Chevy\GM Factory Receiver Hitch on 3\4-1Ton Trucks

I was the guy that started the GM hitch discussion back in 2003 after this happened:



Compare that to the aftermarket Kolussus:



On my truck there are 8 bolts holding the receiver, 3 on each frame rail and the two you can see in the pic going to the bumper. Not hard to change, bolts are easy to get to, but you will need a floor jack or similar to hold the new receiver in position while you attach, there things are heavy!

I thought this design looked cheesy when I bought the truck, but I figured, hey I'm no engineer, I should be OK if I stay within the ratings....wrong! I commented to the dealer that it looked like the hitch broke going around a turn, and the answer I got was "they aren't designed to handle stress like that." I pointed out that the towing section of the owner's manual says nothing about towing in a straight line only.....I filed my NHTSA report and moved on.

Suggest that if you decide not to swap the receiver, inspect it regularly for stress cracks.

This has been my view lately, I'm replacing all of the brake fuel lines with stainless, the salt water finally got them. Hope to get the RV out somewhere this summer.

Swapped my factory receiver for a nice, beefy Curt. Now have more hitch capacity than I can/will ever tow. Big plus....MADE IN THE USA.

Cale

Yes you are correct on the adjustment. Had a 2 inch rise after a Curt XD 2400/17000# hitch got installed.

Also thank you for helping with pushing me along to get to get a new hitch. The hitch shop that installed, the owner said he is going to install one on his Chevy. He said the Curt XD was impressive.

mojoroo wrote:
How easy are they to replace and do you need to reset your WD equipment after an install?

It is extremely likely you will need to reset the WD. Means just about a yes.

If your hitch setup was like mine, I had to buy a new drop shank.

Here is the setup on the original 2003 receiver



Here are the 2 receivers side by side


The newer receiver pin box was higher requiring a lower drop shank to level out the camper. Ended up looking like this


This all depends on the shank you have now and the difference in the new receiver is built in relation to the old one. And then there is the excess twist/flex issues that eats up WD settings.

This is not hard to do, just be prepared for it in the event you get into a height difference.

Hope this helps

John

GM recommends going to a WDH for a trailer weighing more than 7500 lbs. and most people do this regardless to improve handling. I doubt that even 10% of the people with trucks ever tow anything.

I have a curt 18k on my truck.

This was one of the first upgrades on 06 2500HD when i bought it in 09. I went with a Reese Titan Class V.

ktosv wrote:

mojoroo wrote:
How easy are they to replace and do you need to reset your WD equipment after an install?

Almost any of them that I looked at for that platform are just bolt on. On my 2004/05 Suburbans I think there was six bolts. Two on each side rail and two going to the bumper. Remove the bolts, remove old reciever, put new receiver on and instal bolts.

It's fairly easy to do. I think I had mine done in about a half an hour to switch the receiver.

When I changed mine the pin box was now right below the hitch, so I had to lower my WDH head. Lots of examples and instructions on this forum and the internet on how to adjust your WDH depending on what you are using.

............My factory hitch is the same as yours ! Two bolts through the bumper and 4 to the frame ! The "V" that that the receiver is welded too , doesn't look very substantial to me nor do the welds either . , jf

mojoroo wrote:
How easy are they to replace and do you need to reset your WD equipment after an install?

Almost any of them that I looked at for that platform are just bolt on. On my 2004/05 Suburbans I think there was six bolts. Two on each side rail and two going to the bumper. Remove the bolts, remove old reciever, put new receiver on and instal bolts.

It's fairly easy to do. I think I had mine done in about a half an hour to switch the receiver.

When I changed mine the pin box was now right below the hitch, so I had to lower my WDH head. Lots of examples and instructions on this forum and the internet on how to adjust your WDH depending on what you are using.

How easy are they to replace and do you need to reset your WD equipment after an install?