There are lots of vehicles you can rent from U-Haul. But is a hitch one of them? If you’ve ever asked yourself the question “Does U-Haul have temporary hitches?”, you’ve come to the right place.
You cannot rent a hitch from U-Haul. Instead, the company provides various kinds of hitches for you to choose from according to your travel requirements. The hitch comes separately from their trailer services and can be installed by the company as an exclusive service.
The rest of this article shall cover the cost, process, customization, types, and the time it takes to install a hitch to your vehicle. I will also talk a bit about other considerations when installing a hitch to your U-Haul vehicle. Let’s get right to it!
What Type of Hitch Does U-Haul Use?
U-Haul offers a variety of hitches you can choose from. The company classifies them into five categories according to their towing capacity and receiver tube size.
Here are the maximum towing capacities of each U-Haul hitch per category:
- Class 1: 2,000 lbs (907 kg)
- Class 2: 3,500 lbs (1,587 kg)
- Class 3: 7,500 lbs (3,401 kg)
- Class 4: 7,500 lbs (3,401 kg)
- Class 5: 17,000 lbs (7,711 kg)
You’ll notice that the towing capacity of Classes 3 and 4 are the same. That’s because, as I’ve mentioned earlier, the categories are based on receiver tube size as well. I recommend checking with U-Haul on the specifics of that before you move forward.
How Much Does a U-Haul Hitch Cost?
If your budget is tight, you can install the hitch yourself on your trailer as long as you have the required tools. Otherwise, you can rent a U-Haul towing vehicle as it comes with a hitch already attached.
Watch the YouTube video linked below by U-Haul to get a detailed overview of how their hitches are installed.
As of this writing, U-Haul has around a couple thousand installation stores around the United States. They’re open all days of the week and may accommodate walk-in customers.
The pricing for a hitch installation can be as low as $25 (for a light storage box) or as high as $250 (for complicated hitch installation). This ultimately depends on the installer prices, type of towing vehicle, and features such as the trailer size. You may also find that the price ranges between $100 and $150 for third-party installers.
If you want to get a hitch from U-Haul, you may want to watch out for bonus discounts. For example, you can get a 10 percent discount if a bike rack is purchased along with your hitch installation.
What Is the Process of U-Haul Hitch Installation?
If you want to get U-Haul to install a hitch for you, you can take advantage of their online reservation system. The system allows you to schedule and purchase your hitch online via a form that asks for your vehicle’s vital stats like its year, make, and model.
Then, you can choose the best installer for you. (I suggest checking out reviews before choosing anyone, though.) Finally, U-Haul will help you identify your nearest store while accounting for all the specifications you provided.
Also, U-Haul may suggest accessories that you can install on your hitch. If you choose these on top of your other equipment, you can pay for these items and schedule a date that works for you. This is the only payment step, and no further charges are required for the hitch installation.
Does U-Haul Provide Custom Hitch Installation?
The short answer is: Yes, U-Haul provides custom hitch installations.
If you choose U-Haul to install your hitch, they’ll send over a specialist to assess your vehicle thoroughly for attachment points. If your vehicle doesn’t have these, or the specialist believes that other points are necessary, new points are created either way.
Sometimes, there may be things on your vehicle that prevent the hitch from being installed properly. In that case, the installer will let you know beforehand. That’s because they may have to temporarily uninstall these obstructions to attach the hitch to your vehicle. Of course, your consent is necessary to avoid any unwanted issues in the process.
How Long Does It Take for U-Haul To Install a Hitch?
It may take U-Haul professionals only 15 minutes to put on a hitch. On the other hand, had you chosen to install the hitch yourself, it will likely take much longer. And if you decide to have your hitch installed by anyone other than U-Haul, you may be charged upwards of $100 for the installation fees, excluding other equipment charges.
Other Tips on Getting a U-Haul Hitch Installed
I’ve covered most of what you need to know about getting a hitch on your U-Haul rental. To make the process even easier, here are some additional pointers:
- Choose the items you want to tow carefully. As you can see, the more you need to tow, the higher you need to pay. If you don’t want to fork out more money than you can afford (or more money than you want to), I suggest towing only what you need.
- Ask around for the best type of hitch for your vehicle. Some hitches work better with certain vehicles than others. Before you pick a hitch, make sure it’s the best fit for the vehicle you want to attach it to.
- Check where your hitch will go, and remove any obstructions beforehand. This will make the installer’s job much easier and faster.
- Consider leaving out the accessories. Although I did mention that U-Haul can provide accessories on top of your hitch, I would advise against installing these unless you absolutely need them. (In my experience, you usually don’t.) Individually, their prices may not seem significant, but you’d be surprised at how much accessories can add to your total cost.
Final Thoughts
You cannot directly rent a hitch from U-Haul. But the company will give you the option to install a hitch if you use related services. Depending on your needs, having U-Haul’s professional install your hitch may be your most cost-effective option.
