Towing Receiver Hitch has a lot of play

[TTA89]

I normally tow with my F150 but had my wifes explorer and was towing an empty snowmobile trailer home. I took the hitch out of my truck, pulled the cover off the explorer and put it into the receiver on the explorer. I hooked everything up and it really has a lot of extra play side to side and up and down. You can hear it banging around when hitting the brakes or going over bumps. I feel like it needs a shim or something...

A friend has an identical explorer and I tried it in his with the same results. Anyone else notice this? The tolerance on my truck receiver is much better. This is a 2017 Platinum.

 

[974X4BLACKSPORT]

Play is normal. Ive switched receivers around a lot of vehicles, always have play, some more than others, never really noticed banging when pulling. If it is bothersome, find a new one that fits better.

 

[blwnsmoke]

I notice it on my 2011. Makes a ton of racket with a snowmobile trailer hooked up.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I used to have this when I hauled bikes on a hitch mounted carrier. I used a shim. Another buddy had a similar hitch, and ran two beads of weld along two sides, and ground them until it fit to his liking.

 

[Tsuga]

Mine did the same thing. Every time you start or stop, the trailer felt like it was about to fall off. I bought an anti rattle locking pin and no more rattle.

 

[stuarto]

I just use a shim on to go on the bottom face of the hitch. Also, you might want to consider one of the locking hitch pins that has a combined threaded bolt - this completely removes any side wobble

 

[ProjectSHO89]

Yeah, my Explorer does the same thing towing the boat. Because there is no vibration isolation between the unibody-mounted receiver and the passenger cabin, the noise really transmits into the cabin.

I bought an anti-rattle hitch clamp and use it. No more rattle/noise.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0068D1M1E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Ironworker40]

Snowmobile trailers have very light tongue weights which makes this noise worse. I also have found that some recievers are tighter then others. Mine is loose also but when I tow two Harleys It makes no noise at al because of the increased tongue weight.
That anti rattle device looks interesting, I have never seen one before. One benefit of the loose fit is if it gets rusty the hitch still fits. I had a very snug home built receiver back in the 90s and it got rusty and I spent a really long time cleaning it out to get hitch to fit. I have liked the looser ones from then on. Pay no attention to it, it is not bothering anything.

 

[Ironworker40]

I just had an idea if it bothers you wrap it with some electrical tape. It should quite it down and if it dont fit in your other vehicle its easily removed.

 

[Mlarv5]

Just remember if shimming it do the same size shims on each side. If raping it in tape make sure you use the same amount on each side. You want the trailer straight behind you not off to one side or another. I have always had a bang taken off or stopping, it really does not bother me. I was towing with my 1980 F150 years ago and some how the ball came loose, I hit a bump and it pulled out of the receiver while I was stopping when I took off I didn't here the bang. I looked in my mirrors to see the trailer way off center. I stopped the trailer didn't until it banged the truck. The safety chains caught the tongue. So I use the bang to let me know the trailer is still there.

 

[Mbrooks420]

If the ball mount is crooked it won’t matter. That’s why it’s a ball. The trailer will track straight behind, regardless.

 

[DMG632]

I tow a enclosed trailer 2-3 days a week and hate the rattling. I've used the since 2011 and it works very well (I use a 3/4" socket instead of the wrench provided)
https://www.amazon.com/Trimax-40102...000CKRWL8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

 

[96firephoenix]

https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Tightener-Anti-Rattle-Receivers-Heavy-Duty/dp/B01IO2N44E/

I've been really happy with this Anti-rattle device.

 

[Querys]

Hello,
I tow sporadicly a trailer with my Explorer. Therefor I want to remove the Receiver Hitch after towing. Ideally fast and without tools.
Anyone an idea, which system will help in this case? Otherwise I will live with the play.

 

[Mbrooks420]

You should be able to remove the ball mount easily from any hitch. You can’t remove any receiver without tools and work.

 

[Querys]

Sorry, you are right
The receiver will stay at the vehicle of course.

But the question will stay, I need something to reduce play which is removeable without tools.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Just have beads of weld zipped down two adjacent sides of the hitch. Then grind them down until it fits snug. That’s the only toolless option, unless you slide some shim material in with the mount. I used to do this with a dirt bike carrier because it raised the rear end of it a few inches and gave more road clearance.