Towing Guide
What kind of trailer do you have, what receiver does your truck have, and why air ride beats rigid. Everything you need before you buy — nothing you don't.
Start here
Brand new to towing? Four answers in 30 seconds.
Which kind of trailer do I have?
Bumper-pull, gooseneck, or 5th-wheel. The hitch family follows from that.
See the three typesWhat size receiver does my truck have?
Most half-tons = 2". 2015+ ¾ & 1-tons = 2½". A handful of dually F-350s = 3".
Find yoursHow heavy can I tow?
Lower of (truck rating, hitch rating, and tire/axle limits). Always weigh loaded.
GTW & TW basicsWhy air ride?
Air bag at the coupling absorbs road shock. Smoother tow, less wear, ~1–2 MPG.
See the comparisonWhat kind of trailer do you have?
Three categories cover almost everything. Identify yours first — every other decision flows from this one.
Bumper Pull
Tag-along / Travel trailer
Towed off the receiver at the back of your truck or SUV. The most common setup.
Receiver hitch — 1¼", 2", 2½", or 3"
Gooseneck
Round ball in the bed
A 2-5/16" or 3" ball mounted in the center of the truck bed. The trailer coupler drops over it.
Gooseneck hitch & coupler — air-ride or rigid
5th Wheel Camper
Plate + kingpin in the bed
A bulky plate in the truck bed locks onto a kingpin on the camper's pin box.
5th wheel hitch — or Quick Air pin-box conversion
What size receiver does your truck have?
Measure inside-tube to inside-tube. If you're unsure, measure — generation changes can fool you.
| Receiver size | Class | Max GTW | Common vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1¼" | Class I / II | Up to 3,500 lbs | Sedans, crossovers, compact SUVs |
| 2" | Class III / IV | Up to ~12,000 lbs | Half-ton pickups (F-150, 1500), full-size SUVs, mid-size trucks, pre-2015 ¾-ton & 1-ton |
| 2½" | Class V | Up to ~20,000 lbs | 2015+ ¾-ton & 1-ton (F-250/350, Silverado HD 2500/3500, Ram 2500/3500) |
| 3" | Class V+ | 20,000+ lbs | Select 2017+ Ford Super Duty F-350 / F-450 dually |
How much drop or rise do you need?
Two measurements, one subtraction. The trailer should ride level when hooked up — anything else means a different ball mount.
Measure the truck
Ground to the top of the receiver tube, truck on level ground.
Measure the trailer
Ground to the bottom of the coupler, trailer on level ground and uncoupled.
Subtract
Receiver − coupler. Positive = drop. Negative = rise. Round to the nearest standard size.
GTW & tongue weight in 30 seconds
Two numbers, three rules. Get them right and the rest of the setup falls into place.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
Total weight of the loaded trailer — cargo, fuel, water, gear. Must stay below both your vehicle's tow rating and your hitch's rating.
Weigh at a CAT scale fully loaded. Dry weight lies.
Tongue Weight (TW)
Downward force the coupler puts on the ball. Target 10–15% of GTW for bumper-pull. Too low = sway. Too high = squat.
Shift cargo forward/back to dial it in.
Which hitch for which job
If your trailer's on this list, the matching hitch family will fit.
Bumper-pull receiver / tongue mount
- Travel trailers, campers, pop-ups
- Boat, snowmobile, ATV, motorcycle
- Utility, dump, cargo, enclosed
- Horse, livestock, farm, race
- Skid steer, flatbed, equipment haulers
Gooseneck
- Horse, livestock, race trailers
- Flatbed, car hauler, dump
- Hay, grain cart, tilt-deck
- Living-quarter & toy hauler (use 9" offset coupler)
- Heavy industrial up to 25,000 lbs
5th-wheel camper
- RV / 5th-wheel campers (any pin box)
- Conversion to gooseneck ball (Quick Air kit)
- Lippert, Curt, Rota-Flex, FabEx, Rhino Box, RBW pin boxes
5th wheel vs gooseneck — how to tell
Two-second visual test: what's in your truck bed when the trailer's off?
5th Wheel
Do you back up until a pin locks into a bulky horseshoe-shaped plate?
- Coupling
- Articulating jaws lock onto a kingpin (no ball)
- Bed
- Large plate stays in the bed (semi-permanent)
- Typical
- RV / 5th-wheel campers
Gooseneck
Do you drop a coupler over a ball in the center of the truck bed?
- Coupling
- 2-5/16" or 3" ball, easily removable
- Bed
- Clean bed when removed
- Typical
- Horse, flatbed, livestock, race, living quarter
Got a 5th wheel but want a gooseneck ball setup? Quick Air 5th-to-Gooseneck conversion replaces the pin box.
Why air ride beats rigid
A rigid hitch transfers 100% of road shock from trailer to truck. An air bag in the coupling absorbs it before it ever gets there.
Rigid hitch
- 100% of road shock transfers to truck + trailer
- Wears suspension, frame welds, cargo
- No built-in sway dampening
- Stiffness is fixed — can't tune to load
Shocker Air Ride
- Air bag absorbs shock at the coupling
- Reduces wear on truck, trailer, cargo
- Tunable PSI — heavy or light load, same smooth ride
- 1–2 MPG improvement reported by customers
- Installs in 2 minutes (receiver) or 5–10 (gooseneck/5th)
Ready to pick yours?
Pick your trailer type and we'll narrow it to the exact hitch in under a minute.