Hi, I need to get a tow hitch installed on my 2001 Honda CRV so that I can tow a moped from NY State to Boston, MA. The trip is 400 miles. I will be using a UHaul-rented motorcycle trailer to do the job.
I’ve never had a hitch put on a car before. UHaul tells me that I need a hitch with the following specifications:
- Must have Class 1 tow hitch (1,500 lbs. minimum weight-carrying rating)
- Must have 1-7/8", 2" or 2-1/8" hitch ball (2,000 lbs. minimum)
- Must not exceed maximum allowable hitch ball height 25"
UHaul sells and installs tow hitches, but before I have them do the job, I wonder if there are better and/or less expensive places to consider? I live in Boston (specifically, Jamaica Plain).
I should mention that the moped weighs about 200 lbs. The rented trailer weighs 550 lbs according to the UHaul website.
Any advice or recommendations are welcome. Thank you!
The first thing you need to do is, read your owners manual and see what Honda recommends for towing with the vehicle prior to spending money on a hitch.
Tester
Most U-Haul places are reasonable with hitch installation costs, but get a couple of quotes. You can buy a hitch on ebay and most general mechanics can install it if you can’t do it yourself.
Any place that sells RV’s and trailers usually sells and installs hitches too. Check around.
Check around different places. U-Haul hitches are made by Draw-Tite/Reese…Real good hitches. Places that sell/service RV’s or trailers will also do hitches.
Is this going to a regular thing or just a move?
I would simply rent a pickup truck small will work fine or even maybe minivan and remove rear seats and move the moped. Rentals can be very inexpensive especially away from the airports.
U-Haul tends to be pretty reasonable concerning hitch prices, but you can shop around. Look for RV specialists and those who sell and build boat trailers.
Please be sure to check your owner’s manual to make sure your CR-V is capable of towing the combined weight of the trailer and the moped. The new CR-V has 1,500 pounds of towing capacity, but it is a “cross over” vehicle (a minivan that is meant to look like an SUV) and your CR-V is a car-based SUV (a Civic Frame with an SUV body). The Civic, on which your CR-V is based, was not designed to tow anything. If your owner’s manual tells you not to tow with it, please don’t.
Thanks for the advice. My manual says that my CRV can tow up to 1,000 lbs, which is more than the trailer + moped. Thanks again!
Its a one-time thing–I need to move the scooter from my family’s place in NY to MA. I wish it were as easy as renting a pick-up or van. That was my first choice. But I’ve searching endlessly for affordable 4-day round trip rentals (i.e, affordable = less than a hitch + installation + trailer rental), as well as one-way rentals. For a pick-up or van, the prices are very high either way --> at least $500.
Apparently, rental car prices are going up due to a vicious circle–the economy had created a downturn in rentals, so rental agencies sold off a bunch of their fleets and now have less cars to go around, and that is causing prices to rise. I’ve been told that rental prices are more than double what they were last year this time.
As long as you are sure about that, go forth and be safe.
The U-Haul guy usually installs two or three hitches per week, some need welding. I haven’t heard of any bad hitches installed from anywhere yet.
Have you thought of paying a car or motorcycle moving service?