Best trailer hitch for '03?

[V6power87]

I was thinking about upgrading my stock receiver hitch with a heavier duty one, like a Reese, Drawtight etc.



Who makes the best, heaviest weight carrying hitch?

 

[100 Proof]

I replaced my entire hitch and bumper with a Ruenel that is rated for a 20,000# pull and 5,000#+ pin weight. How's that for heavier duty? Pictures are in my gallery.



I've never owned one, but I've heard the Titan V is a good unit. The downside to the Titan I've heard, is that it will mount under your factory hitch. If that is not a problem, that might work for you.



Good Luck!



100 Proof

 

[V6power87]

The factory hitch does mount up kinda weird, not like any Dodge hitch I have seen before. I kind of wanted to keep the OEM bumper though.

 

[bpenrod]

Why would you want to ditch the factory one? Is the weight rating that much lower than an aftermarket?

 

[DPelletier]

My understanding is that the hitch class determines the weight carrying and towing capacities. The factory hitch is a class IV, which I believe is rated at 500/5000 or 1000/10000 with weight distributing bars. There are a couple of hitches that market themselves as Class V hitches although I don't believe that there is such a designation in reality. There are two kinds of Class V hitches I've seen, one (Reese Titan?) has two 2" recievers mounted one atop the other and the other (Torklift Superhitch) has a 2 1/2" reciever. The weights for the Torklift are on thier website and vary depending on the length of extension used. These hitches are popular with the slide-in camper crowd that tow trailers on 2', 3' or even 4' extensions.



Hope this helps,

Dave

 

[jphunter55]

Dave,



It's the other way around, Titan has 2 1/2 receiver and Tork-lift the stacked arrangement.

 

[Eric_77]

Well Dave and JP both have it sort of right the Titan Class V on the 03 stacks under the stock class IV and it is 2 1/2 inch reciever. You can remove the stock hitch but then you must get the mounting system for the non hitch equipped trucks to hold the bumper on. The Class V hitch sets real low from Titan and I drag it pretty easily whenever the truck is loaded going in or out of driveways. Unloaded the hitch sets 8 1/2 inches off the ground on my truck stock wheels/tires, 4x2, LWB quad cab.



Around July/Aug of last year there was someone that had mounted a Class V from another Manf that went in stock location and had brackets to hold the bumper on that I think would be better bet. I believe it was also a 2 1/2 receiver; check the 3rd gen forum as well as here.



Ah I found the link.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=76434&highlight=class+V

 

[V6power87]

Thanks Eric!

 

[Wolffman]

I have the Putnam Class V reciever and couldn't be any happier. It is rated to like 14 or 15,000lbs hitch capacity I believe. I would go to their website and check it out or go to hitch-web.com this is where I ordered mine. Excellent product and very strong.