The 2011 F-250 has a 2.5" receiver. The standard hitch is 2" and Ford includes an adapter - a section of square pipe that fits inside the receiver to make it a 2" receiver.

There's one problem and I'm looking for a solution. The adapter is shorter than the depth of the receiver. When you push in the hitch, the adapter slides to the back of the receiver, an inch or so. Now the holes for the receiver pin on the hitch head, adapter, and receiver don't line up.

I came up with a poor fix by fixing a piece of tape to the adapter and holding it while I slide in the hitch. Surely Ford didn't design it this way. What am I missing?

 

looks like that is how everyone makes them... Since there is not a standard distance from the pin to the rear edge, you can't really put a lip on it...

Instead of tape, why not just put the pin in far enough to hold the adapter in place while you put the drawbar in? ...or put the adapter onto the drawbar first.

 

Both good suggestions and I tried both.

I need a third arm to hold the locking pin just right while lifting and inserting the 50lb hitch head. The locking pin has a chamfered edge, so it's very difficult to keep the adapter from slipping when the force of inserting the hitch is applied.

If I slide the adapter on the hitch first, the adapter just slides up to the hitch head as I insert the hitch. Between the tight tolerances and the weight of the hitch head, I can't get it to slide into the receiver to align with the hole.

 

Have it tac-welded in place

 

I considered that.

My question is whether the tac will hold as the hitch moves up and down (slightly, maybe a 32nd of an inch) during usage. What do you think?

 

I have thought that I will never haul anything that will require a class 5 hitch. I thought of drilling a hole on each side and having it welded in place. Grind the weld spots and paint, problem solved.

 

I like lakedweller idea cause I have a welder . Now if you don't you could drill , tap threads put in set screws to hold adapter while you slid in your hitch . olllllo

 

how about welding a small plate to the end of the adapter so that when you slide the adapter into the receiver, the adapter "extension" will hit the back of the tube so it doesn't slide in any farther?

 

I think the receiver tube is longer than the insert and it wound not work ICBW (I could be wrong).

 

that's also what i understood, so by welding a small piece to the insert, it would make the small added piece hit the back of the receiver tube and bottom out, stopping the insert from sliding into the tube farther. its hard to explain without a pic..

 

in edit...

the green would be the factory tube, the black is the insert and the red is a piece of steel welded to the insert. maybe that helps what i was thinking

 

i don't think it is a closed end...

 

Mine is not closed at the end. I recall it being open and there being about a 1" gap before it would hit the spare tire.

If you want to weld, just weld a perpendicular piece to the outside end so it can't slide any further in than flush with the hitch. Make sure the weld does not create a problem where the insert can't slide far enough in.

 

Matt that looks cool but I wonder if you could use a class 5 ball mount. I would not need to use one so I like to weld the insert in permanently.

 

my father in laws chevy has a lip on the outside of the adaptor so you put it in all the way and everything lines up. dont know if it would work on the fords hitch....il find out by october.