Curt vs. Draw-Tite Hitch for a 2009 Subaru Forester XT

Published 03/26/2012

Products Featured in This Question

Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"

(437)

$214.77

Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"

(248)

$209.31

Question:

Im trying to decide between the Curt Class III 2inch trailer hitch and the Draw-Tite Class III 2inch hitch for my 2009 Subaru Forester XT. One is round tubing, the other is square. The Curt hitch is also 4 lbs heavier than the the Draw-Tite. I am planning on mounting a fairly heavy ~70 lbs bike rack to the hitch that will hold 4 bikes. This setup when loaded will be close to the max tongue weight for the vehicle of 200 lbs but I see the rating for both hitches is well over that. I guess Im just wanting to know if there are any advantages ignoring costs of one hitch over the other and which you would recommend for my uses. I dont plan on towing anything in the near future, so that is not a concern for me. Thanks, Jason

asked by: Jason

Expert Reply:

Either the Curt Hitch # 13147 or the Draw-Tite Hitch # 75650 would work very well for you. The main difference between the two is the tube design like you noticed. There is not an advantage to having a round tube over a square tube hitch or vice versa. Some people just prefer the look of one over the other. Check out the picture I attached that shows both hitches installed on a vehicle so you can see which look you prefer.

When determining the towing capacity of a setup you must always go with the lowest rated component in your setup as the overall towing capacity. So if your vehicle has a tongue weight rating of 200 lbs then that would be the overall capacity of your setup.

I attached installation instructions and installation videos for both of these hitches for you to check out also.

expert reply by: Jameson C