Another new Ram truck question. Hitches and bed lighting

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Looks like I ordered a new truck today so I have a queston for you guys with Ram 2500's.

All the new hitches are 2.5" standard on the big trucks.
I know they sell or come with an adapter that is a sleeve so you can use a standard 2" hitch.

Being that I weld I got to thinking about using a section of standard 2.5" tube like you use for building some type of hitch.
Anyone know if a 12" section will fit in the truck recieve?
My thought was to use a 12" section then weld some tread plat on it as a step or used as a seat puting boots on then you can also stick the 2" hitch into it and use it for and adapter towing.
Plus if it fits I can just just use the 2.5" x 24" for an extension on the fishing basket.

The other thing is, they offer bed lights on the inside of the bed thwt are LED.
I could not order them with my package but I wanted to know if anyone has them how they are switched and if anyone has added them or you know where they plug up.
Was thinking they maybe have the wires run and you just need to add the light and plug up.

If you added a different type of bed lighting what did you use and how?
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Looks like I ordered a new truck today so I have a queston for you guys with Ram 2500's.

All the new hitches are 2.5" standard on the big trucks.
I know they sell or come with an adapter that is a sleeve so you can use a standard 2" hitch.

Being that I weld I got to thinking about using a section of standard 2.5" tube like you use for building some type of hitch.
Anyone know if a 12" section will fit in the truck recieve?
My thought was to use a 12" section then weld some tread plat on it as a step or used as a seat puting boots on then you can also stick the 2" hitch into it and use it for and adapter towing.
Plus if it fits I can just just use the 2.5" x 24" for an extension on the fishing basket.

The other thing is, they offer bed lights on the inside of the bed thwt are LED.
I could not order them with my package but I wanted to know if anyone has them how they are switched and if anyone has added them or you know where they plug up.
Was thinking they maybe have the wires run and you just need to add the light and plug up.

If you added a different type of bed lighting what did you use and how?
About 8.5" before it hits the spare tire.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Understand that
Was talking 12" so I would stick 6" in the hitch and 6" out to make a step.
Just did not know if the normal 2.5" sections for making a hitch would even fit in it.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Understand that
Was talking 12" so I would stick 6" in the hitch and 6" out to make a step.
Just did not know if the normal 2.5" sections for making a hitch would even fit in it.
Yep, they will if you use the seamless rounded edge type.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
With all the new hitchs going to 2.5"
I wonder if I could build a hitch rack for a smaller 350 ATV?

Was looking at the hitch ext for using slide in campers.
They go out as much as 4 to 5 feet. Most using extra brackets and chains but there are many that use the 2.5" bar in the hitch for ext to 4' and weights up to 500.
Most hitch haulers use 2" and stick out maybe 3' with a 500lb max weight.
Been using a 4' ext on a basket for surf fishing for years and it was 2" and the basket steel about 75 lb for the rack system and added a large cooler plus 2 of the 2o to 25 gal live wells...

I know they make a rack for a mid size motorcycle, why not an ATV.
I could thing of times it wohld make it easy and fast for short trips not needing to load and unload a trailer...

Wish they made a camper shell that would hold an ATV.
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
i did a quick search and it looks like they do exist. Found a 2" model with a 700lb capacity. You could always go custom too. That is what I had to do for my front mounted fishing rack. It uses 2 pipe receivers welded to the frame that the basket slides into.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Yep I weld so it would be no problem.
I have not seen a 700lb need to look at the design.

I think the new truck has a TW for the ball in the 1400 lb plus.
I know it would stick out some but say reduce that by 2/3 to the weight of an ATV the hitch should be safe.
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
I don't think it would be an issue. The design was essentially the motorcycle version side by side to accommodate 4 wheels. Another option if you are worried about weight is to run support cables from the corners of the rack to the bed stake pockets. We run a similar design for the "porch" that hangs off the back when the slide in camper is on. The porch slides into the receiver and cables connect the corners up to the corners of the camper, tightened with turn buckles. It is sturdy enough to feel solid with 2 75qt coolers leveraged 3ft from the bumper.
 

straightline

Ten Pointer
This is just me but I run all 2.5" hitches. There is quite a bit of play in the adapter and it irritates me to pull a trailer and the tongue move around and make noise.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Yep I know what you are talking about.
I do a fix on them to tack weld and make them tight.
Or run a bolt that locks it down.
 

straightline

Ten Pointer
Yep I know what you are talking about.
I do a fix on them to tack weld and make them tight.
Or run a bolt that locks it down.

Same here. Drill a hole and weld a nut over the hole, put a bolt in and no more rattling. Some people the noise/moving doesn't bother them but I'm anal about little stuff like that.


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Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I'm kinda curious about the led lighting for the bed....anyone using them or familiar with the install

It is just like the one on the hood.

My old truck did not have it so I got the light and wire kit.
You push the light in and it poped in place and the wire had clips to hold it in place. It was pre wired on the fender just plug and play.

Was reading about the new lights in the bed, they sell the light and wire kit on line. They say plug and play.
My truck is on order so I have not been able to climb under and find the connectors and was thinking maybe someone else did.

The places and holes are in place already in the bed..

I have not found yet but on my old truck they sold a camper cover light and brake light kit.
It pluged in under the truck and run the wires to the camper cover.
It was 40$ but worth it and easy. Also very clean.
want to find the same for this truck.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Let me add one more question to it?
Anyone have the newer 5th wheel factory prep kits in the truck?

Got to looking a few things
One was it gives you a plug in the bed, it has an aways on hot line that is a larger line, has all the other lines for back up lights and so on.
My thought was it gives you a lot of flex to plug in spot lights, back up lights and bed lights.

Also never though about it but the frame mounts give you a bunch of options. You can mount a frame for cargo rack, bed rack, generator or anything.
You can get the normal ball mount in the center, also extra tie downs and other devices to mount...

Cost is 375
About 100 just for the plug kit for a bed wire kit.
So 275 for the hitch mount.
Should add to resale, if i ever need it I have it.

I know i would use the wire kit first thing and maybe the prep ports down the road.
Other then the cost, and plastic plugs that cover the holes it is no different in the truck.

Thoughts
 

straightline

Ten Pointer
Do not get the one from the factory. The mount for the safety chains is huge and you'll have to go with gigantic chain to make it work. I'll post pictures in the am. It is a neat/clean design compared to aftermarket.

Edit to add: Also the ball is $$$$. I think it was $400
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Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Found aftermarket
Curt was 150 for the ball and safety loops.
Looks the same as factory.
Also all the brackets are able to be had aftermarket.
 

straightline

Ten Pointer
There were no aftermarket ones available in 15 so I was kind of stuck with what I could get. I'm going to change the safety chain hookups if that's the case.



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