SAE J684 — Ensuring Essential Hitch Quality & Safety Standards are Met

SAE J684 is an engineering standard developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) that specifies the minimum requirements for the performance, testing, and certification of tow hitches and related towing components, including couplings, hitches, and safety chains.

The standard pertains to trailers with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less. These trailers are typically towed by passenger cars, trucks, and light duty commercial vehicles.

One of the key features of the SAE J684 standard is its focus on safety. The standard includes requirements for impact testing, fatigue testing and other tests designed to ensure that the hitch can withstand the stresses and strains of towing.

The standard also specifies the materials and manufacturing processes that must be used to ensure that the hitch is durable and reliable.

1. CURT Trailer Hitch Fabrication & Testing
2. CURT Durability Testing
3. Engineered, Fabricated & Tested in the USA
4. CURT Premiere Hitches

CURT Trailer Hitch Fabrication & Testing

The SAE J684 standard is a critical set of guidelines and testing procedures that ensure CURT trailer hitches meet rigorous safety and quality standards.

Due to its widespread recognition in the automotive industry and its adoption by manufacturers, regulators, and testing organizations globally, our hitches are meticulously engineered to comply with this standard right from the start.

In our fabrication process, we adhere to SAE J684 standards to guarantee the highest possible quality. Moreover, each CURT trailer hitch is meticulously designed and tested to ensure it meets this standard, undergoing rigorous vertical and longitudinal testing to ensure its roadworthiness and safety.

CURT Durability Testing — Our Industry Leading, Proprietary Fatigue Testing Process

At CURT, we take the durability of our hitches very seriously. Our receiver hitches undergo rigorous testing using our proprietary durability testing process to ensure they exceed industry standards and perform exceptionally well in real-world towing conditions.

Our extended durability testing process ensures that our hitches surpass industry standards, testing their quality, construction, and load ratings to ensure they can withstand the demands of regular towing over a lifetime. This testing process goes far beyond industry standards, including SAE J684.

Our testing process involves triple-axis testing in three-second cycles, simulating multi-dimensional stress that occurs during real-world towing under load. Each hitch is subjected to randomized load stressors for an astonishing 175,000 cycles, simulating the stress that a hitch would undergo over a lifetime of use.

During this thorough and rigorous process, we test the plate steel and welds to ensure that there are no cracks or bending. This provides a product that is built to last with unparalleled quality.

CURT tow hitches are industry-leading for this reason. They are engineered to exceed the highest standards and fabricated for strength to endure many years and miles of use. For ultimate durability and performance, choose a CURT premier custom-fit trailer hitch.

Engineered, Fabricated & Rigorously Tested in the USA

As a top manufacturer of trailer hitches in the towing industry, CURT fabricates all our premiere receiver hitches in the USA. Our headquarters in Eau Claire, Wisconsin is where we engineer, fabricate, finish, test and ship out each hitch.

We pride ourselves in ensuring that every step of the production process is done on American soil, as we are committed to providing the highest quality products for our customers. Our aim is to empower you to pursue your interests and revel in the things you love.

For this reason, we produce quality hitches that last many miles and years to come.

CURT Premiere Hitches – For Unrivaled Strength, Longevity & Everyday Towing

Since 1993, CURT has become the go-to choice for everyday towing, large and small. For 25 years our hitches have built a reputation for their brute strength and longevity, as our hitches are designed, fabricated and produced with the highest standards in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

CURT offers a vast, wide range of premiere trailer hitches, from class 1 hitches used for lightweight towing with cars and sedans, to class 5 Commercial Duty hitches, used for heavy-duty towing applications with trailers up to 20,000 lbs. Our premiere series offers a hitch for nearly every vehicle make and model vehicle – over 1,000 hitch designs in all – and are the perfect choice for reliably towing a trailer and a long lifespan.

Our premiere hitches undergo our proprietary Durability Testing, which far exceeds industry standards. This testing process uses 175,000 cycles of triple-axis load testing to ensure maximum durability. As a result, our premiere trailer hitches outperform others in strength, reliability and longevity, making them the perfect choice for every towing application, big or small.

Our premiere hitches are also treated with a proprietary liquid A-coat that protects them from corrosion, and they're finished with a durable, black powder coat finish. This protects the steel construction from rust that can weaken the steel and welds over time.

With a CURT premiere hitch, you can trust your trailer hitch to perform flawlessly and last for many miles to come.