2015 GM hitch

Need-A-Vacation wrote:
The new hitch design started with the new '11 frame. I haven't heard of any issues either.

Ditto.

I follow some of the Duramax forums pretty closely. No one has reported any 2011+ hitch problems.

If you look at the Reese Titan shank, it has a stop (I guess you could call it) so the hitch doesn't slide in to far. Due to the stop it does not allow the pin hole to align on the Curt receivers. Must be part of the design for the 17k lb rating the shank has???

Need-A-Vacation wrote:
I'm surprised to hear that Reese wasn't the most helpful. Maybe I have always had good luck with the very helpful techs I have talked to at Reese.

While it isn't right, hopefully that is the one bad apple!

I know for my '13 we have to drill new holes for the forward mounting bolts. Makes you wonder why as you mentioned....

Not sure about the Curt for my truck as far as drilling, but the Reese Titan shank description states it will not work with a Curt hitch.

reese has been helpful in the past when I had questions on the Reese dual cam system. Curt also shows that holes need to be drilled, instructions similar to Reese. Seems strange that a shank wouldn't work with ALL class x hitches with the same size opening.

On my 04 the reese titan used the factory mounting holes, why that isn't the case on my 15 is unknown,

I'm surprised to hear that Reese wasn't the most helpful. Maybe I have always had good luck with the very helpful techs I have talked to at Reese.

While it isn't right, hopefully that is the one bad apple!

I know for my '13 we have to drill new holes for the forward mounting bolts. Makes you wonder why as you mentioned....

Not sure about the Curt for my truck as far as drilling, but the Reese Titan shank description states it will not work with a Curt hitch.

Need-A-Vacation wrote:
Well.... From what ktmrfs posted, it sounds like GM has taken a step backwards for the hitch design by going back to the round tube style. The '11-'14 HD's have a square cross tube, though it is shaped some to go around the spare (my guess for it having "curves" lol).

If you have a higher tw, I would probably seriously consider replacing it. Maybe have someone latch your wd bars up while you watch the hitch to see if the cross tube twists at all when doing so.

after doing some research, Reese, Curt and others make a ClassV replacement but for some ungodly strange reason the decided NOT to use the existing rear mounting bolts (or claim there aren't any) on the frame used by the factory hitch and require drilling 4 new mounting holes even though it appears to mount in the same location. And the frame there is high strength steel extra thick.

When I asked Reese if it would fit over the rear factory mounting bolts they said, there aren't any rear factory mounting bolts on the factory Class V hitch. I said, there sure are on mine, two on each side, just like your uses. At which point he got kinda testy, and said no there are not factory mounting holes and you will need to drill. End of conversation.

Now if reese/curt had a dimensioned drawing I could see if it would match the factory mounting, but I doubt after the previous inquiry, they would do that.

Torklift makes a nice class V, but at close to $800, I think I'll pass

Well.... From what ktmrfs posted, it sounds like GM has taken a step backwards for the hitch design by going back to the round tube style. The '11-'14 HD's have a square cross tube, though it is shaped some to go around the spare (my guess for it having "curves" lol).

If you have a higher tw, I would probably seriously consider replacing it. Maybe have someone latch your wd bars up while you watch the hitch to see if the cross tube twists at all when doing so.

My 2011 GMC 2500HD factory hitch seemed fine, but then we got a heavier trailer and noticed some bounce, the paint showed rusting and cracking at the joints that indicated we had some flex, maybe some lite welds... I did not want to mess around and decided to go all out and put the Torklift Super Magnum hitch (rated 30k) with double stinger shank and new 1500/15000lb trunnion bar WDH. No bounce, no flex, no worries. I wish I had borrowed a GoPro and got some video when it was bouncing so I could perhaps see how much flexing I had.

Need-A-Vacation wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:
The 2011+ hitch is much stonger than the old. Believe its rated at 17k lb on my truck which is a crazy amount of weight to hang off the back bumper IMO. I would never even think of approaching that for a bumper pull. I don't see any reason to spend $$ and try to upgrade. If you really need to go heavier than that seriously consider 5er/GN

Is your truck a sb or lb? What is the tw rating?

Interesting question/ observation, is the hitch that the D-Max has the exact same as the 6.0 which is rated for 13K towing/1500lb tw with a different sticker? Or is there actually two different hitches? Time for some "surfing" to see what I can find out.

As for replacing the hitch, I know I am considering it due to being ~100lb under the rated tw, did not have the trailer fully loaded (as it will be normally) when I weighed. We were missing all the boys "stuff" in the bunkroom which is in the rear (clothes, tv, etc), and I didn't have the rear cargo hitch and bike rack on the trailer yet. SO..... the loaded tw may actually be a little less.

BUT still seriously considering replacing it. One small concern I have if I replace it is will my 2.5" Reese Titan shank still be enough of a drop for a replacement hitch???

As for the new '14/'15- 1500 trucks, the hitch is completely different than the previous GMT-900 trucks they replace, just like the new(er) HD hitch is different than the previous one. Old ones were a round tube hitch, which when using a wd hitch, could twist from the bars being latched up. I replaced our '10-1500 hitch with a Curt and talk about a difference! Stock hitch sounded like a tin can when I set it down on the garage floor, with the Curt being a dull "thud". Even the factory Jayco rear cargo hitch that is only rated for 300lbs weighs about 2x as much as the '10 factory hitch did (from what I remember!).

2015 2500HD is still a round tube hitch. However compared to my 04LLY it is a much much more substantial design and looks greatly improved. I've watched the hitch underneath as DW attached the springbars and it appears to be very robust while the 04 you could see it twisting up.

N-Trouble wrote:
The 2011+ hitch is much stonger than the old. Believe its rated at 17k lb on my truck which is a crazy amount of weight to hang off the back bumper IMO. I would never even think of approaching that for a bumper pull. I don't see any reason to spend $$ and try to upgrade. If you really need to go heavier than that seriously consider 5er/GN

Is your truck a sb or lb? What is the tw rating?

Interesting question/ observation, is the hitch that the D-Max has the exact same as the 6.0 which is rated for 13K towing/1500lb tw with a different sticker? Or is there actually two different hitches? Time for some "surfing" to see what I can find out.

As for replacing the hitch, I know I am considering it due to being ~100lb under the rated tw, did not have the trailer fully loaded (as it will be normally) when I weighed. We were missing all the boys "stuff" in the bunkroom which is in the rear (clothes, tv, etc), and I didn't have the rear cargo hitch and bike rack on the trailer yet. SO..... the loaded tw may actually be a little less.

BUT still seriously considering replacing it. One small concern I have if I replace it is will my 2.5" Reese Titan shank still be enough of a drop for a replacement hitch???

As for the new '14/'15- 1500 trucks, the hitch is completely different than the previous GMT-900 trucks they replace, just like the new(er) HD hitch is different than the previous one. Old ones were a round tube hitch, which when using a wd hitch, could twist from the bars being latched up. I replaced our '10-1500 hitch with a Curt and talk about a difference! Stock hitch sounded like a tin can when I set it down on the garage floor, with the Curt being a dull "thud". Even the factory Jayco rear cargo hitch that is only rated for 300lbs weighs about 2x as much as the '10 factory hitch did (from what I remember!).

The 2011+ hitch is much stonger than the old. Believe its rated at 17k lb on my truck which is a crazy amount of weight to hang off the back bumper IMO. I would never even think of approaching that for a bumper pull. I don't see any reason to spend $$ and try to upgrade. If you really need to go heavier than that seriously consider 5er/GN