Questions about towing & hitches?

I just got a 93 f150 with the trailer ball on the rear bumper. What is the difference between a hitch like that and a hitch like this (http://z.about.com/d/trucks/1/0/O/l/07_colorado_hitch.jpg) with the square hole that the ball adapter thing goes in? How is one like mine mounted to the truck compared to one of the other ones? Can one tow more/less than the other? thanks.
link i put in don't work. heres what i mean- http://www.capitol-honda.com/images/accessories/06/crv_trailer_hitch.jpg
edit- ok thanks thats what i thought. as i said its a 93 f150. its got the 5.0 in it. the only thing i would really ever need to tow would be a log splitter. could it handle that? and i would have to drive it on the highway, would that effect it at all?
to andy- i'm in USA, maryland to be exact

the actual hitch can tow a lot more weight, if all you do is tow light trailers then the bumper is all you really need but personally i've never wanted to use a bumper, i'd always use the hitch

- towing the log splitter should be fine with your bumper hitch but perosnally i'd try to find at least a class III (3) or class IV (4) hitch in case something comes up and you need a real hitch on it and not just the bumper hitch, better to have a little more than you need than to not have enough you know lol

trailer hitch adapter for Sale on Ebay

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Bike Racks & Car Bike Racks

There are a number of Bike Racks available on the market including Car Bike Racks and Truck Bike Racks. This article will focus on what options are available (description). It will look at the top consumer choices, prices, and the pros Vs cons of each item.

As consumers it is important we make educated decisions and choices that improve our quality of life without jeopardizing critical factors that drove us to purchase that product to begin with. What would your perfect product look like and how would it work? Would it be user friendly or a pain in the rear to install? Only you know what is best for your application. Therefore, as you read this article, begin to examine what would work best for you.

Car Bike Racks can mount onto the trunk, the roof, a trailer hitch or truck bed. Trunk bike racks are made of metal tubing for hanging your bike and mounting straps that secure the rack. Average trunk bike rack prices range between $40 - $60. Pros: they mount to cars fairly easy, they are pretty stable, and price range is cheap. Cons: Once you install them, they tend to stay on the vehicle due to the hassle of dismounting them. They usually strap over the rear hatch or trunk blocking entry.

Roof racks require more parts. The base system is comprised of towers that mount to the roof gutter or factory roof rack. The towers mount via clips or fit kits, which are usually an additional price. Crossbars are added to the towers that extend across the roof. The bike rack then mounts onto the crossbar. Each piece plus locks (optional) adds to the total cost of your rack. Thule and Yakima are the top consumer choices. Total base system not including the actual bike mount itself range between $250 - $350. There is a variety of bike mounts available depending upon how you want to mount them. There are fork mounts that require you to remove your front bike tire, frame mounts that clamp to your bike frame, and tire mounts that grab the tires. Prices range from $119 to $199 bringing your total price to over $450. Pros: you can add other attachments onto your base system i.e. kayak racks, surfboard racks, cargo boxes, ski racks, etc. Cons: expensive, putting your gear up high on a rooftop can be a pain, not to mention what it does to your gas mileage.

Hitch mount bike racks are just that, bike racks that mount to your car or trucks trailer hitch. There are several different manufactures including Thule and Yakima. They are usually made of steel construction that can make them heavy and awkward to mount. The bikes hang on hangers making them easy to reach and load from the rear of the vehicle. There are two types: one is stationary and the other can flip down to allow you to open your hatch or trunk. Prices vary depending upon weather you opt for the flip down or stationary. Average prices are between $200 and $350. Pros: once installed bikes are easily loaded and or removed, solid construction and durable, utilize the existing trailer hitch behind the vehicle adding to aerodynamics and gas mileage. Cons: expensive, can block hatch or truck (stationary rack), can be heavy and hard to mount for petite persons.

Lastly, there are truck bike mounts. Truck Bike Racks can include any or all of the previously mentioned rack setups with the exception of one, Bed Racks. Bed Racks can mount inside or on top of the truck bed, which includes a few different types as well. There are floor mounts and bed rail mounts as well as some above bed space saver options. The floor mounting type bolts directly onto the truck bed floor so removing it requires some time. The fork mount bed rail option takes up less room but again removing the front bike tire is required. The above bed option provides added space in the truck bed for other gear and utilizes the tower and crossbar system that we previously mentioned. There two types of above bed systems. One is stationary that requires some disassembly to access your truck bed and the others attach to factory bed cleats or mounts to a top of the truck bed rail which allow them to slide out of the way to utilize the truck bed. The bed cleat version can be installed inside a truck shell and acts as an organizer by mounting a basket to the crossbars. This is a great space saving option for those whom have shells. There are also Truck Racks that mount on top of a shell.

As you can imagine, some of these are low profile and others high profile. The top consumer choice again is Thule and Yakima. There are some low profile versions from Love 2 Surf that adapt Thule and Yakima crossbars to your Toyota truck bed. The Thule and Yakima conversions require additional clips and mounting hardware. The biggest factors are deciding which options are best for you are 1) what space limitations do you have? 2) What weight limitations do you have? Base system prices range between $200 and $600. Pros: Can save truck bed or shell space, some are inexpensive, functional, Cons: some are expensive, can limit truck bed space.

There are a number of options and price ranges. Before purchasing an item, determine what features, functions, and price range you need. Contact the company about any additional questions you may have. There is nothing worse than sending something back after purchasing the wrong item. The result is a product that enhances your lifestyle, and secures your gear. Take care, get out there, and enjoy life!

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For more information about Bike Rack for Car, please visit www.love-2-surf.com

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