Someone please clarify bumper hitch ratings for me.

It was my understanding that they were classified as class I, II, III, or IV. Class III hitches were good for 500/5000lbs. Class IV was good for 750/7500lbs. A class IV hitch was class III hitch with a weight distributing add on.

Any of what I've said close? Am I now reading about a class V hitch on newer vehicles?

so as not to be rude, someone should reply. guess ill take a shot.

basically that looks right, depends on who you ask.  as far WDH it is my understanding any trailer with a tongue weight over 500 should use one. of course most people dont, and they seem to do fine.  as for the class V, ive always heard/read/assumed it was 1000/10000 but if im not mistaken, ive also read something about the new superduty with the 2 1/2 inch reciever called a class V but it was rated to something like 12000.

dare i ask (so as not to start another 3 page thread) why you are curious?

Recently upgraded from a old, small, 2 horse BP straight load to a newer much larger, heavier, slant load. Manufacturers lititure stated must use WD hitch with new trailer. Started looking at others with similar trailers and couldn't find any using WD hitches. Went to local DOT weigh scale and had trailer weighed empty, 480lbs/3400lbs with 500lbs/5000lbs trailer hitch. Add the weight of two horses and gear I think I will exceed hitch rating.

I can't belive that most of the similar trailers I see running down the road are not similar in weight. Thought maybe there was a heavier rated hitch out there that could handle more wieght. New hitch maybe cheaper than WD?

Ok, honestly the hitch manufacturers don't even come together on this very well. Hidden hitch has on chart, putnam has another, reese and titan have yet another set of numbers. In general a classIII is 500/5000 WC(weight carry) 750/7500WD(weight distributing), class IV is like 800/8000 WC and 1100/11000 WD, and a class V is 1000/10000 WC and 1500/15000 WD. These numbers are for 2" inch square tube receiver hitches. The 2.5" square tube super classV is like 1200/12000 WC and 1500/15000 WD according to what I read. Mind you, it also requires a ball with a shank bigger than the standard 1" threaded portion to attach to the ball mount. 1" shanked balls are all pretty much rated for a max weight of 6000 pounds max. To get beyond that you have to jump up in shank size or go with a machined, heat treated ball that could be rated with a 1" inch shank, for 12000 pounds, but then it's a 2" 5/16" ball, not 2" inch. Heres a link to help you out.

http://www.trailersnhitches.com/putnam/hitchacc/hitchballs/hitchballsmain.htm

Don't know what vehicle you're pulling this new trailer with ... But for what's its worth ...

GM's trailering guide says all 1/2 & 3/4 ton P/U trucks REQUIRE a WD hitch for all bp trailers over 5,000 pounds.   It's in a footnote.  So how many people read footnotes ??  Much less tow with the proper equipment..

From what I have learned, the whole "class" ratings of hitches doesn't seem to mean too much.

Looking at Reese's website for an F250 for example, you can get 3 different hitches that are all called "class 3 + 4" and they have ratings of 5,000lbs, 6,000lbs, and 7,500lbs (all without weight distribution)

They also have a class v, that is rated up to 12,000lbs (without WD)

So, you may be able to get a new hitch that does not require a weight distribution unit. However like Hosspuller noted, some lighter duty trucks with softer rear springs etc. probably should use WD, even if the rating of the hitch doesn't require it.  

Here is Reese's website http://www.reese-hitches.com/

 -Flush

P.S. After joing this board I have paid particular attention to every horse trailer I have seen, and I have YET to see a horse trailer with a WD setup, even though some are well over 5,000#. I'm not saying that this means its safe, just surprised more aren't using WD. I suppose it's because most of the serious horse pullers are just using a GN anyway.

I don't bother with the classifications because they do not seem to be consistent between truck or hitch manufacturers.

I did have a 2" bar hitch with a 2 5/16ths ball that had a rating of 6000 pounds weight carrying (without WDH) and 10k with WDH... odd, huh.

Exceeding the hitch rating is so common with bumper pulls - there's some old threads about it. It goes back to the truck salesperson who says - "oh sure" no problem. The truck can haul 8000 pounds!!"  but they don't understand about the additional HEIGHT of horse trailers or the movement of hauling live animals, or the rating on the hitch itself.

Or - trucks that can haul 9300 pounds but only have a 1750 payload allowance. It just doesn't add up. Or as chadsalt as found - tongues that are too short, or covered, which makes using a WDH a pain because now you have to have someone cut the steel covering the A frame to make openings for the WD arms.  Yup - that's what drove me to a gooseneck. The WDH and modifications would have been over $500; the gooseneck hitch was around $650. 

Well, the point I was trying to make was that if I can haul 9300 pounds - I personally would prefer to NOT put that on a "bumper" hitch (a 10 - 15% tongue weight); therefore, I need 1860 pounds for a 20% coupler weight allowance in payload - and that's with NO passengers or cargo in the truck...  but some GN/ 5th wheels require you figure 25% coupler weight as payload....  and that's why I said the numbers don't add up.

yes i understand that, and youre right....i was just looking at the bright side for you.  the 1750 seems to work out all right for your GN, alot better than a 1000 payload would have a few years back. 

just think about all those with diesel 3/4 tons using most of their payload for the diesel engine itself. that would make me cuss.

Gabz,

   I too see what you are saying. The manufactures rate the towing capacity so high, but in order to not exceed your payload, you would have use bumper hitch trailer and almost everyone who tows 9,000lb+ trailers wants to use a GN!

All the manfuctures put the tow ratings all over their webpages and advertisements, but try to find the vehicle weights and payload capacities for the diesel models?

It is also interesting how "1/2 ton" and "3/4 ton" trucks have evolved, not to mention to low low payload capacity of some of the diesel 3/4T.

Here is the maximum payloads for 2004 Ford F150 and F250. This is the payload still available assuming there is a 150lb person in each of the 6 seating postions

F150 (5.4L) supercab 163" WB, payload = 1420lbs

F250 (diesel) supercab 158" WB, payload = 1065lbs 

Here is where I got the info: https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/rv_trailer_towing/2004/2004RVTrailer_SIC.pdf

Am shopping for a 2 horse/ bumper pull trailer in California and will need to get a trailer hitch for the Landcruiser that will be pulling it... Chicken or egg?  Which first?  And if the trailer hitch for SUV is first what kind is best to get?  I am going have to read this whole thread a few times before these terms start to mean ANYTHING to me so any comments on dos or don'ts are most appreciated!  Thank you!

Welcome to the board ... (your name is appros to my situation ..LOL)  Since you've got the Landcruiser already, that's your starting point.  Check with Toyota on the combined gross vehicle weight rating.  The cgvwr is a legal enginering term.  There's no fudging as in "It'll pull it"  It means the combined loaded weight of the LC and the loaded trailer.  That's your max and your starting point.  Everything flows from there.

No - you need to check with the manufacturer to determine what the safe towing weight is for the vehicle.. BUT

knowing your base curb weight and the gross vehicle is 1 step.

You need to add up how much you will put in the LC in addition to yourself. (cooler? tack? child? spouse? other children?)  ...  add THAT to your curb weight.

Subtract all that from the gross vehicle weight.  

In general... about 10 - 15% of the TOTAL weight of the "bumper" (tag-along) trailer and it's load (horse, hay, etc.)  is what will be transferred to the tow vehicle. (with a gooseneck or 5th wheel type trailer, it's more like 20 - 25% of the trailer weight that is transferred to the truck)

So - if your base curb weight is 5115 and you add 2 people, 1 cooler, western saddle & gear, you are now up to 5465 (let's go to 5500 for simplicity sake).  Then 6860 -  5500 leaves 1360. Which TECHNICALLY allows for a 13,600 pound trailer. BUTBUT BUT BUT BUT BUT... I am sure that your vehicle is NOT rated for that.

Look at the hitch on the back of your vehicle. There are numbers stamped into it. That tells you how much you can tow ON THAT HITCH - NOT NECESSARILY YOUR VEHICLE... with a weight distribution hitch or without one. (weight carrying is NO WDH)... Then, check with your truck manufacturer on maximum amount of towing weight.

The hitch at the back of your tow vehicle must have at least a 2" square receiver. (The part that you slide another piece of metal with the ball attached to it, into must be 2" square).

There are 2 books that I always recommend: "Buying, Maintaining, and Servicing a Horse Trailer" by Neva & Tom Scheve... and one that's got less technical and more photos for the typical horse owner, is the one by Cherry Hill - Guide to Horse Trailering. I STRONGLY recommend that one for your situation as it sounds like you're fairly new to this whole thing. The $20 for the book is a wonderful investment. 

let us know what else you need help with.

Look at the hitch on the back of your vehicle. There are numbers stamped into it. That tells you how much you can tow ON THAT HITCH - NOT NECESSARILY YOUR VEHICLE... with a weight distribution hitch or without one. (weight carrying is NO WDH)... Then, check with your truck manufacturer on maximum amount of towing weight. QUOTE]

umm gabz.... she said she still has to buy the hitch. good post though.to the OP,like everyone has said, call toyota and get the GCVWR for the truck. with the GVWR you stated it appears to be in 1/2 truck territory. as for the hitch, usually there will only be a few choices of hitch manufacturers and usually theyll all be rated at the same weights for that vehicle. call around and look for the best price, tell them you of course want the highest weight rated hitch. a quick look around the web and the hitches i see for the landcruiser (what year is yours?) are rated at 5000/6000 weight carrying/weight distributing. you should be in good shape for a small BP and 1 horses. did i mention call toyota? good luck.

Edited by chadsalt 2005-05-20 1:38 PM

There are many good brands of trailer... if you are in southern CA, then you have different considerations than say northern CA. If the trailer can be kept under cover (carport, barn, etc.) is a consideration (that means you can get a stock-type or stock/combo which is lighter and cooler for the horse(s).  Leaving a stock or stock/combo out in the weather is inviting floor rot as all the weather can come in through the slats.

Aluminum is more lightweight on large trailers. Not always true for 2H ... be sure to ask for the empty trailer weight. It's hard to get this info as it is NOT posted on the trailer data plate - it's usually only on the trailer title or cert of ownershp.

You might also strongly consider fiberglass roofed trailers - they will be lighter in weight, more light in side, and cooler for the horse.

If buying new - ask for names & numbers of folks who have bought from the dealer before. Find out how they handle servicing and warranty work. (Some do it themselves, some send it back to the manufacturer, some allow you to find any shop that will do the work and then they reimburse you or pay the bill).

My apologies about the hitch comment - my original thought was that you were unsure about a regular receiver versus a weight distributing.  I would be very hesitant about a tow vehicle that didn't have a factory-installed hitch on it simply because I would wonder if it had the proper cooling system - both engine and transmission - and if it was outfitted properly(suspension and tires) for towing.

Now I am getting more confused.  My call to Toyota parts department said I can pull 6500#s in addition to vehicle weight.  Again this is a 1999 Land Cruiser. 

230-hp, 4.7-liter V-8; 4-speed automatic w/OD, 4WD; & Class IV (whatever that means). 

Does this makes sense?