Kensterfly

iTrader: (1)

I tried to buy a receiver hitch with 2 inch ball today at Tractor Supply. Reese is the brand and appears to be a good hitch. The hitch fit perfectly into the sleeve but, shouldn't the hitch slide all the way back into the sleeve? If it does, the locking pin holes do not line up. If the holes line up, the hitch extends far out of the sleeve and that can't be very strong.

The holes in the back of the hitch are are a couple of inches from the end of the hitch closest to the front of the truck. The holes in the sleeve are a couple of inches from the end of the sleeve closest to the back end of the truck. Seems to me that the holes should line up so the hitch would slide all the way into the sleeve.

Am I missing something?

firecop138

The hitch may or may not go into the receiver all the way depending on the brand and how it's made. As long as the majority of the hitch is in the receiver and the holes line up, you should be good to go. I have always had the hitch protrude from the receiver a few inches and never had a problem.

Dutchmanxtr

The last one I bought had 2 sets of holes. If this one sticks out too far, drill another set where you want it.

Kensterfly

iTrader: (1)

I may have to do that. My buddy has a drill press.

Rockjock3

If you do that make sure you have enough metal between that set of holes and the original holes. The manufacturer, however, put those holes where they did for some kind of reason. You might weaken the hitch tube and cause it to fail if towing something extremely heavy. You probably wouldn't go drilling your own holes in a wheel that didn't have enough holes, you might not want to go drilling holes in a hitch that doesn't have them where you want them.

Kensterfly

iTrader: (1)

Why would the manufacturer put the holes so far back on the tube that it will only overlap the receiver sleeve by a couple of inches, rather than having most of the hitch fit all the way into the sleeve. It's sort of like taking one of your hands and griping the other hand only by the outermost knuckles. Not much strength there. But, if the fingers completely overlap the fingers on the other hands, you have a much stronger grip.

bubbabud

They are made that way because some receivers have a different pin spacing and the ball mount is universal to fit many different receiver and bumper combos.
Experience has shown me that the closer the ball is to the axle the better it will handle.
It is a simple matter if you have access to a drill press and a 5/8 drill bit to mark and drill a 2nd hole and it will not weaken the ball mount.

Kensterfly

iTrader: (1)

Exactly my thought (without the experience.) Common sense and intuition.

It's a Class IV hitch. It should be as strong as possible.

Rockjock3

I can't speak for the manufacturer on that point. They designed it the way they did for whatever reason and to fit the strength requirements they required. What I am getting at is that if that is the way it was built and it were to fail it is on them. If somebody starts drilling their own holes, and doesn't truly know what they are doing to the strength of the hitch, and it fails then it is on them, not the manufacturer. If you don't like how it looks then take it back and get another one.

Ricktwuhk

It does not need to be all the way in, no.