What hitch to buy for towing a car?

[Greystealth]

Ok, I have an 07 screw 4x2 with no hitch. I need to tow my gas saver with me since I'm moving to another city. Can you guys help me out? I've never towed anything. I was planning on renting a uhaul trailer to tow the car but I'm sure that just buying the little hitch ball will not be enough. Can you guys guide me in buying what I need for a decent price? Thanks

[BLUE20004X4]

Draw-tite, got mine for 220 bux or so. You may need more than that, like fuses, relays, 7 pin plug etc. If it's a U-haul, say you are towing a Geo Metro, otherwise they'll argue that F-150's can't tow more than lawn equipment. Ask anyone who's rented one. Their trailers might just need the 4 pin for lights and have surge brakes so alls you'd need is a hitch and ball.

[Greystealth]

Dam that's not good news. I wasn't even expecting spending that much on a hitch. I am only towing a Ford Focus. Honsestly this may be my only time towing for a LONG time. Man I really hope it won't be that much. I might as well make an extra trip and drive the focus back.

[Colorado Osprey]

The going price for a reciever hitch installed is $250
Any major brand will do.
U-haul, Draw-Tite, Putnam, Valley...etc.

You might find a take off from a salvage yard for a lot less.

This does not include wiring harness that are required on some vehicles. $3-45

In addition to the reciever hitch you will need a ball mount and ball appropriate for the trailer you are towing in height/drop and ball size. $12-45

No one said towing was inexpensive. Expect a noticable drop in fuel economy while towing a vehicle too.

BTW your bumper is probably not rated high enough to tow a vehicle with by just adding a trailer ball.

[Matts ford]

if the city isnt too far away i would just make another trip for the car. were you planning on using a car dolly or a trailer. if a dolly then you should be alright with towing with the bumper. focus doesnt way very much at all. and if this is gonna be the only time you tow with the truck then any brand hitch will work fine as long as it is direct fit. and you can install it yourself. just go through www.jcwhitney.com or www.summitracing.com or www.jegs.com.

[Greystealth]

Thanks for your input guys. I decided since it is only 170 miles away, I would just take a flight back. The ticket is only 100 bucks. That's much cheaper then buying a hitch and renting a trailer, not to mention fuel and wear and tear. Then Ill just drive my 2nd vehicle back. Thanks again.

[RedFord150]

The bumper on my '07 screw is rated for 5,000# towing with a tongue weight of 500#.
Your Focus is likely around 2,500#. A tow DOLLY is about 500# to 1,000#.
The combined weight should easily be under 3,500#, unless you load the car with stuff.

The Focus is Front Wheel Drive. The front wheels will be off the ground on the DOLLY. No need to worry about damaging an Auto Transmission, if it has one.

You can buy a set of magnetic tail lights with a four pin plug from Harbor Freight for under $30. They will probably be more expensive to buy at the rental yard. You can buy a 2" ball with a long shank for under $10 from any Walmart, U-Haul, Kragen, Auto Zone, Pep Boys, etc. You need the long shank to go through the thicker bumper plate.

You can rent the tow DOLLY from U-Haul, Ryder, or Penske for about $50 per day. They may try to tack on some extra fees for a one way rental.

I have towed car DOLLIES for a total of about 500 miles with no trouble. They are very easy to use. The rental agency will tell you everything you need to know.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

[APT]

While I agree with RedFord150, I would have recommened to find a friend to drive the fuel miser. Not worth the hassle or cost of renting a dolly, loading it up, unloading, returning it, etc for 170 miles, especialy if you have no towing experience.

I have towed a 2500 pound RWD manual trans car 900 miles on a dolly with no issues. Then I got to tow it back empty. It was free, borrowed from a friend.

[RedFord150]

APT is correct. Another driver is easier than towing.
Only 2 problems with using friends;
1) Will they show up?
2) How do you get them back home?
Have a great day.

[APT]

Re: #2, it is still cheaper to drive helper home in the fuel miser, 340 miles @ 30mpg = <$50.