Recommended Class V Hitch for 2006 GMC Sierra for Towing 10,800 lb Boat

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Question:

Truck: 2006 GMC Sierra SB Crew Cab 4x4 with Allison/Duramax. I tow a boat that weighs 10,800 lbs. The factory hitch is rated for 10,000 lbs and, while I havent had any problems towing the boat so far, feel I should upgrade the hitch. I see several hitches on your site that are Class V, but with a 2inch receiver. I was under the impression that a Class V hitch had a 2.5inch receiver. Can you explain the pros and cons for 2inch versus 2.5. What hitch would you recommend for my vehicle and why? I also need to upgrade my ball mount and ball to match the tow rating of the hitch. I dont need any at all could use maybe an inch of lift. I see that some of the mounts have a shock absorbing feature. Is this appropriate for a trailer with surge brakes and the weight Im pulling? What ball mount/ball recommendation do you have for my situation?

asked by: Mark

0

Expert Reply:

I'd recommend upgrading that hitch, ASAP. If the hitch fails while you're towing, causing an accident, your insurance company would be well within their rights to deny you coverage which would leave you wide open to all kinds of legal liability. Not a pretty situation.

Usually, Class V hitches do indeed have a 2-1/2 inch receiver tube. However, companies like Curt Manufacturing, Draw-Tite and B&W have developed Class V hitches with a 2 inch receiver tube that are strong enough to be classified as Class V. The benefit of this is that you'd have lots of flexibility to use tons of different hitch mounted accessories without needing an adapter of any kind. The only potential downside I can see is that you'll need to pay close attention to the ratings of the ball mounts and trailer balls you use to make sure you don't exceed their weight capacities.

Assuming you truck has a standard factory bumper, the B&W Class V hitch, part
# BWHDRH25189 would be my recommendation. The hitch has plenty of capacity, 16,000 lbs towing/ 1600 lbs tongue weight.

I believe you mention that you need a 1 inch rise ball mount, correct? If this is the case, B&W offers a forged ball mount with a 16,000 lb capacity, part # BWBMHD30010. For a cushioned ball mount, you could use the Convert-A-Ball # AMSC2HD. This ball mount has a slightly lower capacity at 14,000 lbs.

Due to the weight of your boat, I'm assuming you need a 2-5/16 inch ball. The B&W # BWHB94050 provides a 16,000 capacity. If you can get by with slightly less capacity, you could use the Tow Ready # 63836, which has a 14,000 lb capacity.

expert reply by: Mike L

0

Answer 1

We don't have a picture but I can tell you that once installed trailer hitch #BWHDRH25187 will have its receiver directly below the bumper and the face of the receiver will be basically flush with the rear bumper. Please note that this hitch is…

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Answer 2

I did some checking and basically the cutout bumper is the regular factory bumper. The Curt hitch, #C15312, will fit up tighter and a little more recessed, apparently the same way the factory hitch does if it were installed. Some people like the…

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Answer 3

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 4

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

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Answer 5

Yes, the B and W Turnoverball rail kit part #BWGNRK1057 that you referenced does fit the 2009 Chevy Silverado 1500 5-1/2 foot bed.

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Answer 6

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two options.…

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Answer 7

There really should be a flat washer between the outer bearing of your hub and the nut that holds it on. The washer protects the back side of the bearing from the edges and points on the back side of the spindle nut. The Washer For 1 inch Spindle,…

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Answer 8

We carry all sorts of RV door parts including hinges and latches that you can see on the linked pages. I included links to hinges, latches and weather-stripping like #WS1434 and vinyl trim like #CAM25103. Since trailer makers do not keep track of…

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Answer 9

It is a very good idea to use the a compressor with the Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs #F2609 on your 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500, as well a no-drill mount kit: - Air Command Compressor System w/ Light Duty Compressor #F2610 - No-Drill Mount…

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Answer 10

My technical contact at AirLift confirmed that the minimum pressure setting for triggering automatic re-filling of the air bags by the WirelessONE Compressor #AL25980 can be changed from the typical 5-psi to 10-psi by putting this setting into one of…

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Answer 11

According to my research, AL-KO 8490 references an AL-KO hub for 3,500 lb axles with a 10 x 2-1/4" drum and a 5 on 4-1/2" bolt pattern. For a drum assembly that will work with these hubs I recommend taking a look at the Electric Trailer…

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Answer 12

The Dexter brake assembly 023-217-00 is a 10 by 2-1/4 brake for 3,500 pound axles that fits a 4-bolt brake mounting flange. For replacements I recommend part #AKEBRK-35-SA that includes both sides. They're labeld to make the install easier and…

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Recommended Class V Hitch for 2006 GMC Sierra for Towing 10,800 lb Boat

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