Hitch Questions?

[R.E. Miller]

Can anyone direct me towards a good class 5 hitch? I just ordered my new trailer from Bartley today , and am thinking in advance. I saw a Reese Titan class 5 in their shop that looked beefy, but as always I am open to advice.

Thanks Guys!

 

[whiteknight]

I have used the Reese Titan hitch with a weight distribution system with my trailer and like it very well. I have a 1996 3/4 ton and it bolted right to the frame with no drilling. I have a 39ft travel trailer with one slide out. The reciver was rated heavy enough but I was very close to the weight limit on the draw bar and ball mount. So I decided to go with the Titan. One thing I would suggest to consider also is the hitch ball itself. What I didn't realize was the differences in weight ratings on 2-5/16" hitch balls. I started looking for a 14,000 rated ball but had problems finding one. I ended up at a heavy truck parts store and bought one rated at 30,000 lbs. (a hitch ball used for pulling mobile homes) for about the same price that was listed for the 14,000 lbs.



I think you will be happy with the Titan, the draw backs are that to use the smaller (2"x2") ball mounts you will need a an adaptor that reduces the reciver tube from 2 1/2" square to 2" Sqare. and if you use a locking pull pin it's not easy to find one that will fit the 2 1/2" tube.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Another option is Draw-tite. They make a Class V with a standard 2" receiver, it's rated at 10,000/1,000 lbs weight carrying and 12,000/1,200 weight distributing. It was a direct bolt up but you do have to enlarge the existing holes in the frame. It's MUCH heavier than the stock hitch, uses larger hardware along with backing plates and ties into the bumper mount as well. A nice side benefit is that it tucks up underneath the bumper much better than the stock unit - about the only thing that hangs down below the bumper is the insert. I use mine to tow my 8,500 lb 35' TT with just a ball and a reese sway control - no weight distributing setup. It works great and tows straight as an arrow. With the Reese hitch you do have to drill extra holes on some trucks - on others it's just a bolt up. The Reese was rated higher in weight distributing I believe, but it was rated lower weight carrying.

 

[R.E. Miller]

Duh?

I looked at the hitch on my truck, and it does not list the class, but it does say that it is rated at 12,000lbs GTWR. It is a Puntam brand I think. Which numbers do I need to be concerned with... distributing or carrying? That confused me a little. Thanks for your insight.

Russell

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

It depends on whether you're planning on using weight distributing bars or not. I think your hitch has already been changed. The stock hitch is a class III hitch and is rated for 5,000/500 weight carrying and 10,000/1,000 weight distributing. Your hitch should have ratings listed for both. A weight distributing hitch setup will have bars that connect to the frame of the trailer as well at the hitch (some call them snap up bars), a weight carrying setup is just a ball. You can add a sway control to a weight carrying setup as I have though.



-Steve

 

[Cooker]

Putnam XDR gets my vote. It still uses the 2" receivers unlike the Reese. The Reese does edge out the XDR on weight carrying, the XDR is 10,000 and this is due to the limitation of the 2" receiver. The price is much better on the Putnam than the others. I think I paid $160 for mine.



-Ryan

 

[R.E. Miller]

Thanks!

Thanks for the help, and Steve, thanks for the burn-out footage... . I love mopar power!

 

[CoastyAV8R]

Hitch rating?

Am I getting this right, the hitch on my 2001 2500 ETH with the tow package and camper package is only rated at 5000 lbs towing and 500 lbs tongue weight? Please tell me your pulling my leg...



Pat

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

If you're towing with just a ball on a drop hitch then yes you're right and no I'm not pulling your leg. Look at the sticker on your hitch, it has the rating right on it on a label. If you put a weight distributing setup into the hitch then it'll handle 10,000/1,000 - my stock hitch is sitting in the garage and that info is taken right off the hitch itself.



-Steve

 

[Fireman Dave]

Steve is right on the money with the stock hitch capacities, but I believe it's a class IV, not a III.



Nice avatar, Steve.

 

[Cooker]

The stocker is a Class III, the weight rating indicates that. The problem is the window sticker says it's a Class IV.



-Ryan

 

[David Muench]

Just another vote for the Reese Titan V. I've had them on 2 Dodge flatbeds now, and I love them. I had to drill the 2 forwardmost holes in the frame on my new truck (2001 3500 chasiss cab), but that may not be relevant due to the differences in the frames for chassis cabs.

 

[JoeyD]

I have had the Titan V and a draw tite V and the titan was heavier and larger so the titan gets another nod.

 

[Powder Extreme]

R. E. Miller,

I have a Reese Titan V hitch with the extension bar. I've been very happy with it, although I am about to upgrade to the torklift hitch because their camper tiedowns will bolt right up to it. I talked to Reese and they said they couldn't maintain their D. O. T. weight rating if I drilled holes in the hitch unless they re-certified the hitch. Since I may end up towing commercially, I don't want the hassle that could be involved with a technically non-certified hitch.



So I have a Reese Titan V hitch with the extension bar and 2" adapter for sale if anyone is interested. Oddly enough I will be in Maryland in a couple of weeks if you would be interested in it.



Jerry

 

[whiteknight]

Just remember, what ever hitch you decide to use consider not only the weight rating of the receiver (hitch on the truck) but also the draw bar / ball mount (part that slides into reciver and held with the pin and holds the hitch ball), and if you need one, the wieght distribution system, each part has a weight rating to them and you will need to make sure you don't go over that limit.



I went with the Titan not because the receiver on the truck wasn't rated heavy enough, (it had already been replaced once) but because some other componets weren't rated heavy enough (my weight was real close to the max) and I couldn't find any with a heaver rating for the 2" receiver.



Know your trailer weight and buy acoordingly.



Happy Camping: D

 

[RedRamer]

If you need the rating, PullRite has 10k and 20k rated hitches. Also stops swaying real well.

I bought a used one and rigged to bolt to the frame. only thing is you gotta move the tailpipe

 

[R.E. Miller]

Sheesh

Thanks for the help here, got to being busy and forgot to check this thread. Whew, looks as though I will upgrade to a Titan... . just makes sense