3x3" receiver hitch!

[Boomerweps]

Wow! I thought a 2x2" hitch was pretty stout in my younger days and then they had the 2.5x2.5" on the 3/4 & 1 ton pickups. I see on the F250 Tremor test videos, it comes with a 3x3" hitch! I guess they are going to need a LOT of adapters to tow smaller trailers.

[Grit_dog]

Super_Dave wrote:
Truck camper folks will be happy as the extensions to get out from under the camper tend to need to be 3".

True story.
I've been running a 2' extension plus a long shank hitch sometimes on my stock 2" receiver on the old Dodge when towing with the camper.
And while it's held fine, the greater ratings on 2.5" and the massive ratings on 3" receivers should eliminate the need for the truss systems on all but the heaviest trailers.

[Grit_dog]

rexmitchell wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
Rex, yes the 2.5 to 2” square adapters or similar.
They’re not a good thing for heavy use.

Is there a reason the manufacturer don’t mention that when providing them? I’ve had zero issues with mine but just curious.

Idk. They may work well for occasional or light use. I don't personally have a truck with a 2.5' or 3" receiver, but all our HD pickups at work do, and I've seen quite a few bent hitch pins and holes wallowed out on the receivers. Not to mention them getting stuck (maybe more from rust than being an insert).
This condition isn't exclusive to our fleet either, I've heard the same from others. Part of it may be towing trailers with pintle hitches. Those "slam" forward and back every time you brake or accelerate due to the slop in the pintle. That shock load may exaggerate or accelerate the wear and tear and bend the pins (which never happens when the proper size shank is in the receiver).

I do know that it definitely takes the pin out of a virtually 100% shear load and applies a bending moment (1/4" or 1/2" long moment arm for 2.5 or 3" receiver necked down to 2") to the pin and it's not near as strong in bending as shear, before plastic deformation occurs.

[Super_Dave]

Truck camper folks will be happy as the extensions to get out from under the camper tend to need to be 3".

[rexmitchell]

Grit dog wrote:
Rex, yes the 2.5 to 2” square adapters or similar.
They’re not a good thing for heavy use.

Is there a reason the manufacturer don’t mention that when providing them? I’ve had zero issues with mine but just curious.

[Grit_dog]

Rex, yes the 2.5 to 2” square adapters or similar.
They’re not a good thing for heavy use.

[Grit_dog]

cougar28 wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
Great. A bigger adapter to dodge on the road when they forget to remove them.

Yep! I picked up 2 last year laying in the road.

At least they came out of someone’s hitch receiver. I’ve fought with a bunch of them rusted and or smushed in place, had to cut and pry out.

[rexmitchell]

Grit dog wrote:
3” receivers use a 5/8 pin too.
What needs to change?

With shear on a 5/8 Gr 8 bolt/pin being about 27,000 lbs and hitch pins being in double shear, even with a 100% or a 2:1 factor of safety, a 5/8” pin is still good for 27klbs, or 54k ultimate strength.
Short of being stopped and a semi truck rear ending your trailer at highway speeds, you can’t put 54,000lbs on a pickup truck hitch pin, even towing at the upper limits of what the truck will do.
So I’m not sure why it would need to change.
Now, for all the fools who use the adapters and tow heavy, that is not good.
As soon as you slide in one of those adapters, you weaken the hitch pin considerably as it is now also in bending.
Aside from the occasional light duty use, don’t use adapters.
Get the right size hitch shank.

When you say adapters, are you talking about the reducer sleeve that comes with the truck from the factory to reduce from 2.5 to 2 inch?

[Lynnmor]

I believe that the 3” receiver uses a 3/4” pin.

[Stacy_Hughes]

yes i have tried

[cougar28]

dodge guy wrote:
Great. A bigger adapter to dodge on the road when they forget to remove them.

Yep! I picked up 2 last year laying in the road.

[Retired_JSO]

New ford super duty trucks with brake controller come with the adapters as standard equipment.

[Grit_dog]

3” receivers use a 5/8 pin too.
What needs to change?

With shear on a 5/8 Gr 8 bolt/pin being about 27,000 lbs and hitch pins being in double shear, even with a 100% or a 2:1 factor of safety, a 5/8” pin is still good for 27klbs, or 54k ultimate strength.
Short of being stopped and a semi truck rear ending your trailer at highway speeds, you can’t put 54,000lbs on a pickup truck hitch pin, even towing at the upper limits of what the truck will do.
So I’m not sure why it would need to change.
Now, for all the fools who use the adapters and tow heavy, that is not good.
As soon as you slide in one of those adapters, you weaken the hitch pin considerably as it is now also in bending.
Aside from the occasional light duty use, don’t use adapters.
Get the right size hitch shank.

[Groover]

blt2ski wrote:
Not surprised at this frankly. When I bought my dump truck moons ago, bed hitch maker mentioned, the 1/2" pin used in most 2" hitch applications was only strong enough for a 10-12k trailer. You needed a 5/8" to get to 15-20k, and 3-4' or larger for over this amount. Hence why most tow rigs towing REALLY heavy ball or pintle hitch trailers have the hitch bolted to s frame.
One would need to up the bar size to fit s bolt that was strong enough to handle s given size trailer one might pull in this manner.

Marty

I have been using 2" receivers since 1969 and everyone used a 5/8" pin. The 2 1/2 receivers that I have seen do too. I am sure that they will have to change as some point though.

[Vanished]

Try using my truck to haul a bike rack on my dually - a 3" to 2.5" to 2" to 1.25" adapter... looks comical to be honest!