HOW TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT TRAILER HITCH

Joel Phillips • April 11, 2024

The Complete Guide to Installing a Towing Trailer Hitch

I am Harold Kiefer and I own the Hitch Corner, which has 2 stores in Colorado. I opened in 1990, so this is my 34th year of business. So I have seen just about everything & one of the main questions I get from customers is how to choose the correct trailer hitch. I hope the following will help you as well, but if it does not answer your questions, please reach out to me at info@hitchcorner.com. I will answer all your questions to the best of my ability.

Choosing the correct trailer hitch for towing involves several factors, including the weight of the trailer, the weight capacity of your vehicle, and the type of hitch that is appropriate for your vehicle and trailer. Here are some steps to follow when choosing a trailer hitch:

Determine the type of hitch required for what you will be towing. There are several types of hitches available & The type of hitch you need will depend on the type of trailer you are towing and your vehicle’s towing capacity.

A) 5th wheel hitch for a 5th wheel trailer

B) Gooseneck hitch for a gooseneck trailer or with an adapter to pull a 5th wheel trailer

C) Rear or bumper pull trailer

Determine your vehicle’s weight capacity: Your vehicle’s owner’s manual should list the maximum weight it can tow. This number is usually listed as the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Be sure to include the weight of any passengers or cargo in your vehicle when calculating this number. This is a big issue as most people forget to include the weight of the passengers.

Determine the weight of the trailer: The weight of the trailer is also important when choosing a hitch. This includes the weight of the trailer itself, as well as any cargo it will be carrying. Make sure to choose a hitch that is rated to handle the weight of your trailer.

For 5th wheel hitch, the hitch depends on the size of bed the truck has. Currently, over 80% of all trucks sold have a short bed – 6 ½’ bed or shorter. NOTE: 5 ½’ bed trucks are really not designed to tow a 5th wheel trailer but it can be done

A) If you have a long bed truck, then everything is pretty simple. You just need a fixed 5th wheel hitch that can handle the weight of the trailer. We have under bed mount kits (and for those trucks that have the factory puck system) and above bed kits that have rails in the bed. Completely user choice but the B&W gooseneck with Companion 5th wheel hitch is our most popular for long bed trucks.

B) For short bed trucks, and here I am talking about 6 ½’ bed trucks, you have various options. However, the first item to check is if the trailer you are interested in is a a trailer designed for short bed trucks. These will be usually be noted as 88 degree turn trailers, which means you can make an 88 degree turn with a short bed using a fixed 5th wheel hitch. If it is designed for a short bed, then you have the option of using a fixed 5th wheel hitch but s slider is still recommended.

C) For most short bed trucks, you will need a slider 5th wheel hitch to avoid hitting the cab of the truck or your back window with the trailer. Here are the various options:

– Manual Slider 5th wheel hitch. This means you have to get out of the truck once to unlock the slider. You then get back in the truck, hold the manual on the brake control & pull forward. The hitch will slide & lockout when it gets to the back. When you are in town or trying to get into a tight space or most common, getting into a gas station, you will want the hitch slid back. When you are getting ready to get on the highway or you are traveling at higher speeds, you will want to be slid forward. You do not want the weight of the trailer behind the axle. Again, like the fixed, you can do an under bed mount, above bed with rails in the bed, as well as for factory puck mounts. To slide the hitch forward, you just do the opposite. Jump out to unlock the slider, get back in the truck, hold the manual on the brake control, back the truck up. The hitch will slide & automatically lock in the forward towing position.

– Automatic slider. This unit will automatically slide backwards when you turn. You never have to get out of the truck & you are never looking over your shoulder trying to determine if you need to slide your manual slide 5th wheel hitch. The most popular hitch here is made by Pull-Rite and requires a capture plate to be mounted to the king pin of the trailer. It just mounts with a set screw, so very easy to install but the capture plates are specific to the king pin on the trailer. We have these for under bed, rails & factory puck systems.

– Final option, is to change the king pin on the trailer to a sidewinder which moves the pivot point back as much as 19” and you would then use a fixed 5th wheel hitch

For gooseneck trailer, the B&W under bed gooseneck is our most popular. The ball flips over when not in use & we can add a Companion 5th wheel hitch if you wish to tow a 5th wheel trailer. Or, we have adapters that adapt your 5th wheel trailer to be towed with a gooseneck ball. Biggest issue here is to verify if your trailer is under warranty. If so, verify that the warranty will allow you to use an adapter to pull their trailer.

For Rear or Bumper Pull Trailers. You need to choose the appropriate hitch class: Trailer hitches are divided into classes based on their weight capacity. Class I hitches are rated for up to 2,000 pounds, while Class V hitches can handle up to 27,000 pounds. Choose a hitch that is rated for at least the weight of your trailer. These are frame mounted & built for very specific year, make & models of vehicles. I would never suggest a universal hitch. We also recommend a professional to install the hitch as you will also need wiring for the trailer lights. You can cause a lot of problems to your vehicles computer system if not wired correctly.

Weight distribution & sway control – Some trailers will require a sway control or weight distribution systems, that can make towing safer and more stable. A weight distribution system distributes weight to the front axle of the towing vehicle, as well as distributing the weight of the trailer between the towing vehicle and the trailer itself. Almost all of the weight distribution systems we sell have sway control built into them. You want a system that can handle the full weight of the trailer fully loaded, but you do not want to go overboard. You can actually make the ride rougher. Our most popular units are the Equalizer and Curt TruTrack 4 points of sway control with weight distribution system. The easiest way to know if you need a weight distribution is if you hook up the trailer & the rear drops to the ground, you NEED a weight distribution system. Moreover, check the weight rating on your hitch. If your trailer is heavier than the weight carrying capacity, you will need a weight distribution system to reach the weight distribution weight capacity listed on your hitch.

Depending on your needs, you may also want to consider additional features such as towing mirrors, hitch lock and RV accessories like levelers and sewer hoses.

Installation: Finally, make sure to have your trailer hitch installed by a professional to ensure it is installed correctly and safely. Every thing can be done as a DIY, BUT you want to make sure these items are installed correctly as you do not want any issues down the road due to failure to install or setup correctly. The Hitch Corner specializes in all types of trailer hitch, 5th wheel & Gooseneck hitches, wiring and weight distribution systems.

By following these steps, you can choose the correct trailer hitch for your vehicle and trailer, and ensure safe and reliable towing.

Please let the Hitch Corner help you decide the best hitch and features for your vehicle and trailer. We can also install all of these products as well.

Check us out on the web at www.hitchcorner.com

or give us a call. Denver store – 720-277-7782 or Littleton store – 303-904-1558

or email us at info@hitchcorner.com

Harold Kiefer – Owner of the Hitch Corner since 1990

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Planning a Colorado Mountain Trip? Here's Why Your Tow Vehicle Needs a Professional Hitch Installation First

By Harold Kiefer • April 14, 2026

Before you load up the camper, hook up the boat, or strap down the ATVs — read this. It could save your life on Colorado's most dangerous roads. There's nothing quite like a Colorado summer. The smell of pine trees in the morning air. A glassy mountain lake waiting for your boat. A campsite so far from the city that the only lights you see at night are stars. Millions of Colorado families load up their trailers every year and head for the hills - to Rocky Mountain National Park, Dillon Reservoir, Steamboat Springs, Pagosa Springs, and hundreds of other incredible destinations tucked into the Rockies. But here's what most of those drivers don't think about until it's too late: The road to those destinations is one of the most demanding towing environments in the entire United States. We're talking about I-70 mountain grades that drop 6-7% for miles at a stretch. High-altitude passes like Vail Pass, Eisenhower Tunnel, and Wolf Creek Pass where thin air robs your engine of power. Sudden afternoon thunderstorms that turn highways into rivers. Tight switchbacks where an unbalanced trailer can pull your rear end into oncoming traffic in a fraction of a second. Colorado doesn't forgive towing mistakes. At Hitch Corner in Littleton, we've seen firsthand what happens when drivers hit those mountain roads with the wrong hitch, a faulty wiring harness, or an improperly loaded trailer. We've had customers come in shaken after near-misses on US-285. We've inspected vehicles that were one mountain pass away from a catastrophic failure. And almost every single time, the problem was completely preventable. This guide is our way of making sure that doesn't happen to you. Why Colorado Is Different - And Why It Matters for Towing Most towing guides are written for flat, straight highway driving. Attach your trailer, check your mirrors, and cruise at 65 mph on a Kansas interstate. Simple enough. Colorado is not Kansas. Here's what makes towing in the Rockies uniquely challenging: The Grades Are Relentless The stretch of I-70 between Denver and Vail is famous for good reason. Westbound, you climb over 3,000 feet in about 60 miles. Eastbound, you descend those same 3,000 feet - and that's where trailers become dangerous. On a sustained downhill grade with a loaded trailer, your brakes work harder than they ever would on flat ground. Without a properly installed brake controller and functioning trailer brakes, you're asking your tow vehicle's brakes alone to control thousands of extra pounds pushing you downhill. That's not a towing challenge. That's a physics problem with very bad potential outcomes. Weather Changes in Minutes You can leave Littleton on a sunny 75-degree morning and hit a full whiteout blizzard by the time you reach the Eisenhower Tunnel - even in June. Wet roads, reduced visibility, and crosswinds dramatically increase the risk of trailer sway. And trailer sway on a mountain pass is one of the most terrifying situations a driver can face. Altitude Affects Your Engine At 11,000 feet, your engine produces roughly 25–30% less power than it does at Denver's elevation. That means your tow vehicle is working significantly harder to pull the same load. If your hitch and weight distribution setup isn't dialed in correctly, the extra strain can accelerate wear, overheat your transmission, and reduce your vehicle's braking effectiveness. The Roads Are Unforgiving Tight canyon roads with no shoulder. Steep drop-offs with minimal guardrails. Sharp corners with limited sight lines. A trailer that's slightly off-balance on a flat Kansas highway might be perfectly manageable. That same trailer on a hairpin turn above Glenwood Canyon is a completely different story. The 5 Most Dangerous Towing Mistakes We See at Hitch Corner We inspect and install hitches every single day. Here are the five problems we encounter most often - and why each one is more dangerous than most drivers realize. ❌ Mistake #1: Using the Wrong Hitch Class for Your Load Trailer hitches are rated in classes — Class I through Class V — each designed to handle a specific range of trailer weights and tongue loads. Here's a quick breakdown: Hitch Class Max Gross Trailer Weight Common Use Class I Up to 2,000 lbs Small bike racks, lightweight cargo Class II Up to 3,500 lbs Small utility trailers, canoes Class III Up to 8,000 lbs Most campers, boats, mid-size trailers Class IV Up to 10,000 lbs Large campers, heavy utility trailers Class V Up to 20,000+ lbs Commercial loads, heavy equipment Here's where people get into trouble: they guess. They bought a truck, assumed the dealer put on the right hitch, and never thought about it again. Or they bought a used vehicle and have no idea what class hitch is on it. Or they upgraded their trailer but never upgraded the hitch. A Class II hitch rated for 3,500 lbs cannot safely tow a 5,000-lb camper. Period. The hitch receiver can crack, the ball mount can fail, and the trailer can separate from the vehicle entirely. On a mountain road, that's not just a mechanical failure - it's a life-threatening emergency. What to do: Know your trailer's loaded weight (not just its dry weight - account for water, gear, food, bikes, and everything else you're packing). Then verify your hitch class matches or exceeds that weight. When in doubt, come see us. We'll check it for free. ❌ Mistake #2: Ignoring the Wiring Harness Your trailer's brake lights, turn signals, and running lights all depend on a properly functioning wiring harness connecting your tow vehicle to your trailer. It sounds basic. It should be basic. But wiring harnesses fail more often than you'd think - and when they do, the consequences are serious. Colorado winters are brutal on electrical connections. Road salt, moisture, temperature swings from -10°F to 80°F, and the constant vibration of mountain roads all take a toll on wiring connections over time. Corroded connectors, frayed wires, and loose grounds are incredibly common on vehicles that have been towing for more than two or three seasons. What happens when your trailer lights fail? The driver behind you on a foggy mountain pass has no warning when you brake. Your turn signal disappears when you're changing lanes on I-70. Your trailer becomes essentially invisible in low-light conditions. It's also worth noting: non-functioning trailer lights are a moving violation in Colorado. Officers on mountain corridors watch for this specifically. A faulty harness can mean a ticket before you even reach your destination. What to do: Test your trailer lights every single time before you depart - not just at the beginning of the season. Have your wiring harness professionally inspected at least once a year, especially if you tow frequently or park your trailer outdoors through the winter. ❌ Mistake #3: Incorrect Tongue Weight and Weight Distribution Tongue weight is the amount of your trailer's total weight that presses down on the hitch ball. It's one of the most misunderstood concepts in towing - and getting it wrong causes some of the most dangerous trailer behaviors on the road. Too little tongue weight (under 10% of total trailer weight): Your trailer's rear end becomes heavier than the front, which causes the trailer to sway back and forth like a pendulum. At highway speeds on a mountain highway, this sway can become violent and uncontrollable in seconds - a phenomenon called "trailer sway" or "fishtailing." Once a trailer starts to sway aggressively, it can pull the rear of your tow vehicle with it, flipping both vehicles. Too much tongue weight (over 15% of total trailer weight): The rear of your tow vehicle squats down, which lifts your front wheels slightly. Reduced front-wheel contact pressure means reduced steering effectiveness and reduced braking power on the front axle - exactly when you need it most on a mountain descent. The fix: Proper weight distribution starts with how you load your trailer (heavier items forward, balanced side to side) and is further corrected with a weight distribution hitch system on heavier trailer setups. A certified technician can verify your tongue weight with a scale and set up your weight distribution system correctly the first time. ❌ Mistake #4: No Brake Controller - or a Poorly Calibrated One If your trailer weighs more than 3,000 lbs loaded, Colorado law requires your trailer to have its own independent braking system. That means a brake controller installed in your tow vehicle that activates your trailer's electric brakes proportionally to how hard you're pressing your tow vehicle's brakes. A brake controller that isn't installed properly — or isn't calibrated correctly for your specific trailer - creates two dangerous scenarios: Under-braking: The trailer brakes don't activate with enough force. Your tow vehicle's brakes do all the work. Coming down a long mountain grade, this leads to brake fade, overheating, and potentially total brake failure. Over-braking: The trailer brakes lock up before the tow vehicle's brakes. This causes the trailer to push sideways, leading to - you guessed it - trailer sway. A properly installed and calibrated brake controller is one of the most important safety investments a Colorado tower can make. It's not optional, it's not just a nice upgrade - on heavy trailers in mountain terrain, it's the difference between a safe trip and a disaster. ❌ Mistake #5: Skipping the Pre-Trip Safety Inspection This might be the most common mistake of all - and the easiest to fix. Most people hitch up their trailer, check that it's attached, and drive away. They don't check the hitch ball tightness. They don't verify the safety chains are crossed correctly. They don't test the breakaway cable. They don't check tire pressure on the trailer. They don't confirm the trailer tongue is level. Each of these checks takes less than two minutes. Together, they take about fifteen minutes. And any one of them, if skipped, could be the thing that turns a beautiful Colorado weekend trip into a roadside emergency - or worse. We've put together a complete pre-trip safety checklist at the end of this article - download it, print it, and run through it every single time before you hit the road. What a Professional Hitch Installation Actually Includes There's a big difference between buying a hitch online and bolting it on yourself — and having a certified technician perform a professional installation. At Hitch Corner, every installation includes: Vehicle-Specific Hitch Selection - We don't grab whatever's on the shelf. We look up your exact vehicle year, make, model, and trim to identify the correct hitch with the proper fit, mounting points, and rating. A hitch that fits a 2019 Ford F-150 XLT is not necessarily the right hitch for a 2019 F-150 Platinum with a different frame configuration. Proper Torque Specifications - Every bolt on a hitch installation has a specific torque value specified by the manufacturer. Under-torqued bolts loosen over time and can allow the hitch to shift under load. Over-torqued bolts can strip threads or crack the hitch receiver. We use calibrated torque wrenches on every single installation. Wiring Harness Installation and Testing - We don't just plug in a connector and call it done. We test every circuit — brake lights, turn signals, running lights, and brake controller output — with a test trailer before the vehicle leaves our shop. Written Documentation - You receive a written record of what was installed, the hitch class and rating, and any notes from the technician. This matters for insurance purposes, warranty claims, and resale value. ✅ Final Road-Ready Verification - Before you drive away, we walk you through the installation, show you how to operate any new components, and answer every question you have. You leave knowing exactly what's on your vehicle and how to use it. Who Needs a Professional Hitch Inspection Right Now? You should schedule an inspection at Hitch Corner if any of the following apply to you: • ✔️ You bought a used vehicle and don't know the hitch history • ✔️ You upgraded to a larger trailer since your last hitch installation • ✔️ Your current hitch has visible rust, cracks, or physical damage • ✔️ Your trailer lights have been unreliable or intermittent • ✔️ It's been more than two years since your wiring harness was inspected • ✔️ You've never had a weight distribution or brake controller setup verified • ✔️ You're heading into the mountains for the first time this season • ✔️ Something just doesn't "feel right" when you tow That last one matters. Your instincts are good. If towing feels different than it used to - if there's more sway, more noise, more vibration, or something that's hard to put your finger on - trust it. Come see us. We'd rather spend thirty minutes finding nothing than have you discover a problem at 65 mph on Vail Pass. Hitch Corner: Littleton's Towing Specialists We opened Hitch Corner because we love Colorado - and because we got tired of seeing drivers hit these incredible mountain roads with equipment that wasn't up to the challenge. We are not a general auto shop that installs hitches on the side. We are not a big box retailer where a seasonal employee reads the instruction sheet while installing your hitch for the first time. We are dedicated hitch and towing specialists. It's all we do, and we do it better than anyone else in the Denver Metro area. What sets us apart: • Certified towing specialists - not general mechanics • Most appointments available in 2-3 days for installations, sometimes the same day • Experience with all makes and models - trucks, SUVs, minivans, cars • Transparent flat-rate pricing - no surprises at checkout • Locally owned and operated in Littleton, CO • Hundreds of five-star Google reviews from your neighbors Whether you need a simple Class III hitch for a bike rack, a utility trailer, a full towing package with weight distribution and brake controller for a fifth wheel, or just a quick safety inspection before your first trip of the season - we've got you covered. Ready to Hit the Road with Confidence? Don't let a preventable equipment failure ruin your Colorado adventure — or worse. Two easy ways to get started: 📥 Step 1: Download Your Free Colorado Towing Safety Checklist Our technicians use this exact checklist on every vehicle in our shop. Download it, print it, and run through it before every trip. 👉 Download the Free Checklist By Clicking On The Button Below This Text 📅 Step 2: Book Your Installation or Inspection Most appointments available in 2-3 days, sometimes the same day. Certified technicians. Transparent pricing. 📞 Call or Text us directly: 303-904-1558 📍 10677 W Centennial Rd. #103, Littleton, CO 80127 🕐 Open Monday–Friday: 8 AM – 5 PM Saturday: 8 AM - Noon Hitch Corner has been serving Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Englewood, Centennial, and the greater Denver Metro area for 36 years. We specialize in trailer hitch installation, wiring harness installation, weight distribution systems, brake controller installation, and towing safety inspections for all makes and models.