2.5in to 2in Receiver Reducer

[salock]

I recently purchased a new truck and discovered when installing the hitch that the receiver is 2.5in instead of 2in. Is it safe to tow a camper with a reducer sleeve or do I need to purchase a new hitch? I currently have a EAZ-Lift WD hitch.

[Walaby]

LIKE2BUILD wrote:

salock wrote:
Thanks! I was hoping to be able to purchase a reducer so I wouldn't have to replace all of my hitches.

You might want to have a shop weld the reducer to your WD hitch shank.
KJ

I actually did the opposite. I had a shop weld the reducer in my hitch. That way I can use all my hitches.

Mike

[CampingN_C_]

I guess I'm the oddball here. I pulled our camper once with the reducer after getting the Ram and for whatever reason I had a bend hitch pin when I got home. It was a Reese pin lock that I'd had forever and bent on the first trip. I think the play and the heavy tongue weight was just too much.

I just went ahead and ordered a new stinger from Etrailer and yes it's very heavy.

[lawnspecialties]

If I ever get another TT, I'll be sure to get the 2.5" shank instead of running with a reducer. Yes, the reducer works but it has created problems for me.

Both the big Curt I have on my 2013 F350 and the stock hitch on my 2015 F350 are slightly warped in the receiver hole. Its not noticeable to the eye but now, some of my regular hitch ball mounts will not go in or are extremely difficult to get inside the hitch receiver. Both of these trucks hauled my heavy Work & Play with an Equalizer WD hitch using a reducer. Neither one had this problem until after I used them for several trips pulling the W&P.

[LIKE2BUILD]

salock wrote:
Thanks! I was hoping to be able to purchase a reducer so I wouldn't have to replace all of my hitches.

You might want to have a shop weld the reducer to your WD hitch shank. When I bought my RAM I needed to get shank with more drop and at first tried a 2" shank as that was available locally. I found the reducer + 2" shank created an excessive amount of slop. I had almost 2" of up/down movement on the hitch head.

Since I had to have a new shank anyway I decided to skip the reducer and ordered a 2.5" WD shank (for the same $$ as the local 2" shank) to eliminate extra pieces in the chain. In your case, if you have the reducer welded to your existing shank it will help decrease the slop.

KJ

[mkirsch]

I didn't like the short commercially available reducers, so I made my own.

Bought a 12" long Curt weldable receiver tube, stuffed it in the 2-1/2" receiver in my truck, marked for holes, and drilled.

The longer tube supports the shank so there's virtually no slop or flop or banging. The commercial reducers are only about 5" long and don't reach the end of the receiver tube, or don't reach far enough in, depending on how you insert them.

[BarneyS]

73guna wrote:
I see reducers laying in the middle of the interstate on occasion.
Make sure you remove it when done using hitch.

Yep, Mine is out there somewhere. 😮
Barney

[time2roll]

I would replace the hitch or the shank. I loathe adapters.

[73guna]

I see reducers laying in the middle of the interstate on occasion.
Make sure you remove it when done using hitch.

[tinner12002]

donn0128 wrote:
Take your stinger to a welding shop and pay them a few dollars to weld 1/4 inch plates to all sides and be done with it.

By the time you pay for that you could have purchased the 2.5" hitch. I've replaced one of mine that has 2.3125 ball with one I seen on sale. Watching for another sale to replace my dropped hitch with 2" ball.
Menards seems to have a good price on them.
Haven't seen any weight dist hitches yet for the 2.5" receiver.

[youngone]

My reducer was in the middle console.

[camperforlife]

I didn't like the "bump" with the reducer so when I upgraded to a Blue Ox I got the 2.5" shank. The only drawback to the 2.5 shank is that it is HEAVY!

[salock]

Just bought a reducer sleeve at Home Depot for $12. I will just leave it in the receiver and use it with all of my hitches.

[Nomadac]

A hitch that has a 2.5" receiver is usually a Class V hitch, which is what I have on my Class A Motor home which has a larger weight capacity than a Class IV.

[mx727]

Tractor supply has 2.5" stingers. Cheaper than paying someone to weld. Easier than keeping up with the reducer for your main hitch. I do have a reducer if I have to use some of my other hitch balls or accessories that attach to the hitch