School me on a trailer hitch
 

I'm moving in the next month or so, and rather than rent a uHaul truck (they charge by the day AND by the mile) I think I'd rather just rent a uHaul trailer and put a hitch on my rusty '93 Cherokee Sport. Price is the same per day ($29.99), but with the trailer I don't have to pay $0.99/mile for the 400 mile trip.

Anyway, I don't want to spend too much, but I need to be able to haul a good size uHaul trailer 400 miles. What are my options? I don't even know where to buy one of these things. I assume locally is the way to go since they're heavy which makes shipping expensive. I can install it myself, the Jeep had one at one point, but it rusted off between where it bolted to the frame and where it was welded to the square tube.

Anyway, installation should be easy, and I've been driving with trailers forever, I just don't know what makes any one hitch better than any other hitch, or where to buy it.

Go to the U-Haul place, they will sell and install it

You'll want a "class-3 receiver" - you'll also need the "hitch" (which should come with a pin) and a "ball" - I'm sure you can get them all in a package deal at any u-haul. You can also buy them at most any auto parts store, and they'll probably get you the "right" receiver for your vehicle. Check target/wal-mart/meijer too, as i think they all sell receivers, though not sure how likely you are to find one to fit your jeep...fortunately, that vehicle isn't "rare" by any means.

Is "class-3" the capacity, so any class-3 is going to be the same? I saw one at Pep Boys the other day that listed my Jeep, but I didn't look at the ratings. I know it had the larger receiver. I'll go back and check it out at some point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_hitch

Class 3 is pretty standard for anything that's not a couple/sedan.

Since a Class 3 hitch is capable of hauling SIGNIFICANTLY MORE than the weight of your Jeep, you're not going to need/want anything bigger than that. It might be suicidal to try to haul 6,000 lbs with your cherokee. Not only is it going to accelerate like a yugo going up a 20% slope at 10,000 ft above sea level with a full passenger load of fat people, but you're not going to be able to stop in any situation without some DAMN good trailer brakes, and keeping it steady at any more than 25 MPH is going to be an act of god.

http://www.etrailer.com/Custom-Fit-V...cleid=19937433

Looks like your trailer wiring harnes is plug and play too - no splicing to deal with.

Lucky fucker.

Curt Mfg. is local to my school and is the largest hitch/ball mount manufacturer. They also make a lot of the U-Haul brand stuff. Good quality product in my experiences.

ohs noes! where are you moving too?

Thanks for the info guys! There are already some wires for lights, as there used to be a hitch on it, but I think they're pretty much useless so I'll probably have to replace those too.

I'm moving to Orono, assuming I get accepted to grad school (my odds are pretty good I think).

check with local salvages yards. We have and sell lots of trailer hitchs for a used price!!! might save a few bucks to start off with also.

Good plan! I'll look into a salvage yard

^Yup, for some reason, there's always an entire row of busted up Cherokees at salvage yards... shouldn't be too hard to score an OEM hitch from a factory tow package and the wiring harness too.

Otherwise, find a UHAUL store within walking distance of someplace you want to have lunch. Call the guys and tell them you want to drop it off and you only have an hour to wait. This looks like the closest UHAUL place that does hitches:
http://www.uhaul.com/Locations/Renta...H-03801/790059

cash for clunkers did wonders for our explorer and cherokee parts inventories

Yeah... that's the place... won't they charge extra to install it? It appears to only be 6 bolts, so I could easily do it myself.

Also, how do you know where I live? I think I've only got my city listed, and I don't think that's the only one in Kittery.

Because I'm a pretty big fucking deal where and work and have a Top Secret clearance. People know me and my office smells of rich mahogany. I also have many leather-bound books. Don't piss me off or I'll have a JDAM inserted in your bedroom window, and never again question me.