Can Weight distribution Or Sway Control Be Used for 1000 lb Trailer Towed by Honda Civic.

Question:

I am looking for advice about setting up a trailer for optimum safety. I will be towing a 4foot trailer with gross weight of about 800 pounds with a honda civic. This is at the upper threshold of towing capacity for the car. Several thousand mile trip, and no prior towing data for this vehicle. What I am looking for is the maximum protection against potential poor towing performance. I would like to know if either a sway control bracket, or a weight distribution hitch would be useful, or an option at all. For the sway bracket the trailer is a straight tongue, not an A style, so Im not sure if it is a possibility, or even useful with an 800lb load. I am interested in adverse condition maneuverability someone cutting you off at 65mph. I do know that proper loading is the primary performance element. For the weight distribution hitch, Im not even sure one exists for a trailer with a gross weight of 1000 pounds max. Its an extremely light weight, so I wasnt sure it would be an option. I am a cautious driver, but am looking to set up this 800lb loaded trailer with brakes, and a sway kit or weight distribution kit so I can hit the highway and not have the trailer be potential liability. Thanks for any info.

asked by: Lance M

Expert Reply:

The presence of a hitch receiver on a vehicle does not automatically mean the vehicle is suited for towing. Some vehicles that can accept a hitch receiver can do so only for purposes of carrying a bike or luggage rack. In my research I did find comments from Civic owners indicating that they have towed with their vehicles despite them not being rated for such use, but for reasons of safety the final word must come from the manufacturer.

You can confirm in your Honda Civic owners manual the rated towing capacity for your specific vehicle. Such ratings can vary across model years and vehicle styles. If you cannot confirm the gross tow rating in your manual I suggest you provide your VIN number to a local Honda dealer so he can verify its towing capacity.

A hitch receiver must be specifically rated for use with a weight distribution system. All hitches offered for the Civic are Class I, rated for light duty. Class I hitches cannot be used with any sort of weight distribution or sway control system. Weight distribution systems are suited for Class III and above hitch receivers, which are not available for your vehicle. I have attached an article on weight distribution that might be helpful in providing some background on this type of equipment. I also included a link to an article concerning the different classes of hitch receivers and their capacities.

If your Civic does not already have a flat 4-pole trailer plug (at or under the rear bumper) for connection to your trailer lights we can supply one if you wish to provide your specific model year and version. For example, Curt offers part # C56175 which will fit many model years of Civic Coupe, Sedan and Hatchback.
This harness connects to your Civic taillight wiring and provides stop, turn and tail light signals to your trailer through the included 4-pole connector.

You are correct that careful loading of your trailer will go a long way toward maintaining its stability at highway speeds. It is a good idea to keep the heaviest items as low as possible and evenly distributed across both wheels. I have also linked an article with basic towing tips that might help you.

expert reply by: Adam R