Pickup Truck Hitches & Installation

Apr 19, 2023

Load up and load out with a truck hitch from a trusted manufacturer. Hitches provide a safe and easy solution for towing a trailer; not only can you transport more cargo, but trailers can distribute cargo weight, protect your vehicle in low speed rear accidents, and provide stability for tight turns.

Truck hitch installation is a must for many industries. Let Merchants Commercial help you find a vendor who can upfit your vehicle and get you back on the road in no time.

Truck Hitch Options & Offerings

Ideal Trucks for Hitches

Common Commercial Upfits: Makes and Models

Industries That Commonly Use Truck Hitches

The Merchants Commercial Upfitting Process

Your Connection to Truck Upfitting Services

Truck Hitch Options & Offerings

There are multiple types of truck hitches and related accessories out there, each best suited for a specific purpose.

Hitch Receiver: If your vehicle is not equipped with a pintle hole — a hole in the rear bumper for a hitch mount — you will need a hitch receiver. The receiver is mounted underneath the rear bumper and provides a hollow tube into which a hitch mount can be inserted.

Bumper Hitch: This type of hitch bolts directly underneath your vehicle’s bumper and provides a pintle hole for a ball mount or other posted hitch attachment. Bumper hitches are height adjustable and capable of towing up to thousands of pounds of cargo, depending on the towing capacity of the vehicle’s bumper.

Ball Hitch: This hitch consists of a ball-shaped mount inserted into the vehicle’s hitch receiver or pintle hole. A ball hitch trailer is attached via a hollow, rounded coupler that slips over the ball mount and is held in place with a pin. Ball hitches are ideal for small to midsize trailers transporting boats, livestock, landscaping equipment, and more.

Pintle Hitch: Pintle hitches consist of a heavy-duty hook that attaches to a lunette ring on a trailer. A spring-loaded metal arm locks the pintle hook in a closed position, allowing the lunette ring to pivot freely as the vehicle turns. Pintle hitches are used for more heavy-duty towing needs than ball hitches, since the hook-and-lunette combination allows for a larger range of motion.

Fifth Wheel Hitch: Specifically designed to tow travel trailers and campers with king pin box couplers, fifth wheel hitches are bolted directly to the truck bed, just behind the cab. The hitch mechanism consists of a pair of interlocking metal “jaws” that snap shut when engaged. With the truck’s tailgate lowered, the driver backs up until the camper’s king pin slides into the hitch mouth and the jaws close around it. It’s important to note that cargo cannot be stowed in the truck bed when using a fifth wheel hitch, since the tailgate remains open to accommodate the connection.

Gooseneck Hitch: A gooseneck hitch coupling works similarly to a ball hitch. The body of the gooseneck hitch is installed underneath the truck bed, and a ball mount and two safety chain anchors protrude up through holes drilled in the center of the bed. Just as with a fifth wheel hitch, the truck’s tailgate is lowered as the trailer coupler is placed over the ball mount, locked and secured with chains. Gooseneck hitches are capable of hauling tens of thousands of pounds, and are frequently used to haul heavy-duty farm trailers and flatbeds.

Front Hitch Receiver: Bolted under a truck’s front bumper, front hitch receivers can accommodate plough attachments, towing hooks, and any other type of compatible hitch mount. Front hitch receivers make it much easier to maneuver down a boat launch or park a trailer in a tight spot, since the driver has full visibility of their cargo.

Truck hitches are also divided into classes based on their towing weight capacity. A Class 3 or 4 hitch is usually appropriate for a pickup truck used for recreational or commercial purposes.

Hitch Class	Designated Vehicles	Gross Trailer Weight	Receiver Size	Common Tow Applications
1	Passenger car, Crossover utility vehicle (CUV)	2,000 lbs.	1-1¼ inch	Small cargo trailers, bike racks, small boats
2	Sedan, Minivan, CUV	3,500 lbs.	1-1¼ inch	Small campers, mid-sized trailers and boats
3	Minivan, Small to Midsize Pickup Truck, SUV	8,000 lbs.	2 inches	Utility trailers, campers, mid-sized boats
4	Large Pickup Truck, SUV	10,000 lbs.	2 inches	Full-size campers/boats, large utility trailers
5 – Extra Duty	Commercial Truck, Heavy-duty Vehicle	16,000–17,000 lbs.	2-2½ inches	Flat-bed utility trailers, livestock trailers, large campers/boats
5 – Commercial Duty	Dually and Chassis Cab Trucks	18,000–20,000 lbs.	2½ inches	Flat-bed utility trailers, large boats and livestock trailers, deluxe RV campers

Ideal Trucks for Hitches

Just about any pickup truck can accommodate a hitch. When considering a truck for towing, be sure to note its gross combined weight rating (GCWR) — this is the maximum weight of a fully loaded truck (including its passengers and fuel) hauling a fully loaded trailer. If you know your pickup truck’s GCWR, you will know exactly how much cargo it can safely tow, which will help you determine which class of hitch you need.

A vehicle’s towing capacity is the maximum amount of weight it can safely tow without exceeding its GCWR. Most trucks have a capacity range to account for different engines. Some of the best pickup trucks for towing include:

Ford Ranger
- Towing Capacity: 3,500–7,500 lbs.

Chevrolet Colorado
- Towing Capacity: 3,500–7,700 lbs.

Chevy Silverado 1500
- Towing Capacity: 8,900–9,500 lbs.

Ford F150
- Towing Capacity: 5,000–11,300 lbs.

Toyota Tundra
- Towing Capacity: 8,300–12,000 lbs.

RAM 1500
- Towing Capacity: 7,730–12,750 lbs.

GMC Sierra 1500
- Towing Capacity: 9,400–13,000 lbs.

Common Commercial Upfits: Makes and Models

We partner with trusted vendors who can upfit any Class 1 to Class 8 work truck, including:

Ford Transit and Transit Connect
Ford F150
Ford Super Duty (F250, F350, F450, F550)
Chevrolet Silverado (1500, 2500, 3500)
Dodge RAM (1500, 2500, 3500 HD)
Kenworth T370
Isuzu NPR & NQR
Toyota Tundra
Mitsubishi Fuso
Freightliner M2106
Peterbilt 576
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Hino M Series

Shop Used Commercial Trucks

Industries That Commonly Use Truck Hitches

Many industries require truck hitch upfits to haul necessary equipment and move cargo. We can help you upfit your commercial pickup truck with an appropriate hitch for any of the following applications:

Don’t see your industry here? Reach out to see how we can accommodate your truck hitch installation needs.

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The Merchants Commercial Upfitting Process

We can connect you to commercial truck upfitting services at any time following your purchase from Merchants.

First, we’ll spec the best aftermarket equipment for your needs. Then we’ll choose the most qualified upfit vendors for the job and act as a single point of contact between you, your drivers, the OEM, and vendors.

Choose from one of our standard or customized upfit packages, and we’ll make all the necessary calls. If you aren’t sure exactly what you’re looking for, or if you have questions about certain upfits, our dedicated team can help steer you in the right direction.

Your Connection to Truck Upfitting Services

Whether you’re looking to add simple touches or completely renovate your truck’s interior, we’ll ensure any type of upfitting is done efficiently and that your vehicles are exactly to your specifications.