Curt Class III Receiver Hitch Towing Capacity for 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLS

Published 08/06/2021

Question:

I did see the trailer hitch is rated at 7500 GVWR, but do you know if it is rated per the vehicle as well if installed as instructed? Ive read sometimes even if both the hitch and the vehicle is rated to tow this weight, but because the vehicle might need some additional components for the rated weight, it might not be able to tow this weight even if with the hitch. This is for a 2017 Mercedes GLS 450, with no factory tow package. Thanks,

asked by: Miao S

Expert Reply:

With any towing setup you are limited by the lowest rated component as the overall capacity as it would be what fails first. So your 2017 Mercedes Benz GLS 450 would be limited to whatever the owners manual states regardless of what hitch you have installed. So that begs the follow up question...why do we offer hitches rated for more than the vehicle?

The answer to that is our manufacturers design a hitch to fit the vehicle and then do the best they can to make it as strong as possible and rate it independently from the vehicle. This is why we end up with higher rated hitches than vehicles. The towing capacity of the Curt hitch # C13190 is 7,500 lb total trailer weight.

expert reply by: Jameson C