry a bike rack.

Class III hitch

Class III hitches are the most common type of receiver hitch that you will find on full-sized SUVs, pickup trucks, and some larger, more powerful sedans. If your full-size SUV or pickup truck comes primed and ready from the factory for towing, it will likely be outfitted with a class III hitch.

Class III hitches normally come with a 2-inch by 2-inch receiver tube opening, which allows them to tow trailers that weigh up to 8,000 pounds in gross trailer weight.

Class III hitches are often combined with weight distribution hitches, which can increase their capacity to allow them to be able to tow as much as 12,000 pounds, provided that you have a vehicle and the other equipment necessary to haul such a load.

The class III hitch is likely the most versatile trailer hitch class, as they are compatible with a variety of different trailer types, and they can haul quite a hefty load. They are normally used to tow medium-sized caravans, utility trailers, motorcycles, cargo trays, boats, bike racks, and almost anything else you can think of that is within the weight limit.

Class IV hitch

The class IV hitch is likely to be found on more serious, powerful large SUVs and pickup trucks, and so some of these vehicles will also come standard with class IV hitches out of the factory.

This hitch class is fitted with a 2-inch by 2-inch receiver tube opening, but some are also fitted with 2.5-inch by 2.5-inch receiver tube openings, which gives them the capacity to tow trailers and loads that weigh up to 10,000 pounds. This can also be further improved to 12,000 pounds in some cases by attaching a weight distribution hitch to your class IV hitch.

Class IV hitches are generally used to tow larger trailers, larger boats, cargo trailers, utility trailers, motorcycles, quad bikes, toy haulers, and many other hefty loads that are small enough for personal consumer use.

Class V hitch

The class V hitch can handle the heftiest loads out of all the receiver hitches and is most commonly found on large, powerful pickup trucks or commercial trucks. Class V hitches can handle as much as 20,000 pounds, so long as you have a capable vehicle and the other necessary equipment to do so.

Class V hitches with 2-inch receiver tube openings are generally able to haul less than this, but commercial duty class V hitches have 2.5-inch receiver tube openings, so they'll be able to handle a full 20,000 pounds.

You should be able to tow large trailers, toy haulers, multi-car trailers, large caravans, travel trailers, utility trailers, very large boats, and anything else you can think of that will fit within the weight limit.

Hitch Receivers

There are also 6 other types of receiver hitches, some of which may fall under one of the five categories and others that may not. These hitches are more specialized than the other previously mentioned classes, so the rate will vary depending on this.

Custom hitch

A custom hitch is often made specifically for one type of vehicle and will, therefore, be easier to install, fit well, and have a weight capacity appropriate for your specific vehicle.

Rear mount hitch

A rear mount hitch attaches to the rear end of the towing vehicle and has a standard receiver tube, which will make it easier to couple and haul a trailer.

Front hitch

The front hitch is designed to be attached to the front end of a tow vehicle and is, therefore, only suitable for vehicles that have winches or attachments at their front ends like a snow plow.

Multi-fit hitch

A multi-fit hitch is built in such a way that it is able to fit on many different types of vehicles. It also provides a standard hitch receiver so that it will be easy to attach a trailer or any other normal attachment to your tow hitch.

Bumper hitch

The bumper hitch attaches to the bumper of a tow vehicle and has a standard receiver tube opening, but the weight capacity of this hitch is restricted to the amount of weight that your bumper can take. Trying to haul a load that is too heavy could cause your bumper to be ripped off.

RV hitch

The RV hitch is designed specifically to fit onto the rear end of an RV or a different type of motorhome so that it will be able to tow a trailer or anything else that might need to be towed.

FAQS

How do I find out what my hitch rating is?

The maximum towing weight of your hitch can generally be found on the label attached to your hitch. Consumers should be careful, though, as your towing capacity depends on all of the components of your hitch system.

Your towing capacity will, therefore, ultimately depend on the part with the lowest weight rating.

What hitch can support the most weight?

A class V hitch should support the most weight when it comes to receiver hitches; however, a pintle hitch can support weights of up to 60,000 pounds, while a class V hitch can only support weights of up to 20,000 pounds.

What can you tow with a class I hitch?

These hitches are normally used to tow small trailers, small boats, bike racks, and other small cargo.

Final Thoughts

When choosing one of the five trailer hitch classes, one should consider what type of vehicle they have and what they plan on towing before making a decision.

It is also always important to remember that the weight capacity of your trailer hitch depends on the weakest component in the system.

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