What's the difference between a Class 2 & Class 3 Hitch ?

[dandybanana]

I apologize if this is a lame question but . . . if your vehicle's towing capacity is 3500 and a class 2 hitch is supposed to be 3500 but a class 3 hitch is 7800 lbs . . . what does that mean? I do have a class 3 hitch but I don't get what difference that makes to me.

Just FYI trying to figure out what I can pull. I have a Saturn Vue FWD. I tried to do the math before but I'm still not sure. When I look at the dry weight on a new trailer I'm thinking it should probably be way under 2000 lbs for me to tow safely once I have some stuff inside & my husband with me & 3 dogs in my car.

Just doesn't leave me many options I guess. So basically a teeny tiny trailer. I'm just wanting to understand what the benefit is of having a class 3 vs a class 2 or if it makes any difference in my situation. Thx 🙂

[marquette]

I wasn't trying to be a smart a** just curious what TT you were looking at. My neighbor towed a 2 place aluminum flatbed open snowmobile trailer with one 4 wheeler and felt he was pushing it. His had the Honda 6 cyl engine. A guy I shoot with tows a very small pop up with his 6 cyl and says it struggles to do 60 mph. i have a V-front 6x12 ft enclosed cargo trailer that weighs 1200 lbs empty that my 6 cyl Jeep Cherokee struggles to tow over 60 mph at 2600 rpm. My fishing partner tows a 5x7 enclosed cargo trailer that is about 50 in high with his 2007 Impala and it is maxed out towing the trailer. So when you say small are you talking about a 8 ft teardrop, 13 ft Scamp?

[dandybanana]

marquette wrote:
What kind of trailer are you looking to tow with a Saturn Vue?

As I said in my original post . . . a teeny tiny trailer 🙂

[gchackett]

better be thinking light weight pop up imo

[Executive45]

marquette wrote:
What kind of trailer are you looking to tow with a Saturn Vue?

A very small, lightweight one...:W....Dennis

[marquette]

What kind of trailer are you looking to tow with a Saturn Vue?

[dandybanana]

Okay I pretty much understand this now, thanks so much everyone! 😄

[APT]

As executive said, you need to be aware of all the ratings, of a vehicle and receiver. Travel trailers tend to be more stable at 13-15% tongue weight vs. other types of trailers. Some boats can be stable at 8% for example. So if you expect to tow about 3500 pounds of TT, then you need to be prepared for up to 500 pounds of TW. I believe the means you should be looking at class 3 receivers.

[handye9]

dandybanana wrote:
I'm just wanting to understand what the benefit is of having a class 3 vs a class 2 or if it makes any difference in my situation. Thx 🙂

In your particular situation, changing the hitch class, most likely changes nothing.

The max towing capacity of the vehicle, is limited to the weakest link in it's overall ratings. Those ratings include:

GVWR -- max weight on the vehicle
Payload -- max weight the vehicle is rated to carry
GCVWR -- max combined weight of trailer and tow vehicle
Axle weight ratings -- max weight on the vehicles axles
Tire load rating -- max weight on the tires
Hitch receiver rating -- max weight on the receiver, with or without WDH
Max tow rating -- max weight the vehilce is rated to tow.


Changing to a higher class of receiver, increases the weight of what you can pull, ONLY, if the rest of the ratings are high enough to support that load.

If your vehicle is rated to tow 3500 lb and you upgrade the hitch to a class III / IV, your tow rating is still 3500 lbs.

If your vehicle is rated to tow 10,000 lbs and you downgrade to a class II hitch, your tow ratings drops to 3500 lbs.


Another thing to keep in mind is, everything and everybody you put in or on the tow vehicle, reduces it's available payload, and it's tow capacity, pound for pound.

If your vehicle has 3500 lb tow capacity, and you put 700 lbs of people, pets, and cargo in it, your tow capacity drops to 2800 lbs.

[Executive45]

dandybanana...your hitch is but ONE factor in safe towing.

In general, the maximum amount of weight you can safely tow will be the LESSER of the following:

• the GCWR (gross combination weight rating) of the MH/TV minus the actual weight of the MH/Trailer as it is loaded for travel (includes fuel, fresh water, food, clothing, people, pets, supplies, etc.)

• the weight rating of your tow bar

• the weight rating of your HITCH

Notice there are three factors and the hitch is but one of them. Also, note to safely tow, use the LESSER of the three.....Dennis

[MitchF150]

Class 2 you can't use a WD hitch on it, even if it's a 2" square tube hitch.

Class 3, you can use a WD hitch on it.

Mitch

[Golden_HVAC]

Size matters.

Class 1 hitch has a steel plate, and a 3/4" hole for the ball mount, and the mount is not removable. It has a maximum rating around 2,000 or 4,000 pounds, depending on the design.

Class 2 is rated a little higher, and has a 1-1/4" square opening to prevent someone from inserting a 10,000 pound hitch ball into the tiny hitch (presumed to be on a tiny car) and towing something WAY over the weight class for that hitch. It is good for cars, light pickups, and SUV's. Maximum rating is typically 3,500 pounds.

Class 3 is typically 2" square and was rated at a minimum of 5,000 pounds GTW and 500 pounds deadweight when it first came out. There was not a specific 'maximum' weight rating for class 3, but later was defined as class 5 when they came out with much heavier rated hitches. Class 5 was not 'official' but like a slang term, became accepted over time.

So class 3 is anything above 5,000 pounds (though some might be rated at 3,500 like the one on my motorhome by the manufacture to limit people from towing to much with the wrong vehicle). It will have a 2" opening with 'round' corners that will not accept a weight distribution hitch. However if the hitch is rated at more weight, and is rated to accept a weight distribution hitch, then it will have a full 2" square opening, so it can accept a WD hitch ball mount.

When Ford started rating their trucks to tow 12,000 pounds, they started installing 2.5" hitch in the trucks. This was considered class 5.

Even before Ford rated their hitch for 12,000 pounds, Titan (and perhaps others) started building 'Heavy duty' hitches with 12,000 pound ratings and 2" openings for WD units. Later they started building 2.5" hitches (in the 80's and early 90's) with 10,000 + pound ratings. These where marketed as class 5.

You can buy a 16,000 pound rated truck hitch for dually pickups and the cab and chassis dually trucks. It will have dual receivers. Some have a 2.5" and 2" opening, so that you can use either to tow with, or a 2.5" hitch extension, or a 'super truss' hitch with both 2.5" and 2" hitch that can be 48" long and still rated to carry the load of a 5,000 pound trailer. These super truss hitch extensions are popular with the Rodeo crowd, who might have a Lance Camper with a 48" extension over the back bumper, as well as tow a 2 horse trailer with about 5,000 GTW!

So that is about all I know about trailer class ratings!

You can check this place for more information. ETrailer.com That is where I would recommend getting a price quote for your hitch, if you have not bought one already. They sell the hitch receivers, and you can get those with a 5,000 pound rating and 1" hole for the ball mount, or 3,500 pound rating where the hole is 3/4" so that you can not install a 5,000 pound rated ball in the light duty receiver.

But with shipping, it probably is easier and more convenient to pick up the hitch locally. I discovered that my local U-haul wants something like $376 for a hitch for a 2001 E-350 while E-Trailer only wants $178. I did not check shipping, but they did offer a free shipping offer for orders over $99 last month, probably will offer that again, or if you ask nicely.

Have fun camping!

Fred