Which Hitch Should be Used To Tow a 1,000 Pound Water Craft Trailer Load

Question:

I need to install a trailer hitch to towe a water craft of about 1000 Ib load. and have the following cars, Mazda 5. 2009 with 2.4 engine. Pontiac Grand Am, 3.4 Engine. 1- Which one of these two cars, are more conveniant for towing. Both cars are in very good shape and I will keep them for long ? 2- Can I do it my self , or the job needs to be completed at an auto workshop, I am a handyman. Thank you

asked by: Raouf H

Expert Reply:

The hitches for a 2009 Mazda 5 can handle up to a 2,000 pound trailer load. You could use part # 11338 or part # 24773. Part 11338 comes with a drawbar and pin and clip. You will need to check the owner manual for the Mazda 5 to see what the maximum tow capacity is. It may be less than the hitches. You must always abide by the weight capacity of the lowest rated component whether that is vehicle or hitch.

Of those 2 vehicles, I would tow with the Grand Am. It has a larger engine and is a larger vehicle with presumably a heavier frame. Without the year though, I cannot recommend a hitch. Again, you need to check the owner manual to see what the towing capacity of the vehicle is.

Hitch installs are pretty straight forward and do not need to be done by a mechanic. A person with basic mechanical knowledge and tools should be able to install the above hitches in 40 minutes to an hour. I have included a link of a similar hitch being installed on a 2008 Mazda 5.

expert reply by: Patrick B