Recommended Trailer Hitch Receiver And Wiring For Towing 1700lb Trailer With 2016 Kia Sportage

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Question:

I am looking for advice on what I need to tow a 16 foot 1702# wet with a 2016 Kia Sportage. What hitch/wiring? Do I need to install brakes on my trailer?

asked by: Carl

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Expert Reply:

To tow your 1702lb 16' trailer with your 2016 Kia Sportage I recommend the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2" # C13120 as it has a 525lb tongue weight rating, and 3500lbs trailer weight rating. It is possible that these rating exceed the towing capacity of your Sportage, so I recommend checking the owner's manual of your vehicle to find its towing capacity and use the lower rating between the hitch and vehicle.

Kia does mention that to tow a trailer over 1000lbs with your Sportage the trailer will need to have trailer brakes. If your trailer does not currently have brakes you will need to add them. To recommend the correct brakes for your trailer I will need to know which inner and outer bearings your current hubs use.

The easiest way to do this is by removing one of the hubs and looking for the bearing number stamped on the face of each bearing as shown in the included picture of the # L44649.

Moving on to adding a 7-way connector to your vehicle to use trailer brakes, you will first need to a 4-way connector using # 118526.

With a 4-way connector installed there are two different 7-way connector options being the # ETBC7 with a traditional trailer brake controller like the Tekonsha Prodigy P3 # 90195, or the # ETBC7L with the Curt Echo Wireless # C51180.

I recommend the # ETBC7L and # C51180 due to the controller plugging directly into the 7-way connector meaning you will not need to run any wires inside of the passenger compartment of your Sportage, and you will not need to drill any holes to mount the controller.

Lastly you will need a ball mount, hitch ball, and hitch pin and clip which can all be found in the etrailer Ball Mount Kit # 989900.

I included videos for each of the products mentioned for you to take a look at.

expert reply by: Samuel C

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Bearing Number Stamped In Face Of Bearing
(click to enlarge)

Answer 1

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 2

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

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Answer 3

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 4

According to Blue Ox, it'll take an experienced installer about 4 to 5 hours to complete the installation of their #BX1128 Base Plate Kit on a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The install isn't what I'd call super-difficult, but the installation…

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Answer 5

The main difference between the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver part #C13416 and the EcoHitch Hidden Trailer Hitch Receiver part #EH97FR is that the EcoHitch has a completely hidden cross tube whereas the Curt cross tube will be visible from the rear of…

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Answer 6

Hey Ricardo! Yes, the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver #C82RJ is the hitch Curt is working on for the new 2027 Telluride. This is a pre-order since Curt hasn't finished the design. It does not include wiring. The wiring harness for the 2027 is also up…

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Answer 7

Hi David! There are quite a few hitches offered for your 2026 Honda Odyssey, so I definitely understand wanting to know the differences. There are basically three styles available for you and I have them broken out below: Exposed Crosstube: etrailer…

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Answer 8

The OEM prep package consists of 4 "pucks" in the bed of the truck that will allow you to drop in puck style hitches for easy installation and removal, that gives you a completely clear bed when not in use. The B&W Companion OEM 5th…

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Answer 9

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two options.…

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Answer 10

Yes, they do John. To add a hitch to your 2026 Kia Sportage hybrid, I recommend the Curt item #C94WR. This hitch is custom fit and bolts to your Kia with included hardware. This is a class III hitch with a 2" receiver. It's going to give you…

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Answer 11

Hey Piotr, thanks for reaching out! The weight ratings between the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver #C94WR and Towsmart Trailer Hitch Receiver #TS96VR that fit your 2025 Kia Sportage are determined by the testing done according to those manufacturers. I…

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Answer 12

Hey Adrian! The higher capacity for the B&W #BW47BR and Curt #C77MJ comes from the construction. The B&W hitch weighs 45 lbs and then the Curt and Trailer Mate #TMT54FR both weigh 32 lbs. The Trailer Mate does sit just a tad higher compared…

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Recommended Trailer Hitch Receiver And Wiring For Towing 1700lb Trailer With 2016 Kia Sportage

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