Pickups come with numerous purposes. However, there are two main uses – the bed on its open body and the strength as a small truck. They have the ability to transport huge amount and heavy things. In fact, they come with huge strength, you could even upgrade your truck which leads for your truck to be more useful. This upgrade could be adding a hitch to your truck.
By adding a hitch to your truck, you will be able to tow. Hitches could also mount other useful equipment on your truck. For example, you could add a crane to your truck. If you wish to add a hitch to your truck and maximize its purpose, you came to the right place. In this article, we shall provide you the best trailer hitch for Subaru Outback.
Best Trailer Hitch Review
Reese Towpower 21536
If you are just starting to explore to upgrade your Subaru Outback, Reese Towpower 21536 is a great option. It comes with amazing specs and is a good starter kit. It is easy to use and it is very strong. In fact, this trailer hitch comes with the ability to sustain six thousand pounds of straining pressure.
The Reese Towpower 21536 comes with a nine inch shank which is an inch in diameter, two inch drop and three quarters inch rise. This allows you to have enough space for turning. Its hitch ball has a pin and a clip as well.
This hitch is perfect for beginners. It is sturdy, durable and easy to use. When you purchase this hitch, you would be pleased to know that the whole thing is already assembled.
Pros:
- Adjustable rise and drop
- Easy to use
- 9 inches shank
Cons:
- Removing or replacing the ball could be a challenge
Rugged Ridge Black Receiver Hitch Kit
This kit is considered as one of the most reliable hitch kits. It comes with a two in one type of hitch. Hence, if you want to get serious with upgrading your Subaru outback, then this one is a perfect partner.
The Rugged Ridge Black Receiver Hitch comes with a 3500 lbs towing capacity. Its package include tow hooks, hitches and even other towing accessories/kits. Moreover, this kit has weight distributed equally in its equipment and it has two inch opening. It could be used for receiver bicycle racks and receiver shackles and receiver tow hooks. It is highly accurate and it comes with extra towing materials.
Pros:
- 3500 lbs
- Versatile
- Perfect fit
Cons:
- Installation could be challenging especially if you do not have much experience.
Uriah UT623410 Drop Ball Mount
This hitch is a perfect partner for towing. It is adjustable and interchangeable. It is very useful and versatile as well. It could handle up to 12,000 pounds of load and it could fit into 2 inch square receiver. Its package include three independent steel, chrome plated hitch balls and two locking hitch pins. If you are looking for a hitch that would work for any basic towing needs, the Uriah UT623410 is your best bet.
Pros:
- Versatile
- Comes with all common hitch ball sizes
- Could handle up to 12,000 pounds
Cons:
- Could only work on 2 inch hitch receivers
B&W TS10048B Tow and Stow Magnum Receiver
If you are looking for a hitch that would give you worth or value for you money, then, this one is your best bet. It is considered as all in one and easy to install. It comes with three balls and what is more amazing is that you would not need to interchange the balls according to your needs. All you have to do is just rotate them and you are good to go. It comes with five inch drop or rise and could fit into a 2 inch receiver hitch. It has the ability to tow up to 10,000 lbs. This hitch is definitely strong and durable.
Pros:
- 3 ball sizes
- Ball mount could be rotated
- 10,000 lbs towing capacity
Cons:
- Works on 2 inch hitch receivers only
Andersen Rapid Hitch 3410
This on comes with a 6 inch drop and rise which makes it easier to adjust. It has two ball mounts and 2 inch ball mount. It has the ability to tow up between 8000 lbs to 10,000 lbs. It is easy to adjust and rotate the balls. It is very strong and is made of aircraft grade aluminum. It has the ability to resist rust and could handle extreme temperatures. This hitch is low maintenance as well.
Pros:
- 8000 to 10,000 lbs towing capacity
- 2 ball mounts
- low maintenance
Cons:
- Fits only 2 inch receivers
How to Choose the Best Trailer Hitch
When choosing a tailer hitch, we understand how confusing and frustrating it could be especially with the numerous products in the market. Though that is the case, do not worry as through this article, we shall guide you through it. Here are some factors you should consider when choosing a trailer hitch.
Strength
Strength means the amount of how much load you could mount to hitch. To put it simply, it is the amount of weight you could tow. This factor is actually one of the first things you must consider.
Strength could also mean the durability of the hitch. Could it withstand weather and natural elements such as rain, snow, mud, dust or road salt and could it resist rust?
There are several grades which you could use as a reference. First class means it has the strength of handling up to 2000 pounds. Second class up to 3,500 pounds, Third class up to 5,000 pounds and fourth class up to 10,000 pounds and the last class.
Receiver Tube Size
With this factor, there are three options 1-1/4 in. which is perfect for the first strength classes of towing, 2 in. is usually for the third and fourth classes of towing strength, and 2-1/2 in. for the fifth class of towing strength. If you are choosing for your Subaru Outback, we suggest that you go for the first two categories of towing strength which means you will be needing 1-1/4 receiver.
Ball Mount
This would depend on your towing capacity. The usual ball mount sizes would be 2 inches and 2-5/16 inches.
Rise and Drop
This is the height of the hitch in terms of the trailer that the hitch will be towing. Hence, when you are choosing the rise and drop, we suggest for you to check how high your vehicle is from the ground. Keep in mind that your hitch’s height must not exceed it. Another thing that you must consider is its ability to adjust and how much it could adjust.
FAQs
What are other types of trailer hitch ball mounts?
There are standard hitch ball mount and trailer hitch ball mounts which could vary depending on its shank sizes, capacity and degrees of drop and rise.
What are the things you must consider when purchasing a hitch ball mount?
There are three things you must consider and they are the following:
- weight of the one you would want to tow
- Size of the receiver tube
- how much drop and rise your ball mount
What is drop and rise in towing?
It is the height difference between trailer and tow vehicle.
Conclusion
Trailer hitch is an amazing tool which could upgrade your Subaru Outback. However, it could be tricky especially when you are choosing the best one that would best suit your needs. We hope that through this article we were able to provide you useful information in choosing one that would best suit your preference and need.