New Truck = Bigger Receiver = Unexpected Problem

[rctoyguy]

this past weekend I traded my '15 Ram 1500 for a '13 Ram 2500. I have now discovered that this 2500 has a much larger receiver than my 1500 did. (it's also larger than my brother's '12 Ram 2500) - I think I have found that this truck's hitch is a Class V... All great,

EXCEPT...

My WDH for my travel trailer is now too small for my truck:


I know that I can get an "adapter" that is basically a square tube that fits over the hitch and into the receiver to make up the difference.
Is this a safe way to go, or do I need to replace my WDH?

If it really is worth the money difference (to replace WDH ~$?? instead of using the adapter ~$30) - can't I just replace the part of the WDH that goes into the receiver and not have to replace the entire thing? It's going to have to be reconfigured/adjusted/setup anyway for the new truck anyway.

Moderator edit to re-size pictures to forum recommended limit of 640px maximum width.

[COnative]

My adapter sleeve was in bubble wrap under the passenger seat.

[BarneyS]

Yes you need to use the WD bars and adjust them to bring the weight lost from the front axle back to what it is without the trailer hooked up. In other words, you need to adjust it to bring the front measurement back to 39 inches. Don't worry about what the rear measurement is.
Barney

[rctoyguy]

Now I'm wondering if I need to hook up the bars anyway, with very little tension. I looked over the install instructions for this hitch again, and it says:
Rating when used as a weight distributing hitch with spring bars:
tongue weight 1000
max gross trailer weight 10,000

Rating when used as a weight carrying hitch without spring bars:
tongue weight 500 (I'm over that)
max gross trailer weight 5,000 (I'm over that too)

Hoped I could get away without hooking up the bars, but maybe I can't.

[Frostbitte]

I'm pretty sure your truck should come with the adapter.
I know the newer 3500 RAM I rented last November had the adapter under the bench seat in the back.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

It doesn't appear that you need the weight distribution spring bars hooked up. Your truck appears to have plenty of rear spring rate to hold up the hitch weight just fine on it's own.

It is advisable to connect the sway control bar though, since the trailer has lots of sail area.

[rctoyguy]

Another update... Should I start another thread since this is getting away from the original post question?

Gave up on finding a class 5 shank locally. I knew I needed to lower the hitch to the lowest position on this shank, so I did, and it really isn't low enough so I plan to pick up a longer drop shank in the morning (I did find them close by, but I'll still have to use the sleeve) so that I can lower the hitch another notch.

New question - take a look at these measurements and pictures:

With no weight on the truck:
Front wheelwells measure 39"
Rear wheelwells measure 42 1/2"

With trailer attached, and no bars hooked up
Front wheelwells measure 39 1/4"
Rear wheelwells measure 40 3/8"

So with no weight distributing bars hooked up, I have 1/4" rise in the front, and 2 1/4" drop in the rear

SO - do I even need to hook the bars up? The only thing they would do is throw more weight to the front, correct? and if I understand correctly, I'm almost ideal on the front now.

The truck is very close to level, but the trailer is a little nose high (that's why I think I need to lower the hitch more).

Does this sound right? I mean, if I'm not using the bars the only advantage to using this WDH is that I can still hook up the sway control since it's the type that doesn't work with the bars..

[Lynnmor]

rctoyguy wrote:
Maybe a stupid question - is a WDH even needed in my situation? Looks like a class 5 hitch is rated for 20,000 with a 2000 tongue weight. This campers max weight is 6900.

You might be able to get by without a WDH, but the weight transfer to the steering axle will improve safety.

[rctoyguy]

Maybe a stupid question - is a WDH even needed in my situation? Looks like a class 5 hitch is rated for 20,000 with a 2000 tongue weight. This campers max weight is 6900.

[mkirsch]

Not all WDH heads are the same. Some have washers. Some have a notched ratchet arrangement. Some have an eccentric hex thingamabob that controls head angle.

Your best instructions are the head itself: Look at how it is now and put the head back together the same way it came apart.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

The set screws and washers hold the angle. The big bolts hold the head onto the shank.

[time2roll]

+1 for a new shank. I loath adapters.

[rctoyguy]

I found the instructions, but they are not great. Where do the washers go? Don't the 2 bolts that go through the hitch head and shank (torqued to 260 ft-lbs) hold the angle anyway? It looks like there are 2 "setscrews" that adjust the tilt, but maybe they are just to hold while you are adjusting and the 2 heavy bolts that get torqued down are what really do the holding?
This will end up with a 7,000 total loaded weight trailer tied to a 3/4 ton Ram, so the details might not be CRITICAL, but I'm overly paranoid.

[Lynnmor]

Get the instructions from the manufacturers website. One thing to look for is the fit where the ball mount attaches to the new shank, there are shims available if there is too much clearance. Many are installed where the bolts need to crush the ball mount too much, again there may be instructions for that as well.

I upgraded to a 2-1/2" shank, eliminating the adapter, and the reduction in slop made a noticeable difference. The pin bending with an adapter is real and under the right conitions can happen.

[rctoyguy]

Update.. After measuring, I need to drop this thing about 1" - I have one more set of holes I can go down, so that should work - but since I've got to take it apart anyway, I'm going to try to find the correct sized shank tomorrow.
Am I afraid of taking it apart? Yes, quite a bit. Are there any gotchas I need to aware of in assembling this hitch? I don't understand the whole idea of angling the ball, etc. I've seen mention of adding washers to adjust the angle, but I see no washers on this thing.

[mkirsch]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:
Yes they make adapters for that. BUT I had draw-tite hitch and I bought a Reese adapter.

They don't play well together.

Reese made sure the holes did not line up with the draw-tite They made it just too long enough not to line up.:R

I was so ticked. I took it to a frame shop and they measured and cut the adapter so the holes would line up.

That's interesting, because Reese, Draw-Tite, Hidden Hitch, Fulton, Tow Power, and a few other brand names that I don't remember off hand, are all part of the same company. Alot of Reese and Draw-Tite's receiver hitches for the same applications are the same part, with different names on them...

I'm curious about this too, as the Reese adapter I bought was SHORT, only about 6" long, extending 4" past the hole on one end, and a measly 2" past the hole on the other end.

There is absolutely NO WAY that the holes in this adapter would not line up inserted into any receiver tube I've ever come across, in either direction.