Creating the perfect towing vehicle is no easy feat. There are many factors to consider such as what kind of vehicle you’ll be using to tow and what exactly you’re towing. Whether it’s a 5-wheeler truck or just a regular car, you’ll need the right tools and knowledge to create a towing vehicle that delivers the best possible results. One of the most important things to consider when doing this is picking the right hitch for your vehicle because hitches have their own specific characteristic and you should pick one that suits your towing needs. Today, we’ll be showing you the best kinds of hitches to use so you’ll be able to decide which hitch matches you perfectly.  

The Right Hitch 

Picking the right hitch for your vehicle may be a daunting task but that’s why we’re here today to help you out. What you should know is that what kind of hitch you’ll be buying depends largely on what kind of vehicle you drive and what type of vehicle or trailer you’ll be towing. Hitches are classified depending on the amount of weight they can carry. Namely, they are the class 1-2 receivers, class 3 receivers, class 4-5 receivers, fifth-wheel hitch, weight-distributing hitch, and the gooseneck hitch. We’ll be going through each of these hitches for you. 

Class 1-2 Receivers 

For those of you who are planning to tow light weighted cars or small SUV’s, the class 1-2 receivers are the kind of hitches you should be looking at. Class 1 hitches carry up to 200 pounds of tongue weight while the class 2 hitches carry up to 350 pounds.  

Class 3 Receivers 

If you’re looking for a hitch to tow SUVs and pickup trucks then the class 3 receivers are your best bet. These hitches can carry up to 800 pounds of tongue weight and even more with a weight distributing hitch.  

Class 4-5 Receivers 

Out of all the receiver hitches, Class 4-5 receivers are the most powerful among then. Class 4 receivers can carry up to 1,000 pounds of tongue weight and Class 5 receivers carry up to 1,400 pounds of tongue weight. Pretty impressive, huh? 

Fifth-wheel Hitch 

Commercial trucks commonly use fifth-wheel hitches but if you ever decide to use them, they’ll be fitted on your truck’s bed. Once you install it, your trailer will rest majority of its weight on its cab and rear axle. These heavy duty hitches can carry a whole ton of weight ranging from 16,000 to 30,000 pounds. They also can support 5,000 pounds of tongue weight.  

Weight-distributing Hitch 

Weight-distributing hitches does a great job of spreading the weight across the tongue and the four wheels of the vehicle you’ll be using to tow. True to its name, these hitches distribute weight all throughout your vehicle for a stable and safe ride. Class 3 receivers and above may use this type of hitch when available. 

Gooseneck Hitch 

Similar to the fifth-wheel hitches, the gooseneck hitch is installed on the bed of your truck. These hitches are used for mostly large commercial vehicles since they can tow up to 6,000 pounds of tongue weight. If you’re going to use this hitch though you’ll need to make sure that your trailer has a gooseneck connector because if you don’t it won’t work. 

Take Your Pick 

There you have it, folks. Short descriptions of the kind of hitches you’ll need for every occasion. Take a look and see which one suits your needs best and get to work!  

So you’re thinking of getting a vehicle to use as a personal towing machine. That’s awesome. Now, you’ve probably got the details down like what you’ll be towing and what kind of hitches you’ll be using. The only thing that’s left is to decide what vehicle to use. Buying a vehicle to use it to tow is an investment and like any good investment, you need to know exactly what you’re buying. Pressured yet? Don’t be, we’re here to help you out! We’ll be sharing with you a list of some of the best tow vehicles to use depending on what you’ll be using it for! 

2017 Nissan Titan 

When set up correctly with the right tools and equipment, the 2017 Nissan Titan is a beast of a vehicle. It can tow up to 9,390 pounds and has a 390-horsepower v8 engine to boot. Towing is a breeze for this powerful truck even when you’re towing uphill. Plus, the Titan’s stick-shifting transmission and strong brakes are an awesome feature that every driver will enjoy. 

2017 Ram 1500 

With a towing capacity of 10,690 pounds, the 2017 Ram 1500 is a great vehicle for towing because of a few reasons. One is that it’s one of the best trucks when it comes to fuel efficiency. Second, the Ram has 420 pound-feet of torque making it an excellent choice for towing. Third, is the value at which you get the truck. For the awesome value you get, the price of the Ram is fairly low and it also features one of the slickest interiors among its class. 

Ford F-350 

Nothing defines muscle better than the Ford F-350. It’s robust, it’s powerful, and it’s stable. It’s one of the best choices you can ever make when deciding on what truck to purchase for all your towing needs. It has a maximum towing capacity of 2,000 pounds and that in itself is a great reason to buy it. Not only that but it’s a very flexible vehicle that can be used to get down and dirty for work related purposes or luxurious occasions.  

2016 GMC Sierra 1500 

The Sierra can tow up to 12,000 pounds with its impressive 5.3 liter V8 engine. It boasts a tow / haul mode which makes towing a whole lot more convenient because it holds gears for longer periods of time. It even has Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control which is a dream come true for experienced towers.  

These trucks are just a few of the options you have when you’re looking to purchase the perfect towing machine but they’re among the best. When it comes to towing you want to make sure you have a hassle-free experience that has absolutely no room for error. So whether it’s the Ford F-350 or the GMC Sierra, we’re confident you won’t be disappointed with what you decide – as long as it’s found on this list. Enjoy and happy towing! 

When it comes to towing cars, there’s little room for error. That’s why it’s important to know every detail because even attempting to tow because one mistake can lead to unwanted consequences. So whether you’re going to be towing a truck or a small vehicle, here are some things that you should know to successfully tow a car. 

Know What You’re Dealing With 

Knowledge is power and in this case it definitely is. Even before making your way to where the designated car is, what you need to do is to find out exactly what kind of car you’ll be towing. When you’ve got that detail, you’ll want to make sure you bring the right kind of vehicle that is properly equipped (finding the right hitch to attach) and fully capable of doing the job. To find out it’s capable of doing the job, read the manual of your vehicle and learn how much it is rated to tow. Common practice is that you shouldn’t be towing more than 75% of what’s listed in the manual for the maximum safety of your car. We don’t want to end up towing two cars, right? 

Weight 

To properly tow your vehicle, you’ll also need to take its weight into consideration. For example, if you’re towing a trailer that has a boat in it you’ll need to calculate or estimate the weight of the trailer and the boat.  This will help you determine the tongue weight which is the amount of weight that presses down on your hitch. This is an important factor to consider because too little tongue weight means what you’re towing will easily sway and too much tongue weight can cause complications such as not enough weight on the front wheels of the vehicle you’re using to tow (this causes difficulty in steering).To fix this you can use weight-distributing hitch which brings us to what you should know next. 

Hitches 

Hitches are one of the most important things you should familiarize yourself with when attempting to tow. There are three main hitch classifications: weight-carrying hitch, weight-distributing hitch, and fifth-wheel hitch. Weight-carrying hitches carry all of the vehicle’s tongue weight, weight-distributing hitches distribute the weight of the vehicle, and fifth-wheel hitches carry a much heavier load compared to others. Know which hitch you need by checking the weight of your vehicle. 

Brakes 

Depending on what kind of vehicle you use to tow and what you’re towing, you’ll need a specific kind of braking system. If you’re towing a huge vehicle, some states may require you by law to have a separate braking system and breakaway switch for safety. Make sure that your vehicle is equipped with the proper braking systems to ensure proper road safety. 

Spare Tires 

Last but not least, always bring a spare tire/s with you. The least thing you want to be when towing a car is not prepared. There have been numerous occasions when the vehicle that’s supposed to tow another vehicle ends up getting towed as well because of, you guessed it, a flat tire.  

So that’s the basics information you need when you plan on towing a car! If there’s one key takeaway from all of this, it’s that you should always be prepared even before you attempt to tow a car. If you’re not confident in towing a car you can always seek professional help and at most times it’s an even better solution than doing it yourself. For that, Orlando Park Tow truck Services is what we recommend for any of your towing needs.