What you need to tow a utility trailer
The simplest case, and usually the cheapest kit — most single-axle utility trailers sit under the weight where trailer brakes become mandatory.
The core kit at 2,000 lb (a typical utility trailer)
- RequiredClass 1 hitch (1-1/4 in receiver)
A 2,000 lb trailer needs a hitch rated at or above 2,000 lb gross trailer weight. Class 1 hardware is rated to 2,000 lb with 200 lb tongue weight. Ratings are set per part number — check the sticker on the hitch itself, and remember your vehicle's own tow rating still governs if it is lower. Note: your tongue weight can reach 300 lb, which is above the 200 lb weight-carrying tongue rating for this class. That is not a contradiction — a receiver carries two ratings, and its weight-distributing tongue rating is higher. It is exactly why the weight-distributing hitch below is not optional. Check both numbers on the hitch's own sticker.
Find it on Amazon →Affiliate link — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. - RequiredBall mount rated above 300 lb tongue weight
Your tongue weight lands in the 200–300 lb band (10–15% of 2,000 lb). Size the drop or rise so the trailer sits level when coupled — measure your receiver height and your coupler height first; a nose-high or nose-down trailer moves weight off the axles and starts sway.
Find it on Amazon →Affiliate link — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. - RequiredHitch ball — 1-7/8 in or 2 in
The ball must match the size stamped on your coupler exactly. Ball diameter MUST match the coupler size stamped on your trailer coupler. An undersized ball lets the trailer bounce loose. Capacity varies by part number. At 2,000 lb the sizes rated to carry it are 1-7/8 in or 2 in, but the coupler decides, not the weight. Full ball and coupler size chart →
Find it on Amazon →Affiliate link — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. - Required4-pin or 7-pin wiring harness
At 2,000 lb you are under the 2,000 lb trailer-brake threshold, so a 4-pin flat connector carrying running lights, turn signals and brake lights is usually enough. Go 7-pin if the trailer has electric brakes anyway, or if you may tow something heavier later.
Find it on Amazon →Affiliate link — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. - RequiredSafety chains rated for the trailer
Chains must be rated at or above 2,000 lb and cross under the tongue in an X, so the tongue is caught rather than dropped if the coupler releases.
Find it on Amazon →Affiliate link — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. - RecommendedHitch pin and lock
Keeps the ball mount in the receiver and makes it much harder to walk off with. Match the pin diameter to your receiver (1-1/4 in).
Find it on Amazon →Affiliate link — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. - RecommendedTowing mirrors
If the trailer is wider than your vehicle you must be able to see down both sides of it. Many states require it; all of them make it safer.
Find it on Amazon →Affiliate link — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
What is different about a utility trailer
- RecommendedCargo net or ratchet straps
An unsecured load in an open trailer is a road hazard and, in most states, a citation.
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"The most common trailer braking systems are electric brakes (often used on travel trailers, horse trailers and car haulers) and surge brakes (found primarily on boat trailers). An electric trailer brake system uses a brake control unit mounted inside the trailering vehicle; it operates by sensing the vehicle brakes and then applying the trailer brakes. Surge brakes are a self-contained hydraulic brake system on the trailer, activated during deceleration as the trailer coupler pushes on the hitch ball."
— 2025 Chevrolet Trailering Guide, p.6 (Trailer Brakes)
Common questions
Do I need a brake controller for a utility trailer?
Only if the trailer is over your state's threshold or has electric brakes fitted. Chevrolet requires trailer brakes above 2,000 lb on full-size trucks and SUVs and above 1,500 lb on other models, and state law varies.
What tongue weight should a utility trailer have?
10–15% of the loaded trailer weight. At a 2,000 lb trailer that is 200–300 lb on the ball, and all of it counts against your payload, not your towing capacity.
What hitch do I need for a utility trailer?
Size it to the loaded weight, not to the type. At 2,000 lb that is Class 1 hardware in a 1-1/4 in receiver. Weigh yours loaded — a utility trailer at its GVWR can need a different class entirely.
Your exact weight
Towing something else?
Source: 2025 Chevrolet Trailering Guide, p.8-9 (Tongue Weight / Loading Your Trailer) · last verified 2026-08-29