When getting ready to tow your trailer the most important thing to do is make sure the weight capacities of your trailer does not exceed the the Gross Towing Weight (GTW: the weight of the loaded trailer). This is done by calculating what your tongue weight is. Tongue weight is important to know, and easy to adjust. But what exactly is it and why is it so important?

What is tongue weight?

(TW) The downward force that is exerted on the hitch ball by the coupler. The tongue weight will vary depending on where the load is positioned in relationship to the trailer axle(s). To measure the tongue weight, use either a commercial scale or a bathroom scale with the coupler at towing height, or find out what your Gross Towing Weight is and figure out 10% of that number. Most experts agree that an acceptable tongue weight for any trailer is somewhere between 10 and 15 percent of the Gross Towing Weight. If the tongue of the trailer does not use enough downward force on the tow vehicle's hitch ball, trailer sway could result.

What is trailer...

Hitch mounted bike racks slide into the hitch receiver on the back of your vehicle. Different sizes are available for different receivers (1 ¼” and 2”), and different models that fold, tilt or swing away leaving you access to the rear of your vehicle.

When choosing a Hitch Mounted Bike Rack it is important to consider the below information:

YOUR HITCH RECEIVER

• Class I hitches typically have 2,000lbs capacity, 200lbs tongue weight.
  Recommend no more than 2 bikes

• Class II hitches typically have 3,500lbs capacity, 350lbs tongue weight.
  Recommend up to 4 bikes

• A Class II only bike rack will not fit a Class I hitch

• Class III hitches typically have 3,500lbs - 12,000LBS towing Capacity. 
  Recommend up to 5 bikes

 YOUR BIKE RACK CARRIER

• Tray style hitch carriers are lower, easier and faster to load than other rack styles. These hitch carriers fit more...

The type of bumper your vehicle has can affect what trailer hitches will fit. When looking for a trailer hitch for a pickup truck, you will usually be asked what type of bumper you have on your vehicle. Below are the five common types of bumpers your vehicle could have.

Deep Drop Bumper - Typically found on older trucks, usually chrome plated and has a lower ball height than a step bumper. This bumper is also known as a Cowboy Bumper, and the drop from the bottom of the frame is commonly 10 or 12 inches.

Regular Bumper - Standard Bumper found on a typical vehicle. No step under the licence plate.

Tube Bumper -  Have a 17” rear opening allowing the use of oversized tires (up to 31”) on the factory spare tire mount. This type of bumper is typically found on...

REAR TRAILER HITCHES ACCESSORIES

Once a trailer hitch is installed on a vehicle, there are dozens of accessories that can be used on the hitch. The important thing to know is that a hitch accessory should be well off the ground, should never cover your licence plate, should not extend too far from your vehicle, and should not exceed the Tongue Weight Capacity of your hitch. Most accessories are held in place by a hitch pin and Clip.

A ballmount is a removable platform that slides into the receiver opening of a trailer hitch and fastens with a pin and clip. The trailer ball is fastened to the flat part of the platform.  Also referred to as a 'drawbar' or 'stinger'.

When towing a trailer, the heights between the vehicle and trailer usually differ - so a Ballmount with a drop or rise is needed. But how do you determine what size you need? Our team has answered the most common questions when trying to find the correct ball mount below: