Weight Dist Hitch

[Acampingwewillg]

Hi all, just asking for a friend, He just retired and bought a new 3/4 ton Dodge Ram diesel and a new 37' heavy travel trailer. The truck has a 2 1/2 inch receiver hitch, the trailer dealer installed a sleeve to accept a 2 inch shank on the weight distributing hitch. Looking at it, it, the sleeve seems to add enough play to cause the hitch tilt downward some....just doesn't look right to me and I know they make 2 1/2" shanks so as to not defeat the purpose of the 2 1/2"receiver hitch. Trailer weight is in the 10,000-11,000 range.

Just wondering about the consensus on this, whether it really matters?

[APT]

I would not trust the sleeve. I have heard several issues from slop to worn pin holes. Just get the 2/5" drop shank.

[Acampingwewillg]

This is what I've been thinking too. For peace of mind would be reason enough for me. Also, as I recall, he did say he paid 20 bucks for the 2" sleeve...mmm? Thank You all...

[dodge_guy]

I agree that the adapter should be OK. But for the size and weight of the trailer plus price of a 2 1/2” draw bar I would just get the new 2 1/2” draw bar.

[Vintage465]

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Equal-i-zer/EQ90-02-4900.html

This is the one I bought for my set up to get rid of the size-down-bushing

[Blazing_Zippers]

Our 2016 Ram has a 2 1/2 hitch with an adaptor---there is some slop with the hitch installed. It seem a bit "jerry rigged" but works fine.

[LibertyMan]

If he bought the truck new, the truck should have come with the 2 inch sleeve so his 2 1/2 inch receiver can accept a 2 inch shank. So, I hope he did not have to pay for that. Anyways, I have near the same set-up and did not like the slop so I bought a hitch with a 2 1/2 inch shank. If nothing else, for peace of mind. As far as the slight downward tilt, that should be right. So when the trailer is placed on the hitch and raised up to attach the distribution bars, the trailer is lowered back down for a level set-up to include the hitch head itself. There should be some type of adjustment on the distribution hitch head so a level set-up can be achieved once the trailer it attached and bars in place.
If the trailer is attached and distribution bars are in place and the hitch head has a downward tilt, he needs to do some adjustment.