I was told by a friend that I must have an insert that goes in the stock GM hitch so that it will mate up with a standard 2" hitch bar. Is this true and if so where do I find this insert. I have towed for years but have never heard of this insert.

Thanks

I heard they were shipped in the new truck .

The new body style trucks, non "Classic" 07 and newer 2500 and 3500 have a 2.5" receiver hitch and should have a 2" "sleeve" included when new. A "Classic" 07 and older trucks have a 2" hitch and the "sleeve" isn't needed.

Gary

I was told by a friend that I must have an insert that goes in the stock GM hitch so that it will mate up with a standard 2" hitch bar. Is this true and if so where do I find this insert. I have towed for years but have never heard of this insert.

Thanks
Helps to know what year/style truck you have, fill out your signature. As stated above if you have a 2007.5 New body style or newer, you have a 2.5" receiver and the insert should have been included with the tow package option. 2007 Classic or older and you have a 2" receiver.

If you dont have it,
My company runs the NBS trucks and some tecs have lost the sleve, so we use 2 X 2 X 1/4" square tubing with holes driled in them for the hitch pin. Seems to work fine.

Why did they change it to a 2.5 inch anyway? Cant really see it being that much stronger and if they give you a sleeve for it that really negates anything they were trying to do.

I bought a 2" sleeve from Northern while I was waiting for my truck to be delivered last year. As said above, it comes with the 2.5" reciever and a 2" reducer stock.

local farm store has them

Tractor Supply has them also.

Why did they change it to a 2.5 inch anyway? Cant really see it being that much stronger and if they give you a sleeve for it that really negates anything they were trying to do.
You are exactly right. It is not rated any higher than the old 2" one. It is typical GM b.s. when they could have actually put a Towbeast etc. on and saved us all the expense of immediatly replacing our brand new hitches.

Thanks guys, I will contact the Dealer and fiind out where the sleve is.

They make 2.5 inch ball mounts too instead of buying a 2 inch and a reducer.

The Reese Titan hitch I put on my truck 4 years ago was a Class V 2.5" receiver rated at 1,400 tongue weight and 12,000 lb dead weight and 14,000 lb weight distributing


Here's the hitch I have:http://www.hidden-hitch.com/prod.asp?pc=45288

And here's the accesories that you can use with out the reducer:
http://www.etrailer.com/c-RTH.htm

DD

.

I personally found that using my sleave and a 2 inch drawbar had waaayy too much slack in it and the trailer/drawbar would rattle around in the hitch... I switched to the 2.5 inch drawbar and that definitly reduced some of the play in the system more in line with what you would expect using a 2inch drawbar with a 2 inch receiver.

I hadnt used my sleave and 2 inch drawbar hardly any ( so it wasnt all deformed ) but found I could move the ball end up and down almost an inch or more. I didnt like all that rattleing around while we were out in the bush on logging roads with pot holes and such.

I did find the larger drawbar to be a wee more expensive and had to get a larger shank trailer ball too since I think most of the larger 2.5 inch drawbars have holes for 1.25 inch shank balls. Personal observations/preferences food for thought.

mike

I did find the larger drawbar to be a wee more expensive and had to get a larger shank trailer ball too since I think most of the larger 2.5 inch drawbars have holes for 1.25 inch shank balls. Personal observations/preferences food for thought.

mike

You are correct, I forgot about the fact that you need a bigger ball shank to fit the drawbar, but they actually make a reducer bushing so you can use a smaller shanks ball to fit the 2-1/2" drawbar.

Anything to get more money out of us. :rolleyes:

DD

.

Not one of GM's better "Idea's", lots of movement
between the sleeve and the hitch. It came with a
hitch pin hole not drilled correctly and I had to
drill it out so that I could get the hitch pin in.
Bit cost me $28.00 after paying $38K for the truck.
That got me off to the wrong start.
When I have my trailer hitched it makes alot of
noise until the insert gets wedged in tight.
Someone suggested that I weld it, but that
sort of ruins it for the next owner.

Not one of GM's better "Idea's", lots of movement
between the sleeve and the hitch. It came with a
hitch pin hole not drilled correctly and I had to
drill it out so that I could get the hitch pin in.
Bit cost me $28.00 after paying $38K for the truck.
That got me off to the wrong start.
When I have my trailer hitched it makes alot of
noise until the insert gets wedged in tight.
Someone suggested that I weld it, but that
sort of ruins it for the next owner.

You can try wrapping the drawbar once or twice with some duct tape until it's a nice tight and Quiet fit.

I have done it before and it works well.

DD

.

You are correct, I forgot about the fact that you need a bigger ball shank to fit the drawbar, but they actually make a reducer bushing so you can use a smaller shanks ball to fit the 2-1/2" drawbar.

Anything to get more money out of us. :rolleyes:

DD

.

Hmmmn figures I was told by my local parts store that you could not buy a reducer sleave to use a smaller shank ball... probably right about the getting more money out of us...

Probably wouldnt have been able to get if form me in time anyways.. I had to have it that day or I wouldnt have needed it at all. Was going hunting and got stuck driving my truck didnt want to bash the hell out of the receiver towing our "Hunting Palace" over a long pot hole road.

As mentioned above though the duct tape idea might have been a good one. There is always someone thinking outside the box. hahah

mike

I made Stainless Steel Shims for both the reducer and the drawbar. Everything is pretty tight and tough to change out, but it is worth it. It made biggest difference with my 30' Coachman.

I just made a 2200 mile trip from Florida to Pa on a hunting trip pulling a 9000 lb camper with weight distribution. I found that the 2.5 reciever with the sleeve to be very noisey. I will try to shim it next time to see if I can make it a little quiter. As stated above I don't know why GM saw fit to put a 2.5 receiver on our trucks that provided us with no increase in tongue or gross weight ability.