just wondering for you guys towing heavy all the time, if you still use the factory hitch, or if you have up graded to some thing bigger and better?
i still have my factory hitch, and the hole is getting sloppy, where the hitch pin goes.was think that i might upgrade to some thing better, or just buy another hitch.my new trailer is a deck over, 14,000lb trailer, and really the hitch is not rated for that on max load of the trailer.

 

Without stating the obvious, does your receiver have a SOLID shaft?? Especially with that kind of weight. I use a solid shaft receiver and believe that helps the holes in the hitch remain the same size. Then the pin is the only part you have to replace due to wear.

 

no solid shaft, i made an adjustable hitch years ago, and only use that hitch for lighter work, and anything heavier, i use the solid hitch draw bar with leveling spring bars. the draw bar i made were not drilled holes, they were all machined so that the pin would be very snug going into each hole on the draw bar.i just figured these hitches were kinda chessey

 

I do believe that the factory hitch is only rated for 10k so I think you should be shopping.

Bill

 

I have found the solid bars to be sloppier in the OEM hitch, not the pin hole but the 2x2......

I think 3rd gens are rated at 12K for the Class IV.....

 

http://www.trailerhitches.com/traile...s5xdrhitch.cfm

I upgraded to the Putnam XDR Class V hitch due to concerns about my Toyhauler's tongue weight. This thing is stout. You have to cut off the receiver tube on the OEM hitch, but then it fastens into the OEM crosstube too, in addition to it's own mounts on the frame.

PourinDiesel did I write up on his install of the same hitch which he uses for sledpulling. https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=100590


Hope that helps.

..

 

I was shocked to find that my 98 12V 2500 had a factory hitch on it that was only rated at 5k? What the hell were they thinking? I was lucky enough to find one for $80 that was rated at 10K Much better since I usaully tow around 7k.

 

Try super hitch Not cheap, but will tow anything on a ball! I just bought one for the extension capability for my truck camper, so I can tow the boat. I'll install it this weekend and let you know how it goes.

Tony

 

Those are great hitches, when I get a bigger trailer I want one.

 

I would recommend a Putnam.