2.5 to 2 inch sleeve

[chiefcamper]

Why do the sleeves say "Not to be used with WD hitch"? This makes no sense to me. Are there different types of sleeves?

[rwess]

My hitch had too much wobble with the 2.5 to 2 inch sleeve adapter. So I upgraded the shank on my Equalizer hitch to 2.5 inches.

[Brisk]

I have never used a WDH with my Ram but I bent 2 hitch pins with the adapter and my 14,000lb flatbed equipment trailer. Bought a 2.5" Reese Titan 18k 5" Drop ball mount and have had no issues since.

[Walaby]

Another reason for using the sleeve....

I have a 2.5" receiver. Debated on what to do. Decided in the end to use the sleeve. I actually had a shop weld it in. Over Christmas holidays, truck broke down, about 50 miles from home, in middle of nowhere. Tow truck came out. He had to use my hitch to hook the TT to the tow truck. Good thing my shank was 2" or my TT would have been left sitting on the side of the road. His hitch on the tow truck was 2". Put the truck on the flat bed, and towed the trailer behind his truck.

Mike

[Wishin]

I have a Reese hitch and Reese sleeve on my Suburban. I use it with my WDH, trailer is 7500-7800 lbs with 1200-1300 lb TW. I use a locking pin and it has never bent on my like others have had issues with.

One summer we were leaving for vacation and my fuel pump went out, using the sleeve meant that my draw bar easily went into the 2" hitch on the tow truck as well as my dad's truck which we borrowed to finish our vacation. If I had bought the larger draw bar, that would not have worked.

I'm sticking with use of the sleeve.

[Ron3rd]

The only problem I've had with my sleeve on my new CTD is almost losing it by forgetting to pull it out of the receiver! It sticks in the receiver sometimes and does not come out when I pull the hitch head out! Gotta remember that.

[Camper_G]

I just checked the full ram owners manual for my 2017 and there are no warnings or restrictions on the use of the sleeve i could find in the trailer or towing or hitches sections of the manual

[Camper_G]

Lynnmor wrote:
My sleeve was as long as the receiver. The problem is with the shank being spaced 1/4" from the receiver on each side. That gap is filled with the sleeve that slides and gives no support front to rear. There have been reports of bending hitch pins and elongated holes from that movement. I upgraded to a 2-1/2" shank and that can be done with most hitches.

That makes sense. Thanks for that. I can see that as a possible issue

[Camper_G]

eHoefler wrote:
The sleeve it self does not have the warning, but the owners manual does, and most hitch manufactures do as well. the sleeve is too short to use on a WDH, it does not give full support of the shank.

I didn't read that anywhere in my owner's manual and i obtained the full one from ram. What page number is that on? Not sure what your referring to about the sleeve being too short? Measure the depth of the receiver without the sleeve. It's not very deep either.

I'll have to check the owners manual closer though.

[time2roll]

ScottG wrote:

time2roll wrote:
Best to get a new drawbar.

That would be nice but not really an option with most WDH manufacturers.

Maybe the OP will post exactly what he has so a solution can be provided.
I don't like adapters when you can have the real deal.
Why make such an effort to improve the adapter and skirt the warnings?

[Lynnmor]

My sleeve was as long as the receiver. The problem is with the shank being spaced 1/4" from the receiver on each side. That gap is filled with the sleeve that slides and gives no support front to rear. There have been reports of bending hitch pins and elongated holes from that movement. I upgraded to a 2-1/2" shank and that can be done with most hitches.

[deltabravo]

eHoefler wrote:
.. the sleeve is too short to use on a WDH, it does not give full support of the shank.

Ditto. The sleeve that came with my 2009 Silverado is short. I've never used it because I upgraded to a Torklift Hitch so I could use their SuperTruss extension (to tow while my truck camper is onboard). It's 2".

[eHoefler]

The sleeve it self does not have the warning, but the owners manual does, and most hitch manufactures do as well. the sleeve is too short to use on a WDH, it does not give full support of the shank.

[Camper_G]

As noted prior, the oem Mopar sleeve does not have any warnings on it. I plan on using mine with wdh. If i have any issues i may buy a 2.5" drop shank. I don't see it as a safety issue though. Just my opinion

[LarryJM]

ScottG wrote:

time2roll wrote:
Best to get a new drawbar.

That would be nice but not really an option with most WDH manufacturers.

IMO that is PURE BUNK ... The two major WDH manufacurers both have 2 1/2 in drawbars for their WDH systems. AFAIK all the 2 1/2" drawbars still have a 2" section where the actual hitch head is mounted so they are universal to all hitch heads, just like the smaller 2" drawbars are. Also those drawbars could be used on any other brand WDH system so your statement is AFAIK "FLAT OUT WRONG" in all respects.

Larry