Does anyone know if there is a class 5 hitch available to fit a 2003 Dodge?

 

I believe the Class IV that comes from the factory is rated for 10,000 pounds....or I think 12,000 with a weight distributing hitch. Correct?? <br><br>How much are you trying to haul?

 

I just ordered a new Reese Class 5 titan for my 02 rated at 12,000 /14,000 from etrailers.com
I checked on the site and they list a Draw-Tite Class 5 Magnum for the 03 but you may want to give them a call to see if they actually have it. Shipping is slow, so far I've been waiting a week. Should see it soon I hope.

BTW
my factory hitch ( 02' with tow package) has the weight distribution at 10,000 1,000. The 03's may have a heavier rating though.


Edited--
I forgot to mention the Draw Tite is rated at 10,000 Towing
14,000 Weight Dist.

HTH
Patti

 

Speaking of...I haven't noticed anywhere on these hitches where it tells the rating. I thought they were required to have the weight ratings stamped into the metal on the hitch??

 

It is not that I am trying to trailer that much weight, around 3000 lbs. <br>I am going to buy a slide in camper for the truck and trailer my boat also. The camper will extend around 2 ft beyond the bed of the truck. The hitch will need around a 2 ft extension to hook up the boat. According to what I have read on the hitch extension you need to use a class 5 hitch when you run a 2 ft extension.

 

[quote author=Hoss link=board=11;threadid=15927;start=0#149747 date=1055768582]<br>Speaking of...I haven't noticed anywhere on these hitches where it tells the rating. I thought they were required to have the weight ratings stamped into the metal on the hitch?? <br>[/quote]<br><br>Hoss, mine does show right on the hitch.<br>Check this out<br><br>But again mines an 02' maybe that's one of the &quot;features&quot; of an 03, hidden hitch weight rating. Just a guess.<br><br><br>Sorry Moss I have no clue on the extension.<br><br><br>Patti

 

Thumper, hows that little guard thing in front of the ball work? Where'd you get it? I've never seen one.

 

I just talked to the hitch guy that put in my fifth wheel hitch.
This situation reminds me exactly of when I went to have my fifth wheel hitch put in. I must say I like my Dodge but it sure would have been easier to put hitches on the other two brands of trucks. &gt;
It kinda makes me wonder why Dodge put such a high tech frame on a truck that you would think should be designed to install hitches on to pull trailers. Maybe later on it will be simple to put a hitch on but for now it is frustrating being one of the pioneer's for Dodge's new frame technology for trucks.
Randy

 

[quote author=thumper link=board=11;threadid=15927;start=0#149754 date=1055769983]Hoss, mine does show right on the hitch.<br>Check this out<br><br>But again mines an 02' maybe that's one of the &quot;features&quot; of an 03, hidden hitch weight rating. Just a guess.<br><br><br>Sorry Moss I have no clue on the extension.<br><br><br>Patti<br>[/quote]<br><br>My hitch doesn't have a stamp or a sticker on it...which I would think would be a requirement. The only reason I know what it's rated at is because of what the owner's manual for the truck says about the Class IV.

 

Just remember that everything in your towing setup is only as good as the lowest rated part. The drawbar, the ball and the receiver pin all have to be rated as much as what the hitch is rated for.<br><br>

 

Well....duh. : ;D :P

But...thumper...I think he's talking to you. Your drawbar appears to be rated for 10,000/1,000 and your hitch is rated for 5,000/500 (weight carrying). Don't know about the pin or the ball....

 

I go away for a second and............<br><br>I'm well aware of the &quot;other&quot; parts, that's only common sense :. I have a whole setup of Reese parts (weight distr. and sway control) with the appropriate shank and ball. Actually the ball is rated at 30,000. SOooooooooooooooooo....... Hope that'll be good enough for now. <br><br><br><br>bulabula,<br>that's just a guard that I got from etrailer when I ordered my drop down ballmount. I've never had any problems to have actually &quot;used&quot; it. So does it work well? I don't know! I will say one thing and has nothing to do with the guard but......... I was in traffic and felt a bump! The guy behind me had run into me! My husband gets out to check for damage as if. Of course there is none to my truck anyways. The guy was in a little car and he ran right into my ball causing a good bit of damage to his fiberglass front end. It could have been worse, if I didn't have the drop he could have been under the truck. He wasn't paying attention to traffic. Why do I like trucks? ;D<br><br>Hoss, I took a look at the manual and it runs down the list of hitches and weights. It does make mention of the class 3 being factory installed. I guess they figured they didn't need to put a sticker on the hitch since it was in the manual ??? just a thought anyways. Ya know what a sticker costs nowadays? <br><br><br><br>Moss, it appears that etrailers has the extension you may need. I don't know if you need to do and modifications to get the hitch to work. The Reese I ordered says it just mounts to existing setup. but we'll see when it gets here. BTW no I don't work for or have anything to do with that company I keep mentioning <br><br><br>Patti<br><br><br>

 

<br><br>Yeah...my manual shows 5,000 for the Class III and 10,000 for the frame mounted Class IV. I just think it would be appropriate to put a permanent stamp on the hitch just like most drawbars and ***** have. That way if I ever sell the truck and for some reason keep the manual the next poor soul will be able to just look at the hitch and know what it's rated for. Just makes sense to me....but I'm not DC. :<br><br><br><br>This is EXACTLY why I keep a 4&quot; drop drawbar on my truck. <br><br><br><br>I'll vouch for etrailer.com too. They've got a good variety of towing products and their prices are decent. I don't use them a lot though because it gets expensive shipping trailer towing parts. <br><br>

 

Well I finally heard from someone who should know, Reese.<br> I still can't hardly believe it but supposedly the Titan 5 hitch that goes on the 2003 Dodge Super Duty bolts to the existing Factory hitch.<br> Won't that be a nice set up I will have my Factory installed hitch and a Titan 5 hitch bolted directly below it. I am going to have to see that to believe it. I hope that dose not put me over my GVWR having a 2&quot; reciever hitch and a 2 1/2&quot; reciever hitch bolted directly below it. <br> And now that I think about it. I have one more question. If a hitch is rated for 12,000 lbs and is bolted to a hitch rated for 10,000 lbs, what is it's rating? ???

 

[quote author=Hoss link=board=11;threadid=15927;start=0#149776 date=1055773269]<br>Well....duh. : ;D :P<br><br>But...thumper...I think he's talking to you. Your drawbar appears to be rated for 10,000/1,000 and your hitch is rated for 5,000/500 (weight carrying). Don't know about the pin or the ball....<br>[/quote]<br><br>You are correct, Hoss. Some people think that the weight rating depends on what is hitched to the trailer. The label on Thumper's receiver is less than the drop hitch rating, therefore the lower rating is the controlling rating for the entire unit, 5000#. <br><br>On the 98s some owners were dropping 1000# + hitch weights on non-equalizing hitches. Several cracked under the stress. If you don't want yo trailer to be passing yo on da highway, don't exceed da ratings.