GM receiver hitches

[USA-1]

I will be pulling a 8000# TTrailer with 800# tongue wt.I have a 05 3500 DRW,have there been any problems with GM receiver hitches?
USA-1

[ 01-08-2006, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: USA-1 ]

[DennisG01]

Never had a problem with any of the hitches we had on our trucks at our marina. We pull boats up to 12,000 lbs. I'm sure there might be better ones out there (maybe even less money).

[rjschoolcraft]

I can't comment on the newer style hitches that GM uses. However, the factory receiver hitch (rated at 10,000 lb. capacity, 1000 lb. tounge) on my Suburban failed on me while towing a load of water. Fortunately, I felt extra motion at the rear of the truck and pulled over quickly. The hitch had cracked nearly all the way through where the rectangular cross tube meets the mount arms. :eek:

I now have a Draw-Tite receiver rated at 12,000 lb, 1200 lb tounge.

[tanker]

The factory hitch is rated at 10,000 lbs. and should do a good job for you. However as we all do at times, we tend to exceed the GVWR of the trailers we tow. If not you will be fine. I opted to replace mine with a Reese2-1/2" square receiver with a 14,000lb rating because my trailer is over the 10,000 lb rating of the factory hitch. There is a BIG differance between the two receivers in weight and thickness. I have heard of some factory receivers cracking, but were they over loaded?
I always inspect my hitch and related equipment while at fuel stops, and give things a good inspection at home while doing my PM's. All in all you should be fine. Everyone should get their rigs weighed on a certified truck stop scale just to see what you are carring on each axle when loaded. smile.gif

[USA-1]

I've been reading trailer life forums,they have 15 pages on that topic.I am trading in a fifthwheel for a ttrailer and it has me a little concerned with the factory receiver.Please excuse my spelling.
USA-1

[MikeC]

USA1,

What 5th are you trading and for what TT.

We are looking at going TT to 5th.

Mike

[USA-1]

MikeC, Trading a Keystone Ladero 29gr for a Keystone Hornet 30BHSS.
USA-1

[Tsckey]

My trailer has a loaded tongue weight of around 1,400lbs. I replaced my OE hitch with a Reese Titan V (I think they call it a Wild Beast, or something now). It is a much more robust receiver.

TC

[MikeC]

USA1

How soon, I've got a Cardinal 31' BH SS.

Don't know if I can con my wife into a trade right now.

Mike

[USA-1]

MikeC, Sorry,it's gone.Where is Carroll,Oh?
USA-1

[Rocinante]

USA 1,
I have a 2003 GMC 2500HD D/A. I have experienced near catastrophic failure with the OEM receiver. Upon returning from a trip to Alaska I went over my truck to determine what maintaince was needed. To my shock :eek: , several of the welds on the OEM receiver were cracked and only 1, where the 2" box connects to the round tube was intact. I started to wonder if I was overloaded, or if something else was wrong. I did a search on the RV.net forum and found that there are many others who have had failures with the OEM receiver. This seems especially true with heaver trailers, which only makes sense. There seems to be a weakness with lateral deflection that the OEM receiver is poorly designed to withstand.
Hope this info helps. smile.gif

[Dave]

My 01 Duramax 3500 had the factory GM hitch rated for 1200 tongue and 12000 trailer. I pulled for five years with it right at the limit with out a failure. However had I kept the truck any longer I would have repaced the hitch. This is for two reasons. The hole where the pin to hold the hitch in had become and oval. Also the 2 x 2 square was starting to get wider. I never noticed a problem with the welds.

[earniem]

Well now a subject I have delt with. I had 2 GM Trucks starting with a 91. they both had a class thee hitch and niether one would handle a 30' trailer with equalising bars. They only had 8' between the first bolt and the last of three bols. The one cosest to the bumper is bolted to the bumper bracket with vertical slotted holes everytime I hooked up the bars it pulled the hitch up to where it hit the taik gate. By Reese and a few others specs it needs at least 14" from the first to the last bolt. Mine also bent the ends of the frame and no I was not overloaded. I made them change the hitch on my 96 dually before I would take it home. Check them out .It cost me a lot of time and some money to get it right. My 2003 Duramax got it right with the OEM

[Mr. D]

I will be pulling a 8000# TTrailer with 800# tongue wt.I have a 05 3500 DRW,have there been any problems with GM receiver hitches?
USA-1

[ 01-08-2006, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: USA-1 ]

YES, I'VE HAD PROBLEMS!!!!! Don't exceed the ratings on a GM factory hitch by a single pound! I found I had gone 130 lbs over the tongue weight listed and it failed! It twisted and bent! If you can afford it, go to something like a Reese Titan or another heavier hitch! GM hitches won't take anything over the listed weight. No safety margin over the listed weight!

[Dewey Faircloth]

Never had problem with the 2005.do lot of towing.
Had 2000 2500 6.0 liter the wore the hole big enough for two pins on a 5,000 mile trip.