Trailer hitch capacity
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Senior User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 447
Likes: 10
From: Jacksonville IL
Trailer hitch capacity
I am shopping around for a motorcycle carrier that attaches to the trailer hitch, but simply hanges in front of the tail gate. I saw some that claims to have a 600 lbs limit. I am wondering how good is such a carrier. It seems awefully lot of weight just to hang by the hitch. How do I find out what the capacity of my trailer hitch is? My truck came with the towing package.
2004 FX4 5.4L
The motorcycle I am thinking of hanging by the trailer hitch (on the carrier) weighs about 450 lbs.
2004 FX4 5.4L
The motorcycle I am thinking of hanging by the trailer hitch (on the carrier) weighs about 450 lbs.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 293
Likes: 1
From: Trempealeau Wisconsin
I have put 2000 lbs (+/- 100lbs) of tongue weight on both of my trucks numerous times. And basically everytime that I hook up to a trailer I am granteed to have atleast 1000 lbs of tongue weight, so 600 lbs is not a problem at all, IMO.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,479
Likes: 4
The class IV hitch as per the tow package option will handle, more tongue and dead tow weight than a class III. Class III hitches are usually rated at 5000 tow and 500 tongue and with a WD setup 800 tongue to 8,000 tow.With that said even a classIV is not equipped to handle much more than 800lbs tongue weight. The 9500lb tow weight assumes you will use a weight distributing hitch setup. A WD will relieve tongue weight. The tow weight is the same regardless. Manufacturers use the 10% rule (10% of the tow weight to be used as tongue weight). This assumption is based on RV towing, but in boat towing, most boats can be safely towed on an average using 5 to 7% tongue weight. Keep in mind every pound of tongue weight on the rear of the vehicle could exceed the the assumption of vehicle loading for the max tow weight to be used. So if you add an additonal 500 lbs beyond the vehicle loading asumption then you have to reduce your max tow weight by 500lbs.
Last edited by KevinM; Sep 6, 2006 at 01:06 PM.
