Hitch/Stab/Ball ratings?

[CCiatteo]

I am looking at buying an 18' steel deck car hauler with 2-5/16ths ball. Trailer is rated to 7000GVW. Factory hitch says that its good to 10k/1000 with WD hitch 5k/500 with STD hitch. So I head to Autozone/Home Depot/Tractor Depot/Harbor Freight and couldn't find a std hitch/ball greater than 5k/500? I found balls rated to 6k/600 but the stab was only good to 5k/500 both mfg by Reese. At Tractor supply I found balls rated 10k/1000 and 25k but they had 1-1/4 shanks, and no stabs for that diameter shank.



Do I need a WD hitch for an 18' open deck trailer or do I need to go to a real trailer place? Or am I completely missing something?



Thanks

Chris

 

[Road Dog]

Hidden Hitch makes a class IV hitch that's 12,000 WC or 14,000 WD with a 2" receiver. Or you can go to a class V hitch with a 2. 5" receiver. There are shops that do nothing but install hitches and brake systems and you're better off going to one of those.

 

[steved]

I am looking at buying an 18' steel deck car hauler with 2-5/16ths ball. Trailer is rated to 7000GVW. Factory hitch says that its good to 10k/1000 with WD hitch 5k/500 with STD hitch. So I head to Autozone/Home Depot/Tractor Depot/Harbor Freight and couldn't find a std hitch/ball greater than 5k/500? I found balls rated to 6k/600 but the stab was only good to 5k/500 both mfg by Reese. At Tractor supply I found balls rated 10k/1000 and 25k but they had 1-1/4 shanks, and no stabs for that diameter shank.



Do I need a WD hitch for an 18' open deck trailer or do I need to go to a real trailer place? Or am I completely missing something?



Thanks

Chris

I won't comment on the weight capacity of your hitch... everyone has differing views.



I will only ask that if you decide to use the factory hitch, ensure you have the secondary bracing from the frame to the hitch... will look like little brackets bolted to the end of the frame to the hitch on either side. They will look like afterthoughts... and not part of the original hitch (they will not be welded to the hitch).



It was a recall on those years due to frames and hitches being damaged by too much weight... I believe the brackets and frame reinforcements were the answer.

 

[GAmes]

The receiver metal on mine literally tore from being loaded. There was no recall according to the Dodge dealer. I bought one from a local hitch store rated to 15,000 pounds w/wd, still a 2" for about $130. After many miles of commercial use it is still good to go. My advice, scrap that stock receiver.

 

[icman95]

Also, go to a real trailer place. The one I go to here in CT is very helpful and knowledgable, much more so than the big box stores. Maybe a bit pricier, but what's the price of safety and your life? Besides, they might be able to order stuff that the box stores can't. I have the Convertaball set which has a top rating of 10k. The shank stays in the drawbar and the balls can be interchanged on the shank depending upon what size you need. I had a set for a while and left it on the hitch for too long. I got it to rust together. My fault, not the part's. Now they make (and I have) a stainless steel set. Can't go wrong there.

 

[CCiatteo]

Also, go to a real trailer place. The one I go to here in CT is very helpful and knowledgable, much more so than the big box stores. Maybe a bit pricier, but what's the price of safety and your life? Besides, they might be able to order stuff that the box stores can't. I have the Convertaball set which has a top rating of 10k. The shank stays in the drawbar and the balls can be interchanged on the shank depending upon what size you need. I had a set for a while and left it on the hitch for too long. I got it to rust together. My fault, not the part's. Now they make (and I have) a stainless steel set. Can't go wrong there.

This is my next move. I bought the trailer tonight and it tows beautiful, but I already ran into a problem with the wiring. The stock wiring connector is a 7 blade unit, but the trailer is a 7 pin unit. I looked an adapter, but with the Dodge connector mounted sideways there is no room for an adapter and the the trailer plug without hitting the draw bar/reciever. Gonna take some time and figure out the best solution before moving forward and maybe a new reciever is something I'll look into.



Thanks

Chris

 

[icman95]

There is a product called White Night backup lights that fit over the trailer hitch. They get in the way of the stock trailer plug, so they make an adapter plate that allows you to remount the plug facing forward. It works great and takes about 5 minutes. I think Geno's Garage use to sell this item, but included the adapter as a freebe with the lights. If you just want the adapter, I think JC Whitney sells it separately for around $10. Just what you need.