Hitch Rattle??

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Mantooth

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Jul 26, 2015
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Southern Indiana
So here is my dilemma - I'm getting ready to buy a side-x-side (not sure what brand yet) and will hauling it occasionally with my Durango. The trailer I have is a new Gatormade 10,400lb equipment trailer. I will not be exceeding the load tow capacity of my tow vehicle - just wanted to clear that up. The Gatormade hooked up to my Durango has an awful amount of rattle. My hitch is a Draw-Tite 6k hollow tube that my Dad had laying around. Planning on getting a 10k rated solid hitch when I can find one on sale. I use to have one but got talked into including it during the sale of my last camper. Using the hitch I have now results in a ridiculous amount of movement in the receiver. Should I just get a new solid tube hitch and start from there? I've looked at some products on Amazon but I'm not sure what works best for eliminating the issue. I've mostly towed campers (conventional and 5th wheel) and loaded farm trailers with my F250 or Dad's dually. Never really had any issues with rattle before. Thanks.
 
Forgot to mention, my receiver is factory equipment since I have the tow package. Hitch has a 2 inch drop to it. In all honesty, having a 3 inch would probably be best since the trailer has a slight upward pitch to it when connected.
 
I don't understand the problem. If the trailer is empty it's typically normal to hear and feel some noise and rattling back their. There should be minimal movement in the ball hitch. Like 1/8" so check and make sure the hole that the pin goes through isn't wollowed out.
 
Try this: Blue Ox BX88224 Immobilizer II for 2" Receiver Hitch It stops both vertical and lateral movements of the hitch.
 
I pull an RV, car hauler and misc utility trailers with my truck and it has a factory hitch. I also have a loose fitting hitch. Just over time I guess the hitch movement widens the square hole. It's not unsafe, just an annoyance so I've never done anything about it. You could buy that item posted above to tighten things up but I would not like another step to perform in the hitching up process.
 
For a standard receiver hitch I used to just cut up a cheerios box and slide the cardboard in between gaps that might rattle. worked every time. For a WD hitch it's not needed because the spring tension keeps the thing tight. If the ball is loose, tighten the nut under the ball, but not too much.
 
Originally Posted By: Mantooth
So here is my dilemma - I'm getting ready to buy a side-x-side (not sure what brand yet) and will hauling it occasionally with my Durango. The trailer I have is a new Gatormade 10,400lb equipment trailer. I will not be exceeding the load tow capacity of my tow vehicle - just wanted to clear that up. The Gatormade hooked up to my Durango has an awful amount of rattle. My hitch is a Draw-Tite 6k hollow tube that my Dad had laying around. Planning on getting a 10k rated solid hitch when I can find one on sale. I use to have one but got talked into including it during the sale of my last camper. Using the hitch I have now results in a ridiculous amount of movement in the receiver. Should I just get a new solid tube hitch and start from there? I've looked at some products on Amazon but I'm not sure what works best for eliminating the issue. I've mostly towed campers (conventional and 5th wheel) and loaded farm trailers with my F250 or Dad's dually. Never really had any issues with rattle before. Thanks.
Not what you asked about-but I don't see how you are not over loading your vehicle. You have an approximate (vehicle) payload of 1,200 pounds-and you have a tongue weight of 1,248 pounds. If your towing this in a business situation your a liability waiting to happen. You need a 3/4 ton truck at a minimum. Use your F250-that's what it is made for. I'm waiting for someone in this situation to run in to me-I would like a new "King Ranch" or equivalent pickup truck.
 
Last edited:
How loud is it? My setup would drive you crazy. It is dual sway control/WD. It is loud when turning. Nothing you can do about it. If you grease it, it defeats the sway control. What is your concern? Noise? I have never really noticed hitch rattle.
 
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Mantooth
So here is my dilemma - I'm getting ready to buy a side-x-side (not sure what brand yet) and will hauling it occasionally with my Durango. The trailer I have is a new Gatormade 10,400lb equipment trailer. I will not be exceeding the load tow capacity of my tow vehicle - just wanted to clear that up. The Gatormade hooked up to my Durango has an awful amount of rattle. My hitch is a Draw-Tite 6k hollow tube that my Dad had laying around. Planning on getting a 10k rated solid hitch when I can find one on sale. I use to have one but got talked into including it during the sale of my last camper. Using the hitch I have now results in a ridiculous amount of movement in the receiver. Should I just get a new solid tube hitch and start from there? I've looked at some products on Amazon but I'm not sure what works best for eliminating the issue. I've mostly towed campers (conventional and 5th wheel) and loaded farm trailers with my F250 or Dad's dually. Never really had any issues with rattle before. Thanks.
Not what you asked about-but I don't see how you are not over loading your vehicle. You have an approximate (vehicle) payload of 1,200 pounds-and you have a tongue weight of 1,248 pounds. If your towing this in a business situation your a liability waiting to happen. You need a 3/4 ton truck at a minimum. Use your F250-that's what it is made for. I'm waiting for someone in this situation to run in to me-I would like a new "King Ranch" or equivalent pickup truck.
I did my math awhile back and I figured I was well within the payload/towing capabilities of my Durango. Feel free to check it and correct me if I'm wrong. Also, this is not for a business. My plan is take to the side by side to WV so my son and I can do some 2,3 or 4 day trail rides. Reason for using the Durango for towing is this - my wife and daughter like to trail ride on horse back. She has two horses and a 3-horse slant Featherlite horse trailer with a short wall. There are several weekends where she leaves out with the truck and horse trailer which leaves me with the Durango. Thanks. Trailer GVWR: 10,400 Trailer weight empty: 2,010 Weight of side by side: 1,500 +/- Trailer tongue weight loaded w/ side by side: 526.5 est. ([2,010+1,500]*.15) Durango weight: 4,987 payload capacity: 1,420 My weight: 180 My son's weight: 50 clothing/supplies: 30 fuel: 154.98 (6.3lbs/gal*24.6) I will not be using a W/D hitch system. 526.5+154.98+180+50+30 = 941.48 est payload 1,420-941.48 = 478.52 lb to spare. (all weights in pounds and estimated)
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
How loud is it? My setup would drive you crazy. It is dual sway control/WD. It is loud when turning. Nothing you can do about it. If you grease it, it defeats the sway control. What is your concern? Noise? I have never really noticed hitch rattle.
I run the same hitch , its great! Yes no grease. It really creaks when you turn, but friction is what makes it so stable on the road.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
How loud is it? My setup would drive you crazy. It is dual sway control/WD. It is loud when turning. Nothing you can do about it. If you grease it, it defeats the sway control. What is your concern? Noise? I have never really noticed hitch rattle.
I run the same hitch , its great! Yes no grease. It really creaks when you turn, but friction is what makes it so stable on the road.
I know I love the dang thing. So stable. It is loud but eh, I am safe. Easy to use to.
 
Originally Posted By: Mantooth
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Mantooth
So here is my dilemma - I'm getting ready to buy a side-x-side (not sure what brand yet) and will hauling it occasionally with my Durango. The trailer I have is a new Gatormade 10,400lb equipment trailer. I will not be exceeding the load tow capacity of my tow vehicle - just wanted to clear that up. The Gatormade hooked up to my Durango has an awful amount of rattle. My hitch is a Draw-Tite 6k hollow tube that my Dad had laying around. Planning on getting a 10k rated solid hitch when I can find one on sale. I use to have one but got talked into including it during the sale of my last camper. Using the hitch I have now results in a ridiculous amount of movement in the receiver. Should I just get a new solid tube hitch and start from there? I've looked at some products on Amazon but I'm not sure what works best for eliminating the issue. I've mostly towed campers (conventional and 5th wheel) and loaded farm trailers with my F250 or Dad's dually. Never really had any issues with rattle before. Thanks.
Not what you asked about-but I don't see how you are not over loading your vehicle. You have an approximate (vehicle) payload of 1,200 pounds-and you have a tongue weight of 1,248 pounds. If your towing this in a business situation your a liability waiting to happen. You need a 3/4 ton truck at a minimum. Use your F250-that's what it is made for. I'm waiting for someone in this situation to run in to me-I would like a new "King Ranch" or equivalent pickup truck.
I did my math awhile back and I figured I was well within the payload/towing capabilities of my Durango. Feel free to check it and correct me if I'm wrong. Also, this is not for a business. My plan is take to the side by side to WV so my son and I can do some 2,3 or 4 day trail rides. Reason for using the Durango for towing is this - my wife and daughter like to trail ride on horse back. She has two horses and a 3-horse slant Featherlite horse trailer with a short wall. There are several weekends where she leaves out with the truck and horse trailer which leaves me with the Durango. Thanks. Trailer GVWR: 10,400 Trailer weight empty: 2,010 Weight of side by side: 1,500 +/- Trailer tongue weight loaded w/ side by side: 526.5 est. ([2,010+1,500]*.15) Durango weight: 4,987 payload capacity: 1,420 My weight: 180 My son's weight: 50 clothing/supplies: 30 fuel: 154.98 (6.3lbs/gal*24.6) I will not be using a W/D hitch system. 526.5+154.98+180+50+30 = 941.48 est payload 1,420-941.48 = 478.52 lb to spare. (all weights in pounds and estimated)
OK-I misunderstood your post. I thought the trailer WEIGHED 10,400 pounds. While I think you still should use your truck-you are within the Durangos numbers.
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
How loud is it? My setup would drive you crazy. It is dual sway control/WD. It is loud when turning. Nothing you can do about it. If you grease it, it defeats the sway control. What is your concern? Noise? I have never really noticed hitch rattle.
I had the Equalizer hitch w/ 12,000 lbs bars when I owned my camper. Pretty good set-up for the most part. That camper was my first pull-behind. I still prefer a 5th wheel set up but they are hard to store because of height. A conventionally towed camper is short enough to fit in my equipment building. I don't like having my stuff set outside.
 
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