Trailer Hitch and Hitch-Mounted Cargo Carrier for 2005 Toyota Corolla

Question:

Hi - Im looking to get a trailer or carrier for my 2005 Corolla. Ive found a hitch that looks great item 24814 and the wire kits etc are good too, but not sure if I can find any trailers or carriers for my needs on this site. I would need something to haul Sheetrock, bags of mulch, or the occasional couch, to give an idea of what it will be used for. Based on my manual, the Corolla has a Gross Trailer Cap at 1500 Lbs. No tongue weight is listed, so I assume it would be about 10, so 150 Lbs. Any recommendations or ideas?

asked by: Matt S

Expert Reply:

Curt light-duty Class I hitch # C11265 is indeed a correct fit for your 2005 Toyota Corolla and provides a 200-lb maximum tongue weight (TW) capacity. In cases like yours where the car's TW capacity is likely to be lower (150-lbs) that lower limit does become the overall capacity for the system. Wiring harness # 55542 is a fit for your Corolla and installs without cutting or splicing any wires.

We do offer cargo carriers that will work great with a 1-1/4-inch Class I hitch like the Draw-Tite. You can click on the link provided to see them. These hitch carriers top out at 20-inches wide x 48-inches long, such as with the Curt # C18110. Note this carrier will also fit a 2-inch hitch, which is a bonus in case you ever want to use it on a different vehicle.

A full 4 x 8 piece of sheet rock or a sofa will not really fit well on this carrier, but other items like bags of mulch or stone will. You need to keep in mind your tongue weight carrying capacity. The car's 150-lb tongue weight is partly used up by the carrier's own weight, about 30-lbs, so your actual cargo weight capacity on this carrier would be a 120-lb maximum.

To transport a sofa or 6 full pieces of sheet rock, for example, you will need a small utility trailer such as one of those offered at home improvement or outdoor stores. All you'll need to add is a ball mount # 3593 and a hitch ball such as 1-7/8-inch # 19256.