I need to make or buy a hitch for my 03' 2500. I pull a 15k hydroseeder fairly often and was pulling it with my 96' 2500. I first started pulling it with one of those 2" sq tube/pintle plate adapters. Then one day i noticed the hitch was bending and ripping away from the bolts in the frame. I removed the bumper. Took the original hitch off and put a 5" sq tube between the mounting plate of the hitch right on top of the 2" reciever then trimmed the excess 1/4 side plates so the 5" tube was flush against the bottom of the frame then welded the tube and the side plates to the frame. Then mounted a pintle hook to the square tube. Wow is that a strong hitch. I'd do the same thing to the new truck but i'd like to retain the bumper and the hitch it has is a lame tube style. I was thinking of making something you'd see on a dump truck, 1/2" plate that stuck down below the bumper just enough to have a pintle hook and 2" sq reciever. what does everyone else use? What about something greater than a class 5 hitch? oh, the frame thickness on the 96' was about 1/4" C-Channel and it looks like the 03" is like .100" rectangular (looks kinda whimpy!)

 

http://www.airsafehitches.com/receiver_hitches.html

 

I believe about the only thing available with that rating you can buy, is the Reunel replacement rear bumper with integrated hitch. Here's what they say:

The strongest towing bumper in America! The Reunel rear towing bumper with the welded female receiver hitch is a class 5 hitch rated at 20000lb towing capacity and 6000lb tongue weight. Get the welded receiver and backup light holes FREE with a rear bumper order.


The are a reputable company, and offer great products. I almost went this route myself....

http://www.reunel.com/

--Eric

 

One thing I find a problem on most hitches is how far the the last frame bolt is from the ball. Its quite a distance and puts a huge leverage effect on the hitch/frame. I ripped the frame on my old '92 CTD. After repairing the frame and hitch I tied the hitch into the step bumper right above the reciever. This took away a lot of the flexing and leverage effect. Something to consider if you make your own.

On my '01 I got a Putnam hitch, its rated for 15K but I think they went under so it could be hard to find one now. The factory hitch on my '01 3500 dually was the exact same hitch the factory put on my sister's '01 1500 SB!

On the '03 I just went with a 5th wheel setup.

 

These seem to be pretty strong and highly recommended:

www.torklift.com