Why Does Trailer Hitch for 2013 Toyota Sienna Have More Towing Capacity than the Vehicle

Updated 07/23/2020 | Published 07/22/2020

Question:

From my understanding, the maximum tow weight the car is rated is 3750lbs, your listed hitches for this van 3500, but there is a class III that is 4500 rated. So this hitch can handle 4500lb on my van?

asked by: Irwin Y

Expert Reply:

This is a really good question! So any towing setup is only as strong as it's weakest component. In some cases the hitches are over built for the vehicle like with the # 75237 which means you'd be limited to the capacity of the vehicle. So in your case it's 3,750 lbs. The reason this happens is that the manufacturers of the hitches come up with a design that fits the vehicle and then try to make it as strong as possible. They then independently test it for weight capacities and sometimes (most of the time) they end up stronger than the vehicle they were designed to fit.

The # 75237 is the highest rated hitch and the only option to give you your full capacity so it is your best option.

expert reply by: Jameson C