Trailer hitch

[hanovertom]

I purchased a 2003 Chev Silvarado with 80,100 miles I want to put a hitch on it. Most seem to be bolted with 6 bolts. Advice: Curt, Reese, etrailer? Class 3 or 4? I dont do heavy hauling, occasional trailer.

 

[Bret4207]

You want the class 3 IIRC for a half ton pu. Which brand is kind of up to you. I've had good luck with Etrailer, might look at their suggestions.

 

[Bruce(OR)]

Your not heavy hauling until your heavy hauling and you wish you stepped a few bucks more and installed a decent hitch.
Then again, it's more fun to do things twice and spend a whole bunch more money, not just a little bit.

 

[timcasbolt]

(quoted from post at 17:25:08 08/08/21)
You want the class 3 IIRC for a half ton pu. Which brand is kind of up to you. I've had good luck with Etrailer, might look at their suggestions.

ow do you know he's got a half ton?

 

[hanovertom]

So, your recommendation?

 

[glennster]

id go with a reese, have them install it and wire it. when i did my 06 silverado, there was an extra wiring harness required for a plug and play socket under the dash, and to needed to access the fuse bix under the hood for 12v power for the trailer brakes.

 

[timcasbolt]

(quoted from post at 18:14:56 08/08/21) So, your recommendation?

his should work: https://www.etrailer.com/p-75282.html?hhyear=2003&hhmake=Chevrolet&hhmodel=Silverado

 

[504]

Draw Tite,Reese even Curt. I will never buy a hitch made from round tubing,I want nice heavy square tube. THere will be people who will remember T-Bone,he lost a trailer when the welds broke on his Ford PU. He posted pictures of the hitch,no round tube hitches.

 

[Bruce(OR)]

I go as large as possible.
Class V works just fine. When your friend has a trailer that needs moving, what are you going to say? My hitch isn't big enough or that would damage my truck? Maybe the hindsight response of I should have gotten a bigger hitch when that newer trailer is siting in the middle of the road.
Class V is not that much more money for insurance.
Etrailer should have a listing of available hitches for your machine.
Amazon is a good price check
Reese also comes to mind as well as Curt.
All you have to do is choose.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Assuming you have a half-ton (1500) pickup, here are the options at etrailer. I like Curt, Reese and Draw-Tite; only Curt is made in the USA (which is probably why their products cost a little more). Note that Curt typically doesn't include a wiring harness bracket with their hitches so if you go with Curt you'll need to get a bracket as well.

I would go with a Class IV hitch (10K trailer weight/1K tongue weight). Anything heavier than that you shouldn't be towing with a half-ton pickup. Note that most hitches are designed to work with factory bumper.
2003 Chevy Silverado 1500 hitches

 

[MarkB_MI]

> How do you know he's got a half ton?

A 3/4 or 1 ton pickup without a factory receiver hitch would be a very rare bird.

 

[John T]

If you don't do any heavy hauling you can get by with a Class III no problem, many use 4 bolt mounts, but in case you ever do heavy hauls Id use a Class IV. Having farmed and RV towed for years Ive used most major brands and would probably choose a Reese Hitch while sure others are fine. I liked to use good heavy Grade 5 stainless hardware for mounting..

John T

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I bought a curt off Amazom class 4, 10k
The ball hitch is only rated at 7.5k so I bought a class 5 ball hitch. It's not hollow, solid steel. I needed to get extra height too and I figured if I'm going Class 4 why use a ball hitch only rated at 7.5K.


I noticed GM factory hitch has an additional bumper support so I made one.

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 18:53:19 08/08/21)

(quoted from post at 17:25:08 08/08/21)
You want the class 3 IIRC for a half ton pu. Which brand is kind of up to you. I've had good luck with Etrailer, might look at their suggestions.

ow do you know he's got a half ton?

I don't, but the vast majority of pu's out there are 1/2 ton and he didn't say 3/4 or 1 ton and mentioned not hauling heavy stuff. Seems like a 1/2 ton is likely, eh? I guess I'd ask, "How do you know he doesn't?"