The weather will soon be perfect for taking the boat out to one of Minnesota’s many lakes or hauling the camper to a park for a great camping trip. Of course, in order to make these happen, you need to have the right towing accessories.
Hitches and fifth wheels are especially popular at Toppers & More this time of year. We carry a wide range of brands for these products, so you’re sure to find what you need. To see what kind of products we have available, please visit our towing accessories page.
What do I need to be able to tow?
The five basic components for towing a trailer include:
- Trailer hitch receiver
- Ball mount
- Pin and clip
- Trailer hitch ball
- Wiring harness
What kind of hitch do I need?
Before we go over hitch classes, it’s important to point out the following acronyms and their meanings:
- Weight Carrying (WC). These are the basic ball mount and coupler.
- Weight Distributing (WD). These are higher rated ball mounts.
- Tongue Weight (TW). This is the weight on the coupler when the trailer is fully loaded.
Here are the common types of tow hitches:
- Class I —up to 2,000 lbs. GTW — light loads
- Class II —up to 3,500 lbs. GTW — light loads
- Class III —up to 5,000 lbs. WC — larger loads (campers, boats, etc.)
- Class IV —up to 10,000 lbs. WC — larger loads (campers, boats, etc.)
There are also other tow classes, but these aren’t as common:
- Class V – up to 12,000 lbs. WC
- Xtra Duty – up to 15,000 lbs. WC
- Industrial Duty – up to 18,000 lbs. WC
- Front Mount – up to 5,000 lbs. WC
How do I determine my tow capacity?
There are two different ways you can determine what your vehicle’s tow capacity is:
- Check your owner’s manual. If your vehicle is not capable of towing any trailer, it will say so.
- Find your vehicle’s compliance certification label. Typically, this label is a sticker placed somewhere inside the driver’s door.
Need help picking out a hitch or 5th wheel? Contact us today at 651-451-1808.
