You might be someone who has bought a new trailer that does not have an in-built trailer hitch. Having a hitch installed in your trailer is very important. You never know when or where your trailer might break down, and you might need to get it towed. Trailers, being big and heavy vehicles, can be used to tow other smaller vehicles. So, investing in a hitch will be nothing but beneficial for your trailer.
As simple as installing a trailer hitch may sound, you might want to know a thing or two about the expenses that you will incur in its installation. Even though installing a hitch does not cost much, the net expenditure behind the entire process, including the labor charges, might cost you a bit more. Hence, it would help if you had a fair idea of how much it would cost before proceeding. Let us look into the matter above and more in this article.
How Much To Install a Trailer Hitch?
The cost of installing a trailer hitch depends on the type of hitch you are planning to install and the type of trailer. To install a general ball-type hitch, the expenses behind its parts will be around $150-$450, and the labor charges shall bear around $100-$250.
Is It Worth Installing A Hitch?
A trailer hitch is worth installing as it offers you a budget-friendly and hassle-free experience of taking your trailer outdoors. It is indeed a wise investment for anyone who owns a trailer. It frees any trailer owner from the inconvenience of constantly having to borrow or rent a pickup truck in cases of emergency while being out on the road.
Can A Mechanic Install A Trailer Hitch?
The process of installing a trailer hitch is not at all complicated, and it is something that can be carried out by a regular mechanic pretty seamlessly. It is also something that any trailer owner can easily carry out. Still, professional help from a mechanic is advisable because it takes a bit of skill and experience to get all the parts of the hitch connected properly. Since a mechanic’s help is necessary in this case, one must keep in mind the labor charges associated with the process. Usually, the labor expenses vary from $47 an hour to $215 an hour, depending on the profile of the mechanic.
Factors That Impact The Cost of Installing a Trailer Hitch
Multiple factors determine the cost of installing a trailer hitch. Let us discuss the various factors that are involved:
Towing capacity
A trailer hitch can carry loads varying from 2500lbs-20000lbs. The cost of a trailer hitch depends on how much load the hitch receiver can endure.
The estimated costs of trailer hitches corresponding to the quantity of load they can carry are as follows-
| Load carrying capacity | Cost |
| 2500lbs-3500lbs | $50-$250 |
| 3000lbs-10000lbs | $180-$800 |
| >1000lbs | $800-$2000 |
Type of hitch
Trailer hitches come in a myriad of types. The number of types can add up to as many as 20. It could get difficult for you to choose the type of hitch that would suit you the best, from so many options. To simplify your search, here is a list of the seven most common types of trailer hitches that are available-
| Type of Hitch | Cost |
| Bumper mounted | $50-$200 |
| Pintle hitch | $180-$250 |
| Gooseneck trailer hitch | $180-$600 |
| Front-mounted hitch | $200-$500 |
| Rear-mounted receiver hitch | $300-$650 |
| Weight distribution hitch | $300-$900 |
| 5th wheel hitch | $350-$2000 |
The cost of a trailer hitch is dependent on the position in which we mount it.
Customization
Occasionally, whether or not the hitch is going to require customization for it to attach itself properly to the chassis of your trailer depends on the receiver of the hitch and the type of trailer you own. Hence, the estimated cost of installation varies as follows-
| Category | Cost |
| In absence of customization | $180-$700 |
| With customization | $600-$2000 |
Trailer Hitch Installation Process
Let us look into the various steps that make up the installation process of a trailer hitch.
Removal of the spare tire
Most trailers have a spare tire attached to their rear end. You need to remove this spare tire to attach the trailer hitch. Detach the spare tire attached to the end of the trailer to access a few bolts and nuts necessary to connect the hitch to the trailer.
It is not a long drawn process, and it usually takes a skilled mechanic around 5-7 minutes to complete this step. If your trailer does not have a spare tire attached, you can skip this step.
Preparing the trailer for installation
After dismounting the spare tire, the next step involves clearing the remaining region to make room for the trailer hitch to be attached to the trailer. More often than not, a trailer has various other components attached to it other than the spare tire. You must remove these components before installing the hitch.
The time taken by the mechanic to carry out this process will depend on the type of trailer that they will be working with here. The more parts to be dismounted, the more time it will consume. But usually, it should not take the mechanic more than 30 minutes to complete this step.
Attaching the hitch
On completing the steps above, you can remove the spare tire and other parts. Once over, it is time for the hitch to be attached to the trailer. The time that you will require to install the hitch will depend on the type of hitch which is to be attached. It depends on the quality of the fitting of the hitch. In the hands of an adept mechanic, this process will not take a lot of time to finish. Usually, it should not take more than 30 to 35 minutes to complete this step. Once the hitch is successfully attached, the installation process is complete, and you can lower the trailer.
Where To Find The Best Trailer Hitch Installers?
If you are looking for professional help to install a trailer hitch, here is a list of the top trailer hitch installers that provide you with nationwide services.
U-Haul
U-haul’s services are available all across the country, and their services are famous for being affordable.
Look out for some hidden prices in their offers, and you should be good to go.
Pep Boys
Pep Boys’ services nationwide and have a name for providing easy and seamless booking services. Even though their customer service is average, they are a trustworthy firm.
Hitch King
Hitch King provides their customers with fast service, and their customer service is also very prompt and dependable. Their only drawback happens to be the lack of availability of their services in quite a few locations.
Amazon
Availability of their services in remote locations might be a problem, but Amazon is a safe bet. Amazon provides its customers with great competitive pricing. You can compare multiple prices and choose the best offer that will suit you.
E Trailers
According to their reviews, E Trailer provides good customer support, but they can sometimes fall short of delivering fast services.
Conclusion
If you have read up to this point in the article, it is safe to assume that you are either a trailer owner or someone who plans to buy one soon. Among the many things, one must educate oneself about before buying a trailer, maintaining a proper safety protocol should be one of the priorities.
Do not forget to install a trailer hitch to save yourself the hassle.
Suppose your trailer breaks down while you are out on the road and requires you to tow; not having a trailer hitch installed in your trailer can cause you a lot of trouble. This article will provide you with all you need to know about trailer hitches and help you make the right decision.
