Towing equipment 101

October is coming to an end and that means Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Whether you’re visiting family outside of North Charlotte or just wanting to get away for the holiday, you may need to tow your luggage. Having towing equipment installed on your vehicle makes traveling by car convenient. But, if your vehicle didn’t come with a towing kit installed and you’re looking to have one installed, you need to know what you’re looking for. Toyota of N Charlotte is here with an easy guide on towing equipment, so you can haul and carry whatever you need for your trip.

Different types of towing equipment

Most often you’ll find towing equipment installed on larger N Charlotte Toyota SUVs and trucks, but they can be installed on sedans and smaller vehicles. While tow hitches may seem as simple as hooking up a trailer and driving, but there are a lot of specific types that are used for different purposes and vehicles. These are a few different types of hitches that can be installed on N Charlotte Toyota vehicles:

• Class 1: This type of tow hitch can be installed on smaller vehicles like sedans and can haul up to 2,000 pounds. Towing equipment like this can be best used for bike racks and small trailers.
• Class 2: Like class 1 towing equipment, this hitch is usually installed on N Charlotte Toyota vehicles like mid-size SUVs (think Toyota RAV4). They can haul up to 3,500 pounds.
• Class 3: Reserved for heavier vehicles like the N Charlotte Toyota Tundra, this towing equipment can haul up to 8,000 pounds.
• Class 4: Full size SUVs and trucks are usually outfitted with this type of tow hitch and can haul up to 10,000 pounds.
• Class 5: Many N Charlotte Toyota vehicles aren’t equipped with this type of towing equipment. They can handle between 16,000 and 20,000 pounds.

There are also different specialty tow hitches that can be placed in different spots on your N Charlotte Toyota vehicle and are used to haul specific equipment. Here are a few different types of equipment you may find:

• Weight Distribution Hitches: Hitches like these take weight from the tongue of the tow hitch to keep the front end of your vehicle grounded. These types of hitches can be used on class 3, 4, and 5 hitches.
• 5^th Wheel: This type of tow hitch is reserved for very large pickup trucks and can haul up to 25,000 pounds. They can haul travel trailers and typically keep their weight in the beds of trucks.
• Bumper hitch: This type of towing hitch attaches directly to the bumper of a N Charlotte Toyota vehicle rather than on the undercarriage.

Your towing equipment needs met at Toyota of N Charlotte

If you’re looking to get away this holiday season and need the equipment to get your belongings where they need to go, then come shop our auto parts at Toyota of N Charlotte! We’re located at 13429 Statesville Road and open seven days a week!