Found aftermarket hitches for our 2011 ML350 but the highest rating we can find is #3500. The car is rated for #7200 but this is the only hitch aftermarket. It would mostly be used to pull jetskis and light trailers around so it is no problem, but two times a year we will have to pull the boat out of the water up to the house where the marina picks it up- less than a quarter mile. But the boat weights #4000 without trailer. Would it be bad to use this hitch for that tiny bit? I can't imagine it would just break...
did your truck come with a tow package? All you need then is a ball mount that's a class 3 and they are rated for up to 8000 lbs. If you vehicle didn't come with a tow package you might have a few more areas to look at other than just adding a tow package on it... IE tans cooling system, Different shocks.. ect... I use one of these ball mounts on the back of my SUV that has a tow package and is also rated at 7200 lbs. My boat and trailer fully loaded weighed on a scale is 5500 lbs plus toung weight it should be close to 6000 lbs. I tow all day long with it up mountains and back..... Here is the hitch I use....http://www.autoanything.com/towing/74A3885A0A0.aspx
How about you have someone install an aftermarket hitch and bring it to a good ol fashioned welder/fabricator country boy to apply a little bit of redneck ingenuity to handle the 6000lbs? CUSTOM!
Go ahead and throw the hitch on for your smaller towing, and it's likely fine for your boat too, but why not just find someone there with a truck to help you out twice a year. Buy them a case of beer for the half hour of their time...
No worries do it. As it was said you have little tongue weight and you not going to shear anything off. If you cannot get over the idea pulling it with that hitch and MB drive your John Deere garden tractor over to the ramp and take it home with that. The ride home on on that little garden mower will give you time to think about your tow rating concerns. Oh, and don't forget to dump the ballast tanks
Linear Mode
