The best trailer is no use if your vehicle cannot tow it safely. Before you come see a trailer, take five minutes to check what your vehicle can do. You will save time and pick the right trailer the first time.
Towing capacity
The owner’s manual lists your vehicle’s towing capacity, based on the engine, transmission and equipment. It must exceed the actual weight of the loaded trailer, not just its empty weight. Some vehicles have a towing capacity of 0 kg: they must not tow anything.
The manual also gives the gross combined weight rating, the maximum for the vehicle, trailer and their loads together. Keep a margin: a vehicle towing at its limit brakes less well and wears faster.
Hitch weight
About 10 to 15% of a regular trailer’s weight rests on the ball; for a gooseneck trailer, 15 to 25%. That weight counts toward the vehicle’s load capacity, along with passengers and luggage, and it must not exceed the hitch’s rating. The label on the driver’s door frame shows the load capacity.
Hitch and ball
Receiver hitches are rated by the weight they can tow: classes 1 and 2 for small trailers, class 3 up to about 8,000 lb, class 4 up to about 10,000 lb, and class 5 beyond that. The 2 in receiver is the most common on pickups and SUVs.
The ball must match the trailer’s coupler and be rated for its weight. Small trailers often use a 2 in ball; our N&N and Ideal Cargo trailers have an adjustable 2 5/16 in coupler. For a heavy trailer on an SUV or a half-ton pickup, a weight distribution hitch keeps the vehicle level.
Electrical plug and brakes
A flat 4-pin plug is enough for the lights of a small utility trailer. A trailer with electric brakes needs a 7-way plug and a brake controller in the vehicle. A proportional controller brakes the trailer according to how hard the vehicle brakes, for a smoother stop.
In Québec, a trailer that weighs 1,300 kg or more with its load, or more than half the weight of the towing vehicle, must have brakes on all its load-bearing wheels. We order Curt, Tekonsha and Hopkins brake controllers and the wiring harnesses that go with them.
Mirrors and chains
The vehicle must have mirrors that show each side of the trailer; with a wide enclosed trailer, you often need towing mirrors. Safety chains or cables attach directly to the vehicle, crossed under the tongue.
What to bring to your visit
- Your vehicle’s make, model, year and engine
- Its towing capacity and load capacity, noted from the manual and the door label
- The type of hitch, ball size and electrical plug already installed
- The measurements and weight of what you want to haul
With this information, we show you the trailers your vehicle can tow and what to add if something is missing. Martin Remorques is at 270, route 343, in Saint-Ambroise-de-Kildare; write to us or browse the inventory before you come.
