2002 Dodge OEM Hitch Receiver Failure

[AH64ID]

I can’t speak for 2nd gens, but on 3rd Gen’s the aftermarket Curt hitches were inferior to OEM or other aftermarket hitches. When I was shopping aftermarket hitches for my 05 the Curt models were the equivalent of buying Walmart brand stuff… it may work for a while, but they were far from quality or well engineered. It’s not a brand I would personally use or trust.

@GAmes I don’t see a 2019 in your sim, but I recall it being the “all new 1500”. If that’s correct the owners manual does have a hitch rating in it. It’s on page 390, and is higher than all but two published trailer ratings for a DT 1500 and it matches those two at 12,750lbs.

https://vehicleinfo.mopar.com/asset...*_gcl_au*MTczMjQ2NjY5NS4xNjkyNjc4NTIy#page388

 

[GAmes]

@GAmes I don’t see a 2019 in your sim, but I recall it being the “all new 1500”. If that’s correct the owners manual does have a hitch rating in it. It’s on page 390, and is higher than all but two published trailer ratings for a DT 1500 and it matches those two at 12,750lbs.

Thankyou for that. The print version that came with the truck only has 328 pages. I've downloaded the PDF for future reference. It looks like my car hauler with a '54 Ford cargo is well within the ratings.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Beware when shopping CURT many of their products are Made in China. They twist words to make you think they are all US Made.

 

[Matt42]

The Curt hitch receiver came with hardware. The two rear fasteners are 9/16" coarse thread Grade 8 carriage bolts and the rest of the fasteners are 1/2" x 13 Grade 8 carriage bolts. I added Grade 8 hardened flat washers between the hitch receiver flange and the provided lock washers. After a 220 mile trip (towing GCW of 20,000 lbs) I rechecked torque. All was well.

- John

When you installed the Curt hitch, did it fit within the same 'footprint" as the OEM hitch? I ask this because I have a Transfer Flow fuel tank where the spare tire used to be. The space around the tank is really tight. I think Transfer Flow designed the tank assuming that the truck would use an OEM hitch.

The tank can be removed to get access to the hitch and bolts. That's in the spirit of anything can be removed with sufficient time and effort. I'd like to avoid that, because it's full of diesel and the removal process is a bear.

 

[petersonj]

When you installed the Curt hitch, did it fit within the same 'footprint" as the OEM hitch?

Unfortunately, the Curt hitch receiver is longer. The front part of the hitch receiver is about 6 inches farther forward than the OEM. These photos may help. All photos are viewed from the driver side.

- John

 

[Matt42]

Thank you. I think those pictures will help. I'm going to print them and use them for comparison when I crawl under.

 

[slowmover]

That's why I got rid of the crappy OEM reciever on my 3rd gen and bought a bumper hitch made COMPLETELY from 1/2" plate and 1/2" stainless from Reunel--

Rated for20k tow / 6k tongue weight

Photo doesn't do the bumper justice, and is taken before installing the aux Hella flood lights on each side of the hitch but....

View attachment 138506

https://reunel.com/rear-bumpers/

Greatest surface area attachment, as well. I’d not choose other than REESE for a hitch receiver (past something like the proven REUNEL bumper replacement).

WDH begins in effectiveness (transferring shock load) at 350-lb tongue weight. Maintaining steering headway and maximizing brake effectiveness is the virtue in using WDH before it’s strictly called for.

Road-going dynamics mean both vehicles can be out of alignment in several planes. At once.

This — more than strictly ball or trailer weight — is what upsets the combined rig. The stress over time against the truck frame ends is the other.

Removing the spare tire to the bed and lengthening the receiver tubing to a second crossmember just behind the Drive Axle would be the strongest receiver, as forces lateral are also problematic.

The combination of these two pics would do the most in trailer control as the truck frame rails are stiffened over the last few feet, not simply the ends. Frame rail twist then doesn’t absorb WD application before the Steer Axle weight drop can be countered.

I’ve broken a road tractor rear crossmember by taking a loaded trailer thru a pothole filled with water I misjudged as to depth. (Oilfield fun). Despite best efforts at avoiding what I thought were worse.

Point being we want the trucks integrity not challenged by a weight at the end of a pendulum acting with thousands of pounds of force at the ball.

“Tongue Weight” is a static number. Loses meaning once underway.

.

 

[Matt42]

Seafish: What's the model number of the Reese hitch in your picture? I can't find it in a second generation application.

 

[slowmover]

Seafish: What's the model number of the Reese hitch in your picture? I can't find it in a second generation application.

Shown was a #45509 for later Ram as example

https://www.reesehitches.com/

 

[Matt42]

Shown was a #45509 for later Ram as example

https://www.reesehitches.com/

Makes sense. The #45501 hitch won't fit a second generation. At the reesehitches website, there are three hitch receivers for a second generation. The closest comparable to the Curt is the Draw-Tite branded 41923. All else being equal (no pun intended), I prefer the design of the Curt.