Choosing the Right Bumper Mount Trailer Hitch
As we all know, trucks, SUVs, and vans make up a very large percentage of the traffic on the road today. These vehicle types are often used for towing or hitch mounted accessories (like bike racks, cargo carriers, etc.). Many of these vehicles come from the factory with a hitch installed, but what should you do if your vehicle didn’t? That's where we here at Elite Truck can step in to assist. We offer hitches to fit nearly every truck, SUV, or van out there and we’d be happy to assist you with picking one out. When purchasing a hitch, keep in mind that you are limited by the weakest link in the system. Having a hitch receiver that is rated for 10,000lbs while also having a ball mount that is only rated at only 5,000lbs means that your maximum towing capacity is 5,000lbs! Having a well-matched trailer hitch configuration is crucial. Every piece of this system needs to be considered; vehicle capacity, hitch receiver, ball mount, hitch ball are all part of this equation.
Preliminary Considerations
Before purchasing a trailer hitch receiver for your vehicle you will need to consider a few things. The primary consideration should always be, “What is my vehicle actually capable of towing?” You can absolutely overshoot your vehicle’s capabilities when shopping for trailer hitches and although this won’t hurt anything, it’s recommended that you try to have a congruent and matching system. In order to answer the question of “vehicle capability” you will need to determine some weight ratings.
Weight Ratings Explained
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or “GVWR” for short, is the maximum allowable weight of a vehicle when fully loaded. This number includes the vehicle itself, passengers, and cargo. It’s a manufacturer's specified rating that ensures safe operations by staying within the vehicle's design limits. Another important rating to be considered is Gross Combined Weight Rating, or “GCWR” for short.
GCWR is representative of the maximum allowable weight for the vehicle AND the trailer in tow. It would include your cargo and/or passengers as well. For example, if you had a truck with a GCWR of 20,000lbs and the truck’s GVWR was 10,000lbs, the trailer and its load can weigh up to 10,000lbs. Generally you will find weight ratings such as these on the VIN tag and Tire Loading tag, located in the driver side doorjamb (see picture below for reference)
The owner’s manual is also a great reference point when looking for weight ratings, and that is typically where you can find the GCWR listed (see picture below for reference). In this case the GCWR was listed on a sticker located in a doorjamb.
What is a Hitch Class?
Another term you may come across when shopping for trailer hitch receivers is “Classes.” Trailer Hitch “Classes” are categories of weight ratings and tube sizes for the trailer hitch. There are 5 classes, ranging from hitches to be used on sedans and small vans (Class 1) in a light duty capacity for things like bike racks, to hitches used for large heavy duty/commercial trucks (Class 5). These classes are used for general grouping, and as such you should pay close attention to the weight rating of each individual hitch you plan to purchase, as there can be weight capacity variations within classes.
Selecting a Ball Mount
After you have your trailer hitch receiver selected the next piece of equipment you’ll need is a ball mount. Just like with a trailer hitch receiver, there are some details to be considered before a purchase. The first of which is ensuring compatibility with the hitch receiver you have just selected for the vehicle. Common sizes for these are 1 ¼”, 2”, and 2 ½”, with 2” being the most common.
How to Determine the Correct Drop or Rise
The second detail to be considered when selecting the ball mount is the Drop/Rise needed for your vehicle/trailer combination. Ensuring your trailer/load is flat and parallel with the road is an important safety step in towing. Getting the correct angle on your setup comes down to two things, the drop/rise of your ball mount, and the tongue weight of your load on the trailer. We will cover tongue weight in a section later in this post, but for now let’s get your drop/rise dialed in.
You will need to have the hitch receiver installed for this step, and the trailer itself will need to be close by so you can take measurements on both. The first measurement you’ll take is on the vehicle side at the trailer hitch. Before you take this measurement it’s suggested that you simulate a typical load on your vehicle, if you plan to have cargo or passengers in the vehicle when towing. This measurement will be taken from the ground to the uppermost inside edge in the hitch receiver tube (see reference picture below).
The second measurement you’ll take is on the trailer side at the coupler. Before you take this measurement make sure the angle of your tongue is flat or parallel with the road surface you are parked on. It’s also a good idea to have your typical load simulated on the trailer for a more accurate measurement. Now that you’ve leveled the trailer tongue you can move forward with the measurement. This measurement will be taken from the ground to the bottom of the coupler (see reference picture below).
Once you have these two measurements, you will find the difference between them. If your hitch receiver measurement is lower than your trailer coupler measurement, you will need to order a “rise” setup, however if your hitch receiver measurement is higher than the trailer coupler measurement, you will need to order a “drop” setup. Drop/rise ball mounts are sold in 2” increments, so if you’re in between 2 sizes, just round to the nearest option and you will be set!
Hitch Ball Options Explained
Now that you have your ball mount selected, the next step is to get the hitch ball itself. Hitch balls have a few size options to choose from, not only the ball diameter, but also the shank diameter and length. The shank diameter must match the ball mount, and the length of the shank must be long enough to fully extend through the ball mount hole and have enough threads left to securely fasten the split washer and heavy duty nut that hold the ball to the ball mount. Typical ball diameter sizes are 1 ⅞”, 2”, and 2 5/16” for reference.
A Great Upgrade: Adjustable Ball Mounts
If you’re going to be towing a variety of trailers with various drop/rise heights and various coupler sizes, it’s recommended that you get an adjustable ball mount. Most of the adjustable ball mounts will have a variety of drop/rise increments and typically have 2-3 sizes of hitch balls on the same unit! These ball mounts tend to be a bit more expensive than buying a single ball mount/ball combo, but they will cover you in a variety of towing situations and they are an extremely nice tool to have at your disposal. We have a variety of adjustable ball mounts to choose from on our website, some of the most popular ones are linked below.
Best Selling Gen Y Ball Mounts
Best Selling Buyers Ball Mounts
Understanding Tongue Weight
As promised earlier, we are now going to cover tongue weight. Tongue weight is another crucial safety item to consider. A good rule of thumb is that you want to be around 10%-15% of the total load weight. For example, if you had a load that weighs 5,000lbs, you would want to have 500lbs of tongue weight. Adjusting tongue weight is done by shifting your load either towards or away from the trailer tongue (think about a see-saw on the playground). Tongue weight when set up improperly, can cause unsafe conditions like the trailer swaying and fishtailing. It can also put undue stress on your new trailer hitch receiver AND vehicle.
Safe towing is not a singular action but rather a seamless integration of multiple components and an adherence to basic rules. From accurately assessing your vehicle's towing capacity and selecting the appropriately rated hitch receiver, ball mount, and hitch ball, to meticulously managing tongue weight, each element contributes significantly to the overall stability and security of your towing setup. By carefully addressing each of these steps, you not only safeguard your vehicle and its cargo but also ensure the safety of other people on the road, allowing you to confidently and securely transport your loads to their destination.