Ok guys. I have a 2" ball mount and a 2" ball from my previous vehicle. That vehicle was equipped with a 2" receiver as well.

Recently I had been pulling a few stumps in the front yard...nothing major, but this was the first time the ball mount has been used in my '06. So I noticed that there is some excessive (to me at least) space between the mount and the receiver on the truck. This causes some rattle between the two. I know there are collars out there that I can use to remove the rattle, but my question is...have others of you noticed the same? Do any of you have excessive play between the mount and receiver?

 

Depends on what you consider excessive. If it's only excessive to the point of causing it to rattle then I wouldn't worry about it.

My receiver is powder coated. If the paint or powder coating gets worn off down to bare metal it may sound like it's making more noise. What’s important to remember is the stress point is on the pin that hold the receiver in. If the hole through the receiver is warn then it could cause more rattling. It's also important that the pin not get bent or excessively worn.

I've experienced the same rattling after the receiver gets worn.

If you ever have anything powder coated, throw in the receiver as well. It will make the receiver fit a little tighter, reducing the amount of rattle.

I don’t leave my receiver mounted unless I’m using it.

 

Yeah I usually don't leave it in, but got lazy this past few weeks. Took it out last night because I could actually hear the rattle when I pulled into the driveway...no load on it, and what a strange noise it emits through the frame. Sounded like it was under my feet.
Was just posting out of curiousity more than anything, and trying to procrastinate my work day a little more.

FWIW, no wear on the mount. Pin is dead straight. There's just some play in the entire assembly and it had me wondering if others saw the same thing.

 

I can reach down and giggle mine but have never heard from inside the truck while driving. I would say there is maybe a heavy 1/8" on either side of the hitch.

 

I would say compared to the bronco I had the one on my truck has excessive play. I always used to take mine out when not using it, but the way people drive around here and tailgate I figure id leave it in. If someone wants a ball and hitch thru their hood so be it.

 

I never remove mine but I also use it one or more times every week so more of a waste of time then anything to remove it.

 

I use my hitch regularly and never remove it. The play is always there since brand new and I don't think it gets worse over the years. My prevous truck (1997 F150) had an after market hitch for 10 years and again, I don't think the play has increase. The stress point is the pin and pin holes on the side of the receiver. Watch those areas and I think you are fine.

Cheers

 

Both my trucks have play in the hitch's. Just spray some black paint on it to reduce the freeplay.

I leave mine in all the time as rear protection. I have had a few people get too close on both the raod and in a parking lot. They met the hitch first

 

LOL.... that's good one.

I occassionally leave mount on, but I pay price with busted shin from time to time.

 

I noticed that the receiver on my truck is more loose than the one on my old F250. The old truck had a Reese hitch and the new truck has the factory installed one. Don't leave hitch in usually because of the reason from the last post but maybe i should leave it in because of the poster mentioning about meeting the hitch instead of the bumper. LOL

 

I took the mount out right about the time I posted the thread. I haven't heard the same rattle in the cab that I was hearing before, so I'm going to say that it was definitely the hitch & mount that I was hearing.
Thanks for everyone's input. Glad to hear that we're all kinda in the same boat as far as a little extra room between the hitch and mount...always makes me feel better to be in the norm.
Happy Wednesday fellas.

 

I never take mine off. I use it to "feel" the fence when parking in reverse at the company lot. I've had many chuckles when I only have to rub the paint off when I get love tapped from behind and they cry at the damage.
Cut out some sheet metal, bend it to "L" shape in a vice, and cut the hole for the pin. Slip it in nice and tight and voila no rattle.

 

I get the same results with spray-on bed liner.

 

I leave my hitches in all the time as well even though I rarely pull anything. As said above, it's great protect and an awesome deterrent to tailgaters.

Mine rattle usually when pulling a trailer, I shove a wooden shim in between the tighten things up a little.

 

I have never removed my aluminum hitch. The aluminum doesn't rattle at all. Also as stated above it keeps the dumb ****s away. I love watching people walk too close to my truck at work and bam there goes a shin