2005 Buick Lacrosse Hitch Capacity for Using Hitch-Mounted Wheelchair Carrier

Updated 05/25/2016 | Published 05/24/2016

Question:

i just purchased a power wheelchair carrier my wheelchair weight is about 230lbs the carrier say 200lbs for class 2 and 400lbs for class 3 . they don t make a class 3 for my buick lacross .does this mean that maybe i need to sent back? i called the company spinlife and they said that it means it can go like 250lbs for class 2

asked by: Joe R

Helpful Expert Reply:

The hitch you have installed on your 2005 Buick Lacrosse is a 1-1/4-inch Class II type like those shown on the linked page. The highest capacity option is the Curt # C12239 which offers a 350-lb tongue weight (TW) capacity; the others are rated for 300-lbs. Your hitch will have a safety sticker that indicates its TW rating.

This means that with this Curt hitch the combined weight of your chair and carrier cannot exceed the hitch's 350-lb rating, or the car's own TW rating, which could be less. Check your owner's manual to be sure.

If your chair weighs 230-lbs, then this means your carrier could weigh as much as 120-lbs and still have the combination's total weight stay with the 350-lb hitch capacity.

Two articles concerning hitch sizes and ratings are linked for your reference.

You are correct that no 2-inch Class III hitches are made for your LaCrosse.

expert reply by: Adam R