Receiver Hitches: Most Popular Hitch Available

Receiver hitches are the most popular hitch style around and for good reason. They make it possible for your vehicle to detach part of its towing equipment when it is not in use leaving only the receiver frame on the car.

These removable hitches, where the ball mount or platform detaches from the receiver, are the ones that you are most likely to see on trucks, RV's, vans and SUVs and they are most often easily installed on your vehicle by means of bolts and screws with no drilling being necessary.

The kind of hitch that you get will depend on the Class of tow package that is most suitable for your tow vehicle. Smaller, less powerful vehicles use a Class I or II tow package that normally sports a receiver opening of 1-1/4" while more powerful tow vehicles normally use a Class III and IV tow package that has a receiver opening of 2".

The different classes of tow hitch define the load that you are able to tow. A car with a 1,000lb load capacity will need a Class I package with that tow capacity while a stronger vehicle will be able to install the Class III or IV package with a larger tow capacity of 5,000lbs for a Class III and 6,500lbs for a Class IV.

Class I and II receiver hitches are restricted to weight carrying while weight distribution systems can be added to Class III and IV set ups to enhance the general safety of the entire tow rig.