How to Select a Trailer Hitch
Why a larger crossover often lands on a Class 3 card with a 2 inch receiver even when the door sticker keeps trailer weight modest.
Watch on YouTube →Factory Hitch: Keep or Replace (Canada)
Already have a factory hitch on your truck or SUV in Canada? You do not automatically need to rip it off. Plenty of people keep the OEM receiver for a bike rack, a cargo carrier, or light trailering that stays inside the door-sticker numbers. Other owners upgrade when the factory tube is the wrong size, worn, rated too low for the trailer they actually pull, or missing the wiring path they need. This guide is the practical keep-or-replace conversation we have at the counter.
Canada shoppers, start honest. Free shipping on CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts when the SKU is live on this store.
Pair this page with
what hitch class do I need,
hitch for bike rack only, and
trailer tongue weight explained.
Prefer the full index?
Open the towing guides hub.
Watch these CURT videos first
All four videos are from the official CURT YouTube channel (@curtmfg). Use them for class selection, install habits, wiring basics, and ball-mount height before you dig into the cards below.
If an embed does not load, use the YouTube link under the card.
CURT Install Techniques
General install habits. Finish with the instruction sheet for your exact year card — generations are not interchangeable.
Watch on YouTube →Trailer Wiring Harness Basics
Useful before you order a custom four-flat, or while you wait on a harness we do not stock for your year yet.
Watch on YouTube →Ball Mount and Trailer Ball
Published Class 3 cards here use a 2 inch opening. Match the shank to the tube you actually bolt on, then set drop so the trailer sits level.
Watch on YouTube →When the factory receiver is enough
Keep the factory hitch when it is solid, the receiver opening matches the accessories you own, and your trailer or rack stays inside both the vehicle rating and the hitch rating. Many Canadian SUVs and trucks leave the dealer with a 2 inch receiver that happily runs a bike rack or a small utility trailer on weekends.
Bike-rack-only owners are the classic keep case. If you never plan to tow a real trailer, a clean OEM tube with a proper pin, clip, and hitch cover is often all you need. Read the bike-rack-only guide before you spend money replacing metal that already works.
Light towing can also stay on the factory hitch when tongue weight and gross trailer weight sit comfortably under the lowest limit on the door sticker, the hitch label, and the trailer plate. The lowest number wins — not the marketing number on a forum post.
When people upgrade anyway
Upgrade when the factory receiver is damaged, rusted through at the welds, or bent from a curb strike. A cracked OEM tube is not a “good enough for bikes” situation — replace it.
Upgrade when the opening is wrong for what you bought. Some factory packages use a smaller receiver. If your bike rack or cargo carrier needs a 2 inch shank and the OEM tube is 1.25 inch, you either need a different accessory or a different hitch — a cheap reducer is not magic for heavy loads.
Upgrade when your real trailer outgrows the factory rating even though the truck feels strong. Class labels and OEM tow packages are not the same thing. If you are stepping into weight distribution, electric trailer brakes, or a travel trailer that loads the tongue hard, read hitch class and tongue weight before you trust the chrome receiver that came with the trim package.
Upgrade when you want a CURT custom-fit path with clear year coverage on this store. Some factory hitches are fine mechanically but leave you guessing about aftermarket ball mounts, wiring, and accessories. A published CURT card with a live product link is easier to support.
Keep
OEM still earns its keep
Solid tube, correct opening, loads inside every published limit, and you mostly carry bikes or light cargo.
Replace
Time for a new receiver
Bent or rusty metal, wrong receiver size, trailer that exceeds the OEM hitch rating, or you need a documented aftermarket card.
Bike rack
Not the same as towing
A rack stresses tongue weight and clearance differently than a trailer. Keep the OEM hitch if it fits — still respect tongue limits.
Real towing
Sticker first
Travel trailers, loaded utility trailers, and boats care about tongue weight, brakes, and wiring — not just whether a ball fits the tube.
Bike rack versus real towing
A hitch-mounted bike rack is an accessory load on the receiver. It still counts against tongue capacity, and a loaded e-bike rack can surprise people who thought “bike rack only” meant unlimited. Measure the rack weight plus bikes, keep the load tight to the vehicle, and use a hitch lock or sturdy pin so the rack cannot walk out of the tube.
Real towing adds trailer brakes, safety chains, lighting, and often a ball mount with the correct drop. The factory hitch might still be the right receiver — but the rest of the system has to show up. If you are only racking bikes today and towing next summer, plan the wiring and ball mount now so you are not improvising at a boat ramp.
Wiring is still required
A factory receiver does not automatically mean trailer lights will plug in. Some OEM tow packages include a harness and a seven-way. Many “hitch prep” packages include the receiver only. If your plug is missing, corroded, or the wrong style for your trailer, you still need wiring — whether you keep the factory hitch or bolt on a CURT receiver.
Custom four-flat harnesses and seven-way upgrades are vehicle-specific. Do not assume the harness from a similar trim year fits. Start with the wiring guide, then match the harness to your year page when we publish one.
| Question | What to do |
|---|---|
| Is the OEM tube straight and solid? | Keep if yes. Replace if bent, cracked, or heavily rusted at the welds. |
| Does the opening match your gear? | 1.25 inch versus 2 inch matters for racks and mounts. See the receiver size guide. |
| Are you bike-rack only? | Often keep. Read the bike-rack-only guide and watch tongue weight. |
| Are you towing a real trailer? | Compare vehicle, hitch, and trailer limits. Add wiring and brakes as required. |
| Do lights work today? | If not, fix wiring whether you keep or replace the receiver. |
Parts that help either path
Whether you keep the factory hitch or move to a CURT receiver, a cover and a lock keep the tube clean and harder to borrow. We stock simple accessories for that job.
In stock
CURT 22272 receiver cover
2 inch tube cover to keep dirt and road salt out when the hitch sits empty.
In stock
CURT 23518 hitch lock
Locking pin option for racks and mounts that share the receiver.
Step 1Read every label
Door sticker, hitch label, and trailer plate — the lowest number wins.
Step 2Decide the job
Bike rack only, light utility trailer, or real travel trailer with brakes.
Step 3Inspect the tube
Rust, cracks, and wrong receiver size push you toward replacement.
Step 4Finish the system
Wiring, ball mount, pin or lock, and tongue weight — not just the receiver.
Related guides we do publish
What hitch classClass context before you upgrade
Bike rack onlyWhen a hitch is just for bikes
Tongue weightThe number that bites people
Receiver size1.25 inch versus 2 inch
Cover versus lockKeep the tube protected
Wiring guideLights still matter with OEM hitches
Towing guides hubAll vehicle and topic guides
Start with hitch class
If you are replacing the factory receiver, pick the class that matches the job — then shop a CURT card for your year.
Open hitch class guide →Mostly carrying bikes? Open hitch for bike rack only. Need the tongue-weight talk? Open tongue weight explained.
Lots of Parts · Canada factory-hitch advice that helps you keep a good OEM receiver, replace a bad one, and remember that wiring and tongue weight still matter. No fake reviews, no scare tactics.
