Hitch wobble

[{tpc}]

On my last truck, with the hitch inserted, it had some “play” in it. It did not really affect anything that I could tell but I always wondered about it.

The hitch and truck were brand new, so it’s not like one was worn first.

So I have another new truck, and I have yet to put the hitch on it, but in the meantime I bought one of those hitch tightener contraptions to try and alleviate the slop or play in it. It’s a fairly heavy duty unit, I don’t recall exactly who makes it however.

The question is, since the tongue is so heavy, is this even needed? Or will it have any effect at all? I feel like the trailer weight is going to overcome this no matter how well I tighten it.

Also, if I were to use it, would I want it to force the hitch tight against the bottom of the receiver or tight against the top? I was thinking bottom but I don’t know much about these.

Or does using one of those just end up transferring stress to some other part of truck or trailer, and maybe that is not what you want?

Attached is a picture of the hitch for reference. You can see the wear. That’s 2 seasons of use from new. Maybe I’m just overthinking it lol.

[markcee]

Interested in this as well, my E4 has the same appearance. I tried the tightening contraption as well and found it to be a pain in the butt and not effective.

[chuckster57]

When your hitched up and WD engaged, all the force is UP so you would want the hitch tight against the top of the receiver.

[JRTJH]

Our 1993 F250 had a 2" receiver on it. Our 1999 F250 had a 2.5" receiver with a sleeve. We never had problems with hitch wobble with the 2" receiver and the 2" hitch head. We did have problems with hitch wobble with the 2.5" receiver, the sleeve and the 2" hitch head. I tried a hitch tightener, but didn't have a lot of success with it stopping all the wobble. IMO, there's not a lot of effectiveness you can get from a piece of 3/8" steel and a 5/16" bolt when trying to stop 1100 pounds of tongue weight from being pushed laterally as well as fore/aft by a 7500 pound trailer.

I replaced the hitch head with a 2.5" stem and resloved almost all of my wobble.

I suspect that a big part of our "wobble problems" stemmed from having two places for wobble (both sides of the sleeve) to be induced rather than just a single "sloppy contact point"....

[Balvar24]

Originally Posted by {tpc}

Maybe I’m just overthinking it lol.

I think you're right.

[{tpc}]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Our 1993 F250 had a 2" receiver on it. Our 1999 F250 had a 2.5" receiver with a sleeve. We never had problems with hitch wobble with the 2" receiver and the 2" hitch head. We did have problems with hitch wobble with the 2.5" receiver, the sleeve and the 2" hitch head. I tried a hitch tightener, but didn't have a lot of success with it stopping all the wobble. IMO, there's not a lot of effectiveness you can get from a piece of 3/8" steel and a 5/16" bolt when trying to stop 1100 pounds of tongue weight from being pushed laterally as well as fore/aft by a 7500 pound trailer.

I replaced the hitch head with a 2.5" stem and resloved almost all of my wobble.

I suspect that a big part of our "wobble problems" stemmed from having two places for wobble (both sides of the sleeve) to be induced rather than just a single "sloppy contact point"....

I’ll come right out and ask it because I’m dumb lol, but there would be no mistaking a 2.5 to 2 in receiver, right? I can’t imagine they would put a 2.5 on a f150. And I really can’t imagine it wouldn’t be a noticeable size difference lol.

But ya it wobbles all around or at least it did on the last truck. Side to side, up and down. Funny thing is the hole for the pin looks ok on the hitch, but I seem to remember it looking different on the receiver (more wear). Could hitch pin need replacement with something better? I have a locking one but I don’t use it anymore because I take the hitch off after I get it my destination. Was just another step I didn’t need.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by {tpc}

I’ll come right out and ask it because I’m dumb lol, but there would be no mistaking a 2.5 to 2 in receiver, right? I can’t imagine they would put a 2.5 on a f150. And I really can’t imagine it wouldn’t be a noticeable size difference lol.

But ya it wobbles all around or at least it did on the last truck. Side to side, up and down. Funny thing is the hole for the pin looks ok on the hitch, but I seem to remember it looking different on the receiver (more wear). Could hitch pin need replacement with something better? I have a locking one but I don’t use it anymore because I take the hitch off after I get it my destination. Was just another step I didn’t need.

I didn't see any reference to a F150 in your original post, so I wasn't thinking "exclusively about 2" receivers"....

You're right, I also don't believe Ford installed 2.5" receivers on any of the F150 line. That said, without doing any "extensive research on your profile or on your specific vehicle" there are 2.5" receivers on nearly all "recent model year HD trucks" and all of them come from the factory with an OEM sleeve to adapt to 2" hitches. Those sleeves can induce "more slop" and lead to "more flop" at the hitch ball. Aftermarket HF or Tractor Supply sleeves are even more "sloppy" and can create a "nighmare wobble" at the hitch head.
On some vehicles when towing a heavy trailer, it's noticeable while on other's not so much.

I've seen people install a half inch pin (normally used on 1.25" receivers and on category III 2" receivers) in both Cat IV and Cat V receivers which require a 5/8" pin. So, yes, installing the wrong pin will cause wobble and I'd suspect that towing with the wrong pin would damage the "too big holes" when the pin slams into the receiver holes. That is, if it doesn't shear the pin and wind up dragging the trailer and hitch by the safety chains...

You might want to double check the pin hole in your receiver and in your hitch to make sure they are both the same size and your pin is also that size. Having a 1/2" hole in the receiver and pinning a 5/8" hitch stinger using a 1/2" pin will result in a "sloppy hitch head" and could result in dangerous towing. Hopefully that's not what you're experiencing !!!!!

[sourdough]

Another thing I've found with those safety "pins" that go through the shank and receiver - IMO don't use the safety pins that have a curved end on them. One end could have a locking pin through it or a literal lock. The other just have the end of the steel pin shaft bent - Don't use those pulling a heavy trailer. A few years back got to wondering about the extra clanking and "slop" I was feeling from the hitch area with my bumper pull. Looked and tried different things THEN paid attention to the hole in the shank; it had been wallowed out where the pin went through the receiver hole and the bent end would get caught/pushed up against the edge of the receiver elongating the hole.

[hornet28]

I've had the same problem and was told the bent end pin can be a culprit for this. However instead of just using a straight pin and calling it good I made a modification on the replacement receiver. I took two pieces of 1/4" flat stock, drilled the correct size hole in each. Then I put the hitch in the receiver, one piece of flat stock on each side of the receiver, put the pin in to be sure of alignment and welded the 1/4" stock to the receiver. I now use a straight pin for a 2 1/2" hitch and have 3/8" wall on each side of the receiver instead of just 1/8" wall

[{tpc}]

Great info, thanks all!

@sourdough —any straight pin suggestions? I have a locking one that is straight but it’s one I got from Walmart and frankly I don’t have much confidence in the brand.

@hornet28 —any pics of the setup? What kind of straight pin? I am sure I could find some flat stock around work, Maybe even stainless, but I don’t have the welding capability. Maybe I could just cut the stock to size and drill a hole in it and slide it in, if this receiver seems a bit too loose. At least I could eliminate side to side and the pin would hold it.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by {tpc}

Great info, thanks all!

@sourdough —any straight pin suggestions? I have a locking one that is straight but it’s one I got from Walmart and frankly I don’t have much confidence in the brand.

@hornet28 —any pics of the setup? What kind of straight pin? I am sure I could find some flat stock around work, Maybe even stainless, but I don’t have the welding capability. Maybe I could just cut the stock to size and drill a hole in it and slide it in, if this receiver seems a bit too loose. At least I could eliminate side to side and the pin would hold it.

I believe mine was made by either Master Lock or Reese? but it similar to the one in the link.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/CURT-5-8...s&locale=en-US

[hornet28]

Originally Posted by {tpc}

Great info, thanks all!

@sourdough —any straight pin suggestions? I have a locking one that is straight but it’s one I got from Walmart and frankly I don’t have much confidence in the brand.

@hornet28 —any pics of the setup? What kind of straight pin? I am sure I could find some flat stock around work, Maybe even stainless, but I don’t have the welding capability. Maybe I could just cut the stock to size and drill a hole in it and slide it in, if this receiver seems a bit too loose. At least I could eliminate side to side and the pin would hold it.

The flat stock is on the outside not inside. Also unless it's welded it's just going to move around and not do any good whatsoever. As far as pin a straight pin of the correct diameter, mine is a locking pin

[{tpc}]

Ok I have some more information. I took some measurements but I want to retake them because I don’t think I zeroed the calipers. But I have a couple pictures. First one is in a old shank from my old hitch. The other is the current shank. Both have the current pin. Now I’m not sure how sloppy it’s supposed to be but the current shank it’s actually visible sloppiness.

[hornet28]

Sorry I was thinking that worn/sloppy hole was in the receiver not the shank. That's why my fix was for the receiver. I haven't experienced the shank doing that

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

When your hitched up and WD engaged, all the force is UP so you would want the hitch tight against the top of the receiver.

Yes, this. Camp it in an UP position!

[{tpc}]

Originally Posted by hornet28

Sorry I was thinking that worn/sloppy hole was in the receiver not the shank. That's why my fix was for the receiver. I haven't experienced the shank doing that

Weird, isn't it? The hole in the shank is actually not worn looking, its just bigger. It would explain the wear mark on top of the shaft, and what looked like wear on the old receiver pin hole.

Maybe if I contact curt they might have a suggestion.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by {tpc}

Weird, isn't it? The hole in the shank is actually not worn looking, its just bigger. It would explain the wear mark on top of the shaft, and what looked like wear on the old receiver pin hole.

Maybe if I contact curt they might have a suggestion.

The pin in the bottom picture looks too small for the hole. Measure the hole in the hitch receiver anmd match the hitch head shank and pin to match. Typically for a 2" receiver they are 5/8" diameter. 1 1/4" receivers are typically 1/2" diameter.

[{tpc}]

Originally Posted by flybouy

The pin in the bottom picture looks too small for the hole. Measure the hole in the hitch receiver anmd match the hitch head shank and pin to match. Typically for a 2" receiver they are 5/8" diameter. 1 1/4" receivers are typically 1/2" diameter.

Thats the odd part. The pin in the bottom picture is the same one in the top picture, 2 different shanks, both for 2" receivers. The bottom picture is the shank that came with the hitch as well as the pin.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by {tpc}

Thats the odd part. The pin in the bottom picture is the same one in the top picture, 2 different shanks, both for 2" receivers. The bottom picture is the shank that came with the hitch as well as the pin.

I think you need to take those measurements to know what you have. Did those pins come with those shanks from the factory? Are both of those shanks otherwise identical? I.E. is one hollow and one solid?

[dutchmensport]

Originally Posted by {tpc}

On my last truck, with the hitch inserted, it had some “play” in it....

So I have another new truck...

The question is, since the tongue is so heavy, is this even needed? ...

Also, if I were to use it, would I want it to force the hitch tight against the bottom of the receiver or tight against the top? ...

....

If your receiver and your hitch shaft combination have some "slop" in it, there is not much you can do. The hitch shaft will move inside the receiver sleeve which will eventually cause wear on the hole where the pin inserts. Once the hole wears to a certain point, you'll have some banging going on because the hitch shaft can actually move slightly and it will start hitting the pin. Over time, that slop will get more and more too.

Even with weight distribution, the forces of the trailer (acceleration and deceleration) are going to be greater than the friction caused by the weight distribution. No matter what you do, the hitch shaft is going to move around. The ONLY sure fire way to prevent movement is to weld the hitch shank directly into the receiver shaft making it impossible to move at all. This is the only true solution. But, no one wants to do that. (me included).

In order to get a shank to fit truly snug, it would have to be so accurate, it would take a sledge hammer to pound the hitch into the shaft.