What Is Tongue Weight And Hitch That Will Fit On 2009 Honda Element

Question:

I am considering installing the Curt Class 1 #C11699 hitch on my 2009 Honda Element. I will be pulling a @750-800 lb. hot dog trailer. What exactly is tongue weight and will this hitch suffice?

asked by: Mike M

Expert Reply:

The first thing you will want to check in the owners manual or with the car dealer is the GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating). The GCVWR is the weight capacity for your vehicle, which includes the vehicle, trailer and the contents.

The Trailer Hitch for the 2009 Honda Element, # C11700, will only work on a 2009 Honda Element that is not an SC model. If your vehicle is not a SC model then it would fit and work fine for towing the 750-800 lb. trailer. The Gross Towing Weight on the Curt, # C11700, is 2,000 lbs. and a tongue weight of 200 lbs.

The tongue weight is the downward pressure placed on the hitch ball by the coupler on the trailer. The tongue weight is 10 to 15 per cent of the overall trailer weight. On your trailer that is 800 lb., the tongue weight would be about 80-120 lbs., which would be fine for that hitch.

If you have the SC model then you could use the Curt Trailer Hitch for the 2009 Honda Element, # C11699. It has a Gross Towing Weight of 2,000 lbs. and a tongue weight of 200 lbs.

The wiring harness to use would be the Tow Ready Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring for the 2009 Honda Element, # 118465.

I am sending two links of the installation instructions on both hitches.